Beware the Weather Channel's Gross, Underhanded Grab for Your Facebook Information
Log on to the Weather Channel's website to get the latest update on Hurricane Sandy and you may see what looks like a handy tool in the top right corner: "See friends at risk."
The feature promises to show you which of your Facebook friends is in the path of the perfect storm, presumably so you can text, "OMG r u ok? hope u dont die lol." It sounds like a nice idea...but it's not.
Using this feature allows the Weather Channel to access your Facebook information. It's the sleaziest type of self-promotion, using people's fears about a possible disaster to further the brand. What's more, once you've used this feature, the Weather Channel can use your picture to promote its own page on your friends' walls.