Please Note: This post is almost two years old! In internet times, it's ancient, and thus, outdated. You may find newer links at this link : [Google Search]
TechCrunch had an article earlier this week, complaining how Facebook denies access to our friends' email addresses. Its true of course, and even its recently debuted tool to download information off the site doesn't include email addresses. (To use the tool, go to FB Account Settings and click the 'learn more' link next to 'Download your Information'.) Without email addresses, the friends list cannot be imported into other sites, which means FB is making it hard for its users to move to a different site, taking their friends list with them.
TechCrunch had an article earlier this week, complaining how Facebook denies access to our friends' email addresses. Its true of course, and even its recently debuted tool to download information off the site doesn't include email addresses. (To use the tool, go to FB Account Settings and click the 'learn more' link next to 'Download your Information'.) Without email addresses, the friends list cannot be imported into other sites, which means FB is making it hard for its users to move to a different site, taking their friends list with them.
FB claims to be protecting our friends' privacy, but they actually have deals with Yahoo! and Microsoft to share exactly that so-called 'private information' with them! Talk about hypocrisy!
As a follow-up, TC is suggesting that we can use the FB deal with Yahoo! to our advantage, by
- Creating a new Yahoo! Mail account,
- Importing our FB friends' email addresses data on to Yahoo! mail,
- Exporting that as a CSV file, and then
- Importing the CSV into Gmail or Outlook or wherever.
Sneaky, yes, and its a middle finger to Facebook's so-called commitment to protecting users' privacy, but I think step one can be skipped.
Sign-in to your Y!Mail account - Yeah, I know, you've probably not used that crap for a while since getting addicted to the awesomeness of Gmail.. but at least its good for tricks like this!
Now, click this link: Import Contacts to Yahoo!
There you can import contacts from FB, Gmail or Windows Live to your Y! account.
Update: Looks like Amith Agarval's Digital Inspiration blog had explained this trick back in March! Totally unrelated, I swear! :)
Update 2: (Related) How to transfer your Facebook contacts to Google Plus!
Update 2: (Related) How to transfer your Facebook contacts to Google Plus!
