Personal information including sexuality and drug use can be correctly inferred from public 'like' updates, according to study
The research into 58,000 Facebook users in the US found that sensitive personal characteristics about people can be accurately inferred from information in the public domain.
Researchers were able to accurately infer a Facebook user's race, IQ, sexuality, substance use, personality or political views using only a record of the subjects and items they had "liked" on Facebook – even if users had chosen not to reveal that information.
The study will reopen the debate about privacy in the digital age and raise fresh concerns about what information people share online.
