Facebook's Beacon ad program was a bad choice

This is why I can't stand this MySpace and Facebook crap. Facebook's Beacon ad program started blasting out information to all of your "friends" when you made an online purchase. Now, they are facing a class-action lawsuit for it.

Last year, Sean Lane bought a diamond ring for his wife for Christmas on Overstock.com, and shortly thereafter the whole world knew about it.

Merry Christmas?

According to privacy expert, Bill McGeveran, a University of Minnesota professor, this doesn't necessarily mean that Facebook broke any laws.

"What people objected to was that this program told your friends stuff about you without your permission," McGeveran said. "The lawyers have had to be pretty creative in assembling theories about why this might be unlawful."

Still, it's annoying. These social networking sites are great for a lot of people for a lot of things, but they are just another step in losing more privacy.