View Private Profile

Category: Myspace , Privacy , Security

"I have my Myspace page set to private, but an ex-friend has gotten access to all of my Myspace friends that are on my page, and is emailing them. I asked him about this and he told me that he found a way to view private Myspace pages and he also said he can view my friends. How is this possible, and is there a way to prevent people from viewing a private Myspace profile?"

myspace security hack

Is a Private Myspace Profile Really Private?

Myspace offers members the option to designate an account as public or private. When you choose to have a private page, only those people that you have selected as Myspace friends can view your profile, the friends list, comments, etc. To make your page private, login to Myspace, click on Account Settings, click on Privacy Settings, then choose the My Friends Only setting in the Who Can View My Full Profile section. The full profile will now be visible ONLY to logged-in Myspace members who are on your Friends list.

That's the theory anyway... but in actual practice, a surprising number of "hacks" have been discovered that allow anyone to view information on Myspace pages that was supposed to be private. If you do a bit of searching, you can find websites that list these so-called URL hacks and give simple instructions to generate a web address (URL) that will reveal information on "private" profiles. Some hacks display the friends list on a private page, others reveal the comments and photos posted there. Typically, all you need to do is plug in the "friendID" of the private profile and everything you thought was hidden is open kimono.

It seems that new Myspace security flaws are discovered almost weekly, and posted to a number of "How to Hack Myspace" sites. Myspace has smartened up a bit and now monitors these sites, because the holes are usually closed in days or hours after being reported. I won't mention any specific URL hacks here, because they are found and fixed so quickly. But if you're curious, check out the Joy Boner or Grown Up Geek sites to follow the action.

There have been hacks that allowed unauthorized access to EVERYTHING in a private profile, but to my knowledge these have all been fixed. But there are hacks RIGHT NOW that can reveal the friends list, photos, comments and blog entries on a private profile to ANYONE capable of rubbing two URLs together. It's kind of like an arms race, where the bad guys hack away at Myspace, brag about the security holes they discover, and Myspace patches them up. Lather, rinse, repeat...

Bottom line: Don't count on Myspace to keep ANYTHING private. Think of your Myspace page as a public forum which can be viewed by anyone in the world, and refrain from posting anything personal there.

Got something to say about Myspace and privacy? Post your comments below...


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Posted by Bob Rankin on January 9, 2007 08:17 PM


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Related Keywords: Myspace   private profile   myspace   hacks  

Most recent comments on "View Private Profile"

(See all 33 comments for this article.)

Posted by:
alex
12 Jan 2008

is there anyway to find someones email address from their myspace? i need to send a birthday card but they have not bben online and i have no other way of contacting them

EDITOR'S NOTE: Not unless they published it on the profile, which would be a Bad Idea...


Posted by:
Jason
22 Jan 2008

I've tried joy boner, and the geek one, and it comes up to some weird page when i put in the information. any help on any other good websites to see private profiles?!

EDITOR'S NOTE: It seems that all or most of the Myspace privacy holes have been plugged. I find it incredible (given that Myspace has been well aware) that some of them existed for months or years before Myspace got around to fixing them!


Posted by:
deb
07 Feb 2008

is there anyway to see the photos of a private myspace??? a new code... cause myspace fixed the old one!!!

EDITOR'S NOTE: Not that I know of...


Posted by:
gia
13 Feb 2008

I tried to view the private blogs code and it doesn't work, could you possibly show me a new one?

EDITOR'S NOTE: No. Myspace does not invent new security holes on purpose, as far as I know.


Posted by:
Victoria
16 Mar 2008

can some one email me how to view privated myspaces


Posted by:
Michelle
23 Mar 2008

My boy's ex claims she can read the comments on my private myspace. Is she really hacking it or is she getting it another way? Are there any ways that actually work to see a private profile's comments?

EDITOR'S NOTE: All my research says she is lying -- UNLESS you unknowingly have made her a "friend" of yours, or one of your "friends" is passing her the info. I don't believe there are any "view private comments" hacks out there now.


Posted by:
Alli
04 Apr 2008

Can someone please email me how to see private profiles on myspace?

EDITOR'S NOTE: No, nobody can. Sorry.


Posted by:
concerned
17 Apr 2008

My fiance's ex keeps sending specifics of comments on my page. We have no mutual friends that she could b getting the info from. How is this possible?


Posted by:
Robin
04 Jun 2008

Well I've been looking for a code for weeks. Yes I am being very nosy and immature, but I know the person and I know there are things about me on his myspace. But sad to say I haven't found anything out there that actually works. If anyone knows please let others in on the secret=]


Posted by:
pinespempur
15 Jun 2008

All you have to do is send me 50 pounds sterling and i shall unlock all of myspace to you.

EDITOR'S NOTE: No thanks... there's nothing on Myspace that's I would pay more than a dollar for.


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