Facebook privacy infringement

[JFKvsNixon]

Define public domain?

 

Information that is available to the public at large.

[GLASGOWOODS]

Match.com is rather unscrupulous with data-resale apparently, Facebook might well have a deal with them where they buy up names and links between names on a regular basis.

 

It is astounding how much data is out there relating to each and all of us. My wife eschews every form of social media on purpose for this reason and I have to say, as someone who studies the subject extensively, there are times where I feel like I should as well. The only advantage I have is that I know how it works and don't necessarily fear it. I also know how to avoid the tracking if I don't want it.

 

If you are using Chrome you can see what sort of cookies you have on your system (these are shared via your Google Account which you will have if you use Android): Go to Settings, click on Show Advanced Settings, click on Content Settings, Click on All Cookies and site data and be astounded with the amount of rubbish on there (unless you clear it frequently).

 

Now that you see that, you need to start thinking of Facebook/Google/Apple and other social media and the way they track all your movements, for every cookie on your PC there is likely to be one on one of their servers, linked to your IP, name and any other data they can find out.

 

For Google this site is useful, it shows you how to find out more about what Google is tracking on you. Don't be fooled, this is very unlikely to be everything, but at least you can influence what they know etc. not so easy on Facebook!

 

It is important to realise that what they hold isn't with malicious intent, it is with commercial intent and in some cases even helps keep your account safe (try logging into your Google account on a new device and you should get an email that shows you which device and that if it wasn't you that you should take action now). But if you don't like that commercial intent, nor the feeling they know more about you than you realise, than I would strongly advice that you start showing an interest in how this all works and how you can alter what they might find out.

 

Interesting stuff TZ.

 

I'm going to take a more in depth look at this when i get some time. Cheers!

[tzijlstra]

Information that is available to the public at large.

 

Like what you look at when on Amazon you mean? I am not quite sure what you are getting at? Most information these companies collect isn't in the public domain at all and never has been. They might make it appear like it is, but that is disingenuous. It is part of the bigger debate - what is public and what is private?

 

Mark Zuckerberg (in)famously announced that privacy was dead. When I look at certain toys for sexual gratification through Amazon (not that I do by the way, but as an example) I am not particularly enamoured with the idea that they might then pop up an advert in my browser just as I am putting a presentation up for students on the OHP for example.

 

(What did recently happen was that a World of Tanks banner was shown, I don't really mind as it was with students, but it could diminish my status as professional if I was presenting a sales-pitch to a group of executives.)

 

It is a very thin line that is far more deserving of public debate, but most people don't understand it, so can't form an opinion on it.

[JFKvsNixon]

Like what you look at when on Amazon you mean? I am not quite sure what you are getting at? Most information these companies collect isn't in the public domain at all and never has been. They might make it appear like it is, but that is disingenuous. It is part of the bigger debate - what is public and what is private?

 

Mark Zuckerberg (in)famously announced that privacy was dead. When I look at certain toys for sexual gratification through Amazon (not that I do by the way, but as an example) I am not particularly enamoured with the idea that they might then pop up an advert in my browser just as I am putting a presentation up for students on the OHP for example.

 

(What did recently happen was that a World of Tanks banner was shown, I don't really mind as it was with students, but it could diminish my status as professional if I was presenting a sales-pitch to a group of executives.)

 

It is a very thin line that is far more deserving of public debate, but most people don't understand it, so can't form an opinion on it.

 

I really do just want to understand what the issue is with the companies collecting the information about me.

 

Maybe I find it less of an issue because I do not consider the internet to be a "private" area, and I understand that everything I do on it is in the public domain one way or another and act accordingly.

 

So with your Amazon analogy, I'd find it no different to a bunch of students catching me browsing in a sex shop. (Not that I do by the way, but as an example!!!!!!!!)

[tzijlstra]

I really do just want to understand what the issue is with the companies collecting the information about me.

 

Maybe I find it less of an issue because I do not consider the internet to be a "private" area, and I understand that everything I do on it is in the public domain one way or another and act accordingly.

 

So with your Amazon analogy, I'd find it no different to a bunch of students catching me browsing in a sex shop. (Not that I do by the way, but as an example!!!!!!!!)

 

It's OK, I noticed you the other day

 

I fully understand your position, but it is, as I am sure you will agree, an area of debate. The OP clearly does not hold your view and was surprised by the power of these mechanisms/algorithms. Awareness is a good place to start.

[bethanywalke]

It will have imported the contacts from your address book (all from your email) that you have contacted.

[truman]

I think information shared goes a lot further than they tell people.

 

I used to be on a subscription paid dating site (match.com) i swapped a couple of messages with someone, we met up, but things didn't go any further.Also, we never exchanged phone numbers, just met up via a single message on dating site.

 

Anyhow, about 6 months later the woman i met started to pop up as a potential friend i may know. Head scratching time for me:huh: How were FB able to make a connection with hardly any info. The date i went on only had my first name, not my surname, so how they do it? Furthermore...She lived about 50 miles from me with no friend links.

 

Maybe she searched for you on Facebook?

[Cyclone]

How the hell does it view contact on my phone ?

 

If you install the facebook app on your phone then you give it permission to access your contact list...

 

---------- Post added 19-05-2016 at 09:50 ----------

 

Information that is available to the public at large.

 

This clearly isn't the case in examples such as who you communicated with on match.com. That's private communication behind a password secured login, not at all in the public domain.

 

---------- Post added 19-05-2016 at 09:52 ----------

 

I really do just want to understand what the issue is with the companies collecting the information about me.

 

Maybe I find it less of an issue because I do not consider the internet to be a "private" area, and I understand that everything I do on it is in the public domain one way or another and act accordingly.

 

So with your Amazon analogy, I'd find it no different to a bunch of students catching me browsing in a sex shop. (Not that I do by the way, but as an example!!!!!!!!)

 

So when you use your online banking you believe that what you are doing is entirely public?

When you receive an invoice electronically, or a payment notification, all public?

[JFKvsNixon]

So when you use your online banking you believe that what you are doing is entirely public?

When you receive an invoice electronically, or a payment notification, all public?

 

Of course there would be exceptions, like when you have a secure connection, but I think that my point stands about a lack of anonymity whilst being on line.

[El Cid]

It just goes to show that we are being spied on through our mobile telephone contacts. It seem's very wrong that this is being alowed to happen.

 

Met Police Commissioner Cressida Dick believes detectives should have access to material from social media companies "within minutes".

 

The call comes after a suspect in the murder of Lucy McHugh, 13, was jailed for withholding his Facebook password from police.

 

I understand that the man that has been jailed, is only being questioned by the Police, not proven guilty or even charged with an offence.

 

Is it only in the USA where people can remain silent?

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hampshire-45408338