Facebook is a surveillance engine, not friend: Richard Stallman

[menotu]

By Sriram Srinivasan & Sangeetha Kandavel 7 Feb, 2012 (economictimes.indiatimes)

.............................

How do you see the recent move by Facebook to go for listing?

I don't care about that. Facebook mistreats its users. Facebook is not your friend, it is a surveillance engine. For instance, if you browse the Web and you see a 'like' button in some page or some other site that has been displayed from Facebook.

Therefore, Facebook knows that your machine visited that page. So, Facebook carries out surveillance over visitors to thousands of different Websites, even for people who are not Facebook users. I hope we will have something for free browsers to block Facebook 'like' buttons so that people won't be under surveillance.

In any case, this is why I ask people not to put photographs of me on Facebook, because Facebook collects data about the names of people in photos. It might as well be working directly for Big Brother.

Mark Zuckerberg says the likes of Google and Microsoft are collecting information behind your back.

They all do it in a secret way. Facebook collects a lot of data from people and admits it. And it also collects data which isn't admitted. And Google does too. As for Microsoft, I don't know. But I do know that Windows has features that send data about the user.

Full article

[Zane]

They all do it in a secret way. Facebook collects a lot of data from people and admits it. And it also collects data which isn't admitted. And Google does too. As for Microsoft, I don't know. But I do know that Windows has features that send data about the user.

Wonder what that data might be.......which is not admitted? 

[timeth]

This is last year's news and maybe everyone already knows but Facebook also has facial recognition. I discovered this when I was travelling and logged in from a different country. Facebook asks you a bunch of verification questions to make sure it's really you signing in. I haven't seen it for a while but I had some of my photos pop up with frames around random peoples' faces and I was asked to verify who each of these people were.

I didn't realise it was being used generally on Facebook as the article below explains.

http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/facebook-facial-recognition-feature-raises-eyebrows/story?id=13792666 

The article's explanation of how to switch off this recognition feature is out-dated so here is how you do it now.

Privacy settings > How tags work > Edit settings > Tag suggestions.

I think it should be set to 'No one' as default but it's worth checking.

I'm getting off Facebook very soon. Just putting the finishing touches on my own site that will replace my own facebook page. Here's hoping it works the way I imagine it will 

[aguila]

I have applied for diaspora but it's not for everyone yet.

Being able to remove my data from the net makes me feel much more comfortable.

[timeth]

I have applied for diaspora but it's not for everyone yet.

Being able to remove my data from the net makes me feel much more comfortable.

That's good. I have a Diaspora page too but as you say, it's not for everyone yet.

[djohnston]

I have applied for diaspora but it's not for everyone yet.

And, some days it can be slower than molasses. Slower than watching paint dry. Slower than a tortoise in a race. Slower than ...

[AndrzejL]

You tell them Richie!

[longtom]

This is last year's news and maybe everyone already knows but Facebook also has facial recognition.

Any hippos in your pictures? ... 

[Abraxas]

Reading these reports of Data collection by 'unfriendly' companies, such as Facebook, Microsoft, Google I ask myself what do they want to achieve from this Data.
Market pie charts comes to mind, they're always fun to look at. Selling the Data to advertising companies. Gee, I've run out of ideas.
I don't trust Facebook. I followed the trend after a friend opened their Email account, and everyone in it was auto collected as a 'friend' by Facebook. Such things are annoying, let alone mindlessly idiotic. But we are in the midst of mindlessly idiotic people online who will do anything to have a 'friend'.
Whether Google, Microsoft, and Facebook have useful, dynamic data on us all, and aren't afraid to use it is the question. How they might use it seems to be answered by the fact that they keep collecting data hoping one day it will become clear to them why they are doing so.

The greater problem I feel is being a mindless idiot in charge of a powerful Computer which is online, ready to be swallowed into a Botnet willing and able to cause real harm.

Any thoughts ?     oops, I think I just fell asleep.

[AndrzejL]

Another thing they will achieve is a behavioral study... Psychology of the crowd. Since mugshotmagazine is not only available in US they get to study behaviors and habits of other nations and pass them you know where... AND many many MANY more things...

[Abraxas]

"Since mugshotmagazine is not only available in US they get to study behaviors and habits of other nations and pass them you know where... AND many many MANY more things..."

A chill ran up my spine reading that Andy 
I wish there was a mugshot magazine in Australia, it's a great read and pits neighbour on neighbour to see who is the 'Bad Guy' in your suburb.
Mugshot Magazine generates interest; and death threats

AND many many MANY more things...

I bet Google has a list of Aliens living here on Earth, darn it, Google gets to have all the fun.  

[Hootiegibbon]

Oddly, I suspect that (seeing how privacy is an illusion) data is marginally safer with Google than it is with Facebook.

Folks, "free" services always have a cost, and as everyone that uses the internet likesa freebie, it seems we have sold ourselves down this route

All we can do now (imo) is damage limitation.

Jase

[Abraxas]

Yep, I turn the location setting ( Like Global Positioning System (GPS) )  on my Mobile phone OFF, just so I know at least my phone isn't spying on me. Probably more effective to wear my silver foil hat  
Idea came from reading about Advertising Comps collecting data on Cell Phones; you will in the future get a call when within so far of a coffee shop, hairdresser, brothel, etc.