The Facebook Data Scandal

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TwoTankAmin
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The Facebook Data Scandal

Unread post by TwoTankAmin » 2018-03-19, 18:06

I am sure most folks are aware of the data mining scandal relating to Facebook users and the 2016 elections here in the states. I feel like a smarty for not being registered with or using any of the social media sites. I just came across this Story from the online site for the US edition of The Guardian:
How to protect your Facebook privacy – or delete yourself completely
If you found the Cambridge Analytica data breach revelations deeply unsettling, read our guide to the maze of your privacy settings.................

If that’s not enough for you to feel safe, maybe now’s the time to delete your Facebook account altogether.

That’s somewhat harder to do. If you go through the account settings, Facebook will attempt to push you to “deactivate” your account, which “will disable your profile and remove your name and photo from most things that you’ve shared on Facebook”. Notably, it won’t remove any of your data from Facebook’s servers, and your account lies dormant hoping you will change your mind.

If you actually want to delete your information from Facebook, the real setting is hidden in a help document with the title “how do I permanently delete my account?” Clicking on “let us know” on that page will take users to the real account deletion screen. Clicking “delete my account” will take you to another screen. Filling in your password and proving you aren’t a robot on that screen will finally… deactivate your account. Wait two weeks after that, and then, at long last, Facebook will begin the 90 day process of deleting all your data from the site.

By September, then, you too could be Facebook-free.
Read the full article here https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/mar/19/how-to-protect-your-facebook-privacy-or-delete-yourself-completely


Anybody who wants to know where I get my tin foil hats............
“No one has ever become poor by giving.” Anonymous
“Everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but not to his own facts.”" Daniel Patrick Moynihan
"The good thing about science is that it’s true whether or not you believe in it." Neil DeGrasse Tyson

New Tobin Paradigm

Re: The Facebook Data Scandal

Unread post by New Tobin Paradigm » 2018-03-19, 18:44

The data will never be deleted for non-EU people.. Even then how can it ever be verified ? Are the governments gonna get exclusive access to oversee it? That is even worse than facebook having it.. Your account will simply pretend not to exist after that instead of being reactivatable.. The data is too valuable to them.

This is a political stunt and has nothing to do with what they said it does.. Just more Trump Putin Russian Collusion nonsense.. With a healthy dose of 1984 crap.. Break the conditioning and wake up.
Last edited by New Tobin Paradigm on 2018-03-19, 18:49, edited 3 times in total.

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Re: The Facebook Data Scandal

Unread post by Isengrim » 2018-03-19, 20:34

Something I was taught long ago by a respectable database administrator - if you put something on the internet, it is there forever. Just because it is invisible to you does not mean it is gone.
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Re: The Facebook Data Scandal

Unread post by TwoTankAmin » 2018-03-19, 20:48

You missed the point completely. This is what they want you to do. They need you to remain a continuing sucker, imo. That way you will continue to hand over your data and say "Thank you, sir, please may I have another."

If one value's their privacy, you are likely being made a fool when you use Facebook, except as a business which can make money doing so, This pretty much applies across the board to all of the popula social media as far as i can tell. It has nothing to do with Trump or Russia.

1845 November, Graham’s Magazine (Graham’s American Monthly Magazine of Literature and Art), Volume 28, Number 5, published The System of Dr. Tarr and Prof. Fether by Edgar Allan Poe, (Start Page 193, Quote below from Page 194, Column 2), George R. Graham & Co., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The story takes place in a private hospital for the mentally ill, and the words were spoken by the nominal head of the institution.

Code: Select all

“You are young yet, my friend,” replied my host, “but the time will arrive when you will learn to judge for yourself of what is going on in the world, without trusting to the gossip of others. Believe nothing you hear, and only one half that you see."
I would be on social media if not for what I see with my own eyes.
“No one has ever become poor by giving.” Anonymous
“Everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but not to his own facts.”" Daniel Patrick Moynihan
"The good thing about science is that it’s true whether or not you believe in it." Neil DeGrasse Tyson

Thehandyman1957

Re: The Facebook Data Scandal

Unread post by Thehandyman1957 » 2018-03-20, 00:55

I don't think Tobin missed your point. He is just stating the obvious. They may say that your account and data is going to be deleted.
But what they are really going to do, is shadow ban it to you and your friends while keeping that data on their server forever or until not needed.

The data folks give on social media is never going to truly disappear.
Thus, the old adage, don't say anything you don't want the world to know. :mrgreen:

This is the reason I don't use any form of social media. ;)

New Tobin Paradigm

Re: The Facebook Data Scandal

Unread post by New Tobin Paradigm » 2018-03-20, 00:59

Thehandyman1957 wrote:I don't think Tobin missed your point. He is just stating the obvious. They may say that your account and data is going to be deleted.
Correct.

shredder962

Re: The Facebook Data Scandal

Unread post by shredder962 » 2018-03-20, 13:01

I thought it was already common knowledge that Facebook retain data, even when an account is deleted.
Most say said accounts aren't really "deleted" per se, just backed up with all the other stuff.

That doesn't stop the tin foil hat speculation.

New Tobin Paradigm

Re: The Facebook Data Scandal

Unread post by New Tobin Paradigm » 2018-03-20, 14:27


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Re: The Facebook Data Scandal

Unread post by TwoTankAmin » 2018-03-20, 16:14

@New Tobin Paradigm

Sorry for any misunderstanding. I am a bit too passionate about this subject.
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“Everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but not to his own facts.”" Daniel Patrick Moynihan
"The good thing about science is that it’s true whether or not you believe in it." Neil DeGrasse Tyson

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Re: The Facebook Data Scandal

Unread post by TwoTankAmin » 2018-03-23, 12:43

So, I am watchuing the early morning news today, which usually includes some of the business news, and I see a story on Facebook. Basically, the story reported that folks who use facebook wre leaving the site and moving to Instagram.

Of course, doing its proper job as a news organization, they also reported that Instagram was owned by Facebook. So I am reminded of a line from our old pal Willy Shakespeare, "A rose by any other name would smell as sweet" or, to paraphrase, A Facebook by any other name would still still have your data.

I am reminded of an old online friend from my earliest days on the net. His signature on sites was one of the most appropriate ones I have ever seen and is more so today:

We have plenty of youth, what we need is a fountain of smart.
“No one has ever become poor by giving.” Anonymous
“Everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but not to his own facts.”" Daniel Patrick Moynihan
"The good thing about science is that it’s true whether or not you believe in it." Neil DeGrasse Tyson

Phantom

Re: The Facebook Data Scandal

Unread post by Phantom » 2018-03-24, 09:43

I heard on the news that Congress will? get involved and if Facebook is fined it will cost them some $40,000 per user that was sold out. Which will cost Facebook some 2 trillion with a fat capital T. :lol: That ought to pay the debt down nicely. But I'm sure Facebook would just file for bankruptcy and cease operations. Which means I can start my own Facebook. *rubs greedy money hungry hands together* :lol: :D :lol:
Last edited by Phantom on 2018-03-24, 09:47, edited 2 times in total.

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Re: The Facebook Data Scandal

Unread post by Moonraker » 2018-03-24, 10:01

Thehandyman1957 wrote:I don't think Tobin missed your point. He is just stating the obvious. They may say that your account and data is going to be deleted.
But what they are really going to do, is shadow ban it to you and your friends while keeping that data on their server forever or until not needed.

The data folks give on social media is never going to truly disappear.
Thus, the old adage, don't say anything you don't want the world to know. :mrgreen:

This is the reason I don't use any form of social media. ;)
I remember former google CEO eric schmidt saying something quite similar.
"if you do not want google to know about it,then maybe you shouldnt be doing it",or something along those lines.
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Re: The Facebook Data Scandal

Unread post by TwoTankAmin » 2018-04-01, 15:31

Here is an article today from ABC's Washingdon DC affiliate, WJLA. I have been doing most of what they discuss for years now to protect my privacy.

How you're tracked online — and what you can do about it
by ANICK JESDANUN, AP Technology Writer

https://news.google.com/news/headlines/section/topic/TECHNOLOGY?ned=us&hl=en&gl=US

I am registered on very few sites. I have not visited/logged onto the majority of sites where I have registered over the years in a very long time. I think the last new site on which I registered was here. I do not store any cookies or super cookies or even most history. I do not use social media or have a smart phone or a built in GPS in my car. I do still show up on cameras used in public :( I envy vampires on this front......
“No one has ever become poor by giving.” Anonymous
“Everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but not to his own facts.”" Daniel Patrick Moynihan
"The good thing about science is that it’s true whether or not you believe in it." Neil DeGrasse Tyson

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Re: The Facebook Data Scandal

Unread post by Isengrim » 2018-04-01, 15:42

It's nice to see a decent and balanced article on the trade offs between privacy and convenience/security. They don't get into the more advanced methods like fingerprinting, but for a beginner who is concerned about privacy, it's a worthwhile read.
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Re: The Facebook Data Scandal

Unread post by TwoTankAmin » 2018-04-04, 20:57

In case you have not seen/heard this yet.

From The Washington Post:

Facebook said the personal data of most its 2 billion users has been collected and shared with outsiders

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-switch/wp/2018/04/04/facebook-said-the-personal-data-of-most-its-2-billion-users-has-been-collected-and-shared-with-outsiders/?utm_term=.9bb84077d242

So glad I am not on social media :wave:
“No one has ever become poor by giving.” Anonymous
“Everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but not to his own facts.”" Daniel Patrick Moynihan
"The good thing about science is that it’s true whether or not you believe in it." Neil DeGrasse Tyson

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Re: The Facebook Data Scandal

Unread post by TwoTankAmin » 2018-04-12, 01:18

A reporter for the NY Times wanted to see what Data Facebook had collected on him. It is an interesting read, especially when it turns to Google which makes Facebook look like amateurs. You can read his article: "I Downloaded the Information That Facebook Has on Me. Yikes." here: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/11/technology/personaltech/i-downloaded-the-information-that-facebook-has-on-me-yikes.html
“No one has ever become poor by giving.” Anonymous
“Everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but not to his own facts.”" Daniel Patrick Moynihan
"The good thing about science is that it’s true whether or not you believe in it." Neil DeGrasse Tyson

lyceus

Re: The Facebook Data Scandal

Unread post by lyceus » 2018-04-15, 03:44

Actually I never post images of myself online, if you are really a hacker you can see the two ones that I cannot take down. But never of these are in possession of any social media network. Well, last year Facebook blocked my account until I did meet one single demand of them:
Please upload a photo of your face, facing to the camera, well illuminated in 1200x1200 pixels of resolution minimum. Otherwise you will not login again to your account.

Your choices: Upload File or Logout
Well I did made a trick: I uploaded a photo of a deceased acquittance and login to tell people that I was closing shop for good. "Deleted" most of my messages (I know now that nothing is deleted in Facebook or Google) and asked for an account deactivation.

I had lived like 10 months without a Facebook account and my plan is to continue like that for good.

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Re: The Facebook Data Scandal

Unread post by TwoTankAmin » 2018-04-16, 15:35

It is easy to live without being registered on Facebook, Google and the rest. I have been doing it since day one. It helps that I have also lived 3/4 of my life without the internet.

Recent surveys on the topic of how much people trust that their data is safe are interesting. Millenials pretty much do not care and baby boomers do not trust much at all. Here is an interesting article from the World economic Forum from this past week, "We don’t trust the internet. And it’s putting our digital future at risk" https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2017/04/we-dont-trust-the-internet/

Pretty much the only piece of software I use which I trust these days is Pale Moon.
“No one has ever become poor by giving.” Anonymous
“Everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but not to his own facts.”" Daniel Patrick Moynihan
"The good thing about science is that it’s true whether or not you believe in it." Neil DeGrasse Tyson

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