Facebook privacy breaches

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Reply # 1984443 27-Mar-2018 18:03

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I was on facebook for years, before it was cool. I completely deleted my facebook profile in Sept 2012, when they started injecting ads into the timeline and deciding what I wanted to see from my friends.

I can say with absolute certainty, life has been better since. There is something so depressing and almost cancerous about social media in general.

Give it the kick, the hardest part is choosing to.

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Fred99

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Reply # 1984850 28-Mar-2018 12:15

'Demonstrated unwillingness to comply': Facebook in breach of NZ Privacy Act

Facebook argued that Privacy Act did not apply to it and it did not have to comply with the Commissioner's request to review the information requested by the complainant.

The Commissioner found Facebook was subject to the Privacy Act and had fundamentally failed to engage with the Act.

"The Commissioner's view is that Facebook is subject to the Privacy Act because it operates in New Zealand and provides services to New Zealanders."

So what now?

I expect that FB is probably only the tip of an iceberg, but OTOH the use of targeted news feeds based on analysis of user behaviour promotes confirmation bias which is bloody awful - like talkback radio on steroids in terms of societal harm through increased polarisation of views - and that's before considering how others using FB (like CA) have used it to push targeted political propaganda.

Other social media and data analysis / targeted feeds are possibly less dangerous, mainly so as I get the impression that very many people spend a hell of a lot of their lives on FB - but if FB declines then something else will fill the vacuum. This "industry" needs heavy handed regulation.

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SaltyNZ

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Reply # 1984878 28-Mar-2018 12:49

Fred99:

So what now?

I vote we get this guy in and kick his arse like the Singaporean government. And if all else fails, there's always this.

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These comments are my own and do not represent the opinions of 2degrees.

mattwnz

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Reply # 1984966 28-Mar-2018 14:57

I use instagram these days, and a bit of twitter. I have never like facebook itself but have a business account with it, although instagram is becoming more and more facebook like these days, or maybe it is vice versa. But if something isn't being paid for, then the person using the product is the product that is being sold. So IMO none of this is surprising at all, and is the main reason I have never used it for personal use. Many young people don't use it now either, it seems to be largely used by parent and grandparents as a way to keep in tough with kids and grandkids, and share photos. It has also made things like school reunions obsolete.

Rikkitic

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Reply # 1984970 28-Mar-2018 15:03

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I had a Facebook account for three days a few years ago. It took me three days to figure out how to get rid of it.

I reject your reality and substitute my own. - Adam Savage

danza

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Reply # 1985297 29-Mar-2018 10:30

Much like google, monetize everything possible about their users is basically facebook's entire business models.

There are also facial recognition algorithm running on all their photos and if you’ve been tagged in some, they identify you in others without explicit tagging.
Basically they have user photos tagged on their backend even if you never tagged yourself in them and nothing is tagged.

Among other fun things they do is sending any text you type to the server, even if you never hit the post button. Also grabbing the contents of your paste buffer anytime you enter the app.

danza

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Reply # 1985300 29-Mar-2018 10:36

This is also similar to the problem on android OS itself.

As google’s business model is to suck up all of the data and to have others pay them as gatekeepers for access based on that data, but they already have low level access to scrape all your data, so they don’t depend on the android permission system for that.

The android permission system is so terrible and broken that it is allowing google’s competition (like facebook) to steal all that data that google wants for itself. It is literally so bad that it is hurting google’s business.

DarthKermit

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Reply # 1986636 1-Apr-2018 01:44

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This makes me very glad I've never had a facebook account (I use my partner's one when I have to look at a facebook webpage) and I'm also glad I don't use mobile phones. Screw you facebook.

Tinkerisk

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Reply # 1986644 1-Apr-2018 03:51

I don't like the attitude of Mr. Sugarmountain. :-|

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Batman

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Reply # 1986659 1-Apr-2018 08:18

timmmay:
Facebook appears to have been helping themselves to users data, including call history and text messages. There's a big outcry, US federal investigation, etc. No doubt things will change for the better, sooner or later.

Usually the approach of "don't put anything private online" works, but if Facebook can look through your phone you lose that ability somewhat.

I thought about leaving Facebook, but it's just too useful to connect with friends and family, get event notifications, and share family photos. People not on Facebook tend to get forgotten.

Anyone knows if FB has similar permissions on iOS app? The main discussions have been about stealing data from Android phones.

Cheers

sdav

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Reply # 1986937 1-Apr-2018 18:51

I'm like some others where I haven't had Facebook for years. I definitely get forgotten about for some things but this has never bothered me because if I'm not close enough to them to be remembered being invited to something it's not really that important anyway! My life hasn't suffered from what I can tell!

The other thing I think people forget is that you can't control what your friends say or share about you. If your name, home address, email address etc was in a friends phone, Facebook (or other apps) have it now anyway whether you used the service or not. Realistically you are stalked everywhere you go online and this goes for loyalty cards as well. It's quite insane IMO.

Gilco2

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Reply # 1986940 1-Apr-2018 19:07

I would love to get rid of facebook. All arguments between different family members most from different political views. Only reason still have it is my brothers and sisters and great nephews and nieces etc only use facebook for contact, without facebook they may be dead for all we know as they dont use phone or letters to stay in contact. Otherwise I wouldnt bother with facebook

michaelmurfy

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Reply # 1986965 1-Apr-2018 21:21

Well since I use Facebook for messenger only I've jumped onto the #DeleteFacebook bandwagon too - giving it a week before I delete it so I don't cut off connections.

I know I'll likely get excluded from BBQ's etc but I trust people will contact me via other means if they actually want me there.

Michael Murphy | https://murfy.nz
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Rikkitic

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Reply # 1986973 1-Apr-2018 21:51

Works for me.

I reject your reality and substitute my own. - Adam Savage

matisyahu

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Reply # 1986986 1-Apr-2018 23:20

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I deleted my account today because I only ever used it to keep in touch with family but these days I can do pretty much what I need with a family WhatsApp group which avoids the swap like atmosphere that exists on Facebook. For me I left Facebook because of the toxicity of the place more than anything else. Yes, I do understand WhatsApp is owned by Facebook as well but it seems a whole less intrusive than Facebook.

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