Facebook tracking

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Cloudmelon

186 posts

Master Geek
+1 received by user: 5

#91022 5-Oct-2011 09:28

Link: http://www.stuff.co.nz/technology/digital-living/5732437/Australian-exposes-Facebook-tracking

This doesn't really surprise me too much, something like this was bound to happen sooner or later. Seeing as facebook has too much control over peoples lives as it is.

Ragnor

8279 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 585

Trusted

#529527 5-Oct-2011 12:40

Using a persistent cookie and a http request back to your site on 3rd party sites for tracking has been around forever.

Good addon to prevent it:

http://disconnect.me/

Completely retarded they are trying to patent something so obvious.

Cloudmelon

186 posts

Master Geek
+1 received by user: 5

#529532 5-Oct-2011 12:46

Don't think the few 100 million people would think of that.

mattwnz

20515 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 4795

#529567 5-Oct-2011 13:29

Cloudmelon: Link:?http://www.stuff.co.nz/technology/digital-living/5732437/Australian-exposes-Facebook-tracking

This doesn't really?surprise?me too much, something like this was bound to happen sooner or later. Seeing as facebook has too much control over peoples lives as it is.

Of course they do these things. When you get something like facebook for free, you aren't their customer, you are part of their product that they are selling to their advertisers. That is why I don't use facebook.

Ragnor

8279 posts

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#529573 5-Oct-2011 13:34

Lots of embedded online advertising code tracks what you do on sites it's displayed on (not just if you click on their ad) this is nothing new.

It's just the scale of Google and Facebook that make it scary.. and the potential for it to be used by Facebook or Google+ in a timeline or news stream at some point without your express approval.

They are gathering lots of data they aren't currently using but imagine a new section on your profile page, eg:

Pages Ragnor visited Today:

Ragnor spent 1 hour on Geekzone.co.nz
Ragnor sent 2 hours on GiantDongs.com

Consider if Facebook added such a section to your public profile page, enabled for public access by default.

Given their privacy track record....

mattwnz

20515 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 4795

#529585 5-Oct-2011 13:54

Then if empoyers got hold of that info too, it could be bad. Employers do look at peoples online footprints when hiring. I am surprised that so many people put so much of their personal information on the net.