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Facebook, which accidentally leaked some of its code due to a server error, is trying to get it removed from blog sites, says the website owner who originally posted it.
A report yesterday credited blogspot site Facebook Secrets for publishing the code - but website owner Trae McNeely has put it right. And he says the massive social networking site is still trying to get the code offline.
McNeely, who runs forum site wmdtalk.com, originally posted the code.
"I posted it because I just thought it would be something interesting to do," he told nzherald.co.nz this morning, "in the meantime, someone copied what I posted and put it on Facebook Secrets."
The PHP code was reasonably non-threatening to Facebook security, although it did hint at possible naming and folder conventions.
After receiving a threat from Facebook at the weekend, McNeely removed the posting from his own site.
"Do I think Facebook was fair? I really have no opinion. I can see how they want to protect their backend coding but they should look at this as a blessing. It will only make them stronger."
Facebook are still trying to find out how the code found its way into cyberspace, but McNeely says he's in "good standing" with the social networking giant.
"Today Facebook calls me on my cellphone and they are nice and cordial," he said.
"We talk about what happened and that I meant no harm. They are nice and don't threaten legal action against me.
"They know I'm not affiliated with Facebook Secrets but they are trying to get it removed I believe."
While numerous sites have copied the code, it is still cached by search engine Google.
McNeely is not a hacker, merely an IT professional with an interest in coding.
"I am not from a hacking background," he explained. "I do like to tweak things but I am more interested in finding a real job; no disrespect to the good hackers out there."
