Facebook pictures

(Ars Technica) -- Facebook is still working on deleting photos from its servers in a timely manner nearly three years after Ars first brought attention to the topic. The company admitted on Friday that its older systems for storing uploaded content "did not always delete images from content delivery networks in a reasonable period of time even though they were immediately removed from the site," but said it's currently finishing up a newer system that makes the process much quicker. In the meantime, photos that users thought they "deleted" from the social network months or even years ago remain accessible via direct link. The problem: "deleted" photos never go away When we first investigated this phenomenon in 2009, we discovered that photos "deleted" from Facebook seemingly never go away if you have a direct link to the image file on Facebook's servers. Users who might have had second thoughts about posting a photo -- whether it was because they didn't want retaliation from an employer, wanted to avoid family drama, or uploaded a photo of a friend without their permission—could certainly remove the image from Facebook's main user interface, but as long as someone had a direct link to the .jpg file in question, the photo would remain accessible for an indefinite amount of time. When we asked Facebook about it, we were told that the company was "working with our content delivery network (CDN) partner to significantly reduce the amount of time that backup copies persist." But when we followed up on the story more than a year later, our "deleted" photos were still accessible via direct link. That's when the reader stories started pouring in: we were told horror stories about online harassment using photos that were allegedly deleted years ago, and users who were asked to take down photos of friends that they had put online. Facebook striking it rich Should you buy into Facebook's IPO? Unveiling Facebook 'secrets' There were plenty of stories in between as well, and panicked Facebook users continue to e-mail me, asking if we have heard of any new way to ensure that their deleted photos are, well, deleted. For example, one reader linked me to a photo that a friend of his had posted of his toddler crawling naked on the lawn. He asked his friend to take it down for obvious reasons, and so the friend did -- in May of 2008. As of this writing in 2012, I have personally confirmed that the photo is still online, as are several others that readers linked me to that were deleted at various points in 2009 and 2010. (Amusingly, after publishing the 2010 followup, Facebook appeared to delete my photos from its CDN that I had linked in the piece. The company never offered me any explanation, but my photos were the only ones that were deleted at that time. Other "deleted" photos that I had saved links to -- ones that weren't from my account and were deleted even earlier than mine—remained online.) Facebook has admitted that the site has never worked properly when coming to deleting photos. Suprisingly atleast admitting to that because it seems to be a pretty big deal. I would have thought facebook would have done a better job of hiding that fact. It seems like it is a pretty big deal to people because they dont want there photos stuck on facebook or floating around the internet. At the same time does it really matter. People are going to still use facebook no matter what it does with its pictures. They could have them all on google and people would still use the site. It's an addiction to people, it's kind of pathetic really. This article just shows that because no matter what bad things you here about facebook people are going to still use the site. Facebook also even said that yes they have been so called working on the problem for three years. There trying to tell us that the problem is so hard to deal with it's been three years and they cant come up with something to delete photos permanetly. To me it seems they really dont care about the issue because ultimatley does anyone, like I said evveryone is still going to keep there facebook. They do say though that they are working on a system that will completley delete pictures after 45 days. 45 days thats crazy, they cant figure something out in less time. The problem they say is that the photo storage needs a newer system. They say they have this feature almost completed. I guess will see if that actually happens. I agree with the guy writing the article who says I'll believe it when I see it. Facebook has said a lot about what might happen, they need to do something and be practive and actuall do something. If they mess this one up it actually may look bad on the company. For everyones privacy and for facebooks sake I hope the issue gets resolved, although no matter what I think facebook will be OK. At the same time I think people should watch what pictures they put on the internet. If you are going to post something on the internet be prepared for people to see what you put up there. All it can do is hurt you. Someone will see a dumb photo of you and make judgement. No one really looks at facebook and thinks that a picture will make you "look good." Anything on the internet is most likely going to stay in circulation somehow so watch what you put on the internet.