Warning About the Information Age

[frostyjack]

I have a regular Facebook account, nothing special, it's me with all my pertinent information, I have a modest friend count of maybe 100 people, I typically will post something once ever few months, and I mostly use it to browse political forums and chat with old friends and distant relatives. I'm really not on there much. I'm on here more than there.

I also have an Instagram account, but it's strictly for perv'ing out at all the voluptuous Instagram models who make a career out of wearing next to nothing. That account has all completely different information, different birthdate, email, etc. I don't keep any of their apps on my phone because I don't care that much, and I only use my Instagram account in incognito mode on a chrome browser to avoid storing history or cookies. 

Fast forward to yesterday, I was bored and couldn't sleep, so I opened up Instagram to browse. While I was scrolling through pictures, the friends suggestions caught my eye: the first one was a military buddy of mine with the words "Because you're friends on Facebook". I checked my settings to make sure nothing was linked, and sure enough nothing was there. Did a little research and found this:

https://www.wired.com/story/instagram-unlink-account-wont-unlink-facebook/

To paraphrase the article, Facebook collects so much data about its users, clicks/actions/behaviors/likes/dislikes/source IP's/accessing locations/etc, that regardless of different the information that YOU enter into the profile, it knows who you really are and will link the accounts without giving you any real control over if they should or not. And since Facebook owns Instagram and the platform it sits on, it does the same thing with Instagram. 

I deleted that account before it shows up on anyone's radar, but who knows if it's really gone.

[Kaduk]

Big Tech Hearing On 'Monopoly Power'

Amazon's Jeff Bezos, Apple's Tim Cook, Google's Sundar Pichai and Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg will face congressional questioning about whether tech has too much power.

July 28, 2020 npr.org/2020/07/28/894834512/big-tech-in-washingtons-hot-seat-what-you-need-to-know

The tech giants are under investigation by regulators in the U.S. and Europe, who could bring lawsuits and even force breakups. Congress' primary role is to write antitrust laws. The conclusions by House lawmakers — expected in a report in the coming weeks — could reshape the tech industry. That is, if the political will exists to take on an economic powerhouse.

4 Key Takeaways From Washington's Big Tech Hearing On 'Monopoly Power'

July 30, 2020 npr.org/2020/07/30/896952403/4-key-takeaways-from-washingtons-big-tech-hearing-on-monopoly-power

• Hurting the competition emerges as the primary charge against Big Tech
  • Bezos "can't guarantee" Amazon never used seller data to make its own products
  • Google CEO Pichai was pressed on search and advertising, with lawmakers probing whether Google favors its own pages and products and accusing it of stealing content from competing services such as Yelp.
  • Apple's Cook had to defend against charges that his company uses its App Store to punish rivals.
  • Zuckerberg was questioned about how Facebook used another app it bought to monitor what people were doing on their smartphones, in order to identify other apps to poach.
    • The CEO said there are many reasons he buys companies, arguing that eight years ago, when Facebook bought Instagram, "it was far from obvious" that Instagram would grow so large, saying Facebook's investment spurred the social media platform's success.

[Raine-7379]

That is so scary.  Thank you for the information.

[Bit Banger]

This is why I do NOT have either a FaceBook, Instagram, or similar accounts.  When I participate in social media it is on topic specific forums, like TOB.

[pfunk]

I assume anything I do online is visible to all board administrators, and people who are good at hacking. I don't really have anything they would want, so I just don't worry about it.

[fork]

Good advice to just not use platforms like this if you are worried about privacy at all.

Even if you limit what you tell them, they figure out a lot from your friends. For example you might not upload your contacts to some platform or app, but if other people upload their contacts and you are in that list, then they know at least some of your contacts.

If you have two phones that always are at the same location together, that can be correlated.

• Use different email addresses and passwords everywhere
• Use entirely different devices for hobbying. Use a different service provider (AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, etc)
• If a breach of privacy will ruin you, then just stop. It's impossible to be fully private in 2020.

Edited July 31, 2020 by fork

[ilovewomen]

I’ve always complained that Facebook, Google and Apple were way up in our ass and knew everything about us.

I use different email addresses for different accounts to try and minimize how much they can find out about me.

Big Brother is listening and watching and the tech giants are helping them.

[frostyjack]

2 hours ago, ilovewomen said:

I’ve always complained that Facebook, Google and Apple were way up in our ass and knew everything about us.

I use different email addresses for different accounts to try and minimize how much they can find out about me.

Big Brother is listening and watching and the tech giants are helping them.

My biggest concern at this point is if Facebook is profiling and accurately identifying users based upon algorithms designed to try and match habitual usage patterns on simple social media platforms, how detailed of a profile has been developed by both Google and Apple based on overall cell phone usage? As @Kaduk pointed out, all these tech giants are under investigation for misusing data, and honestly the conclusions feel like surface scratching results, so the question becomes to what depths is this data really being used?

I'm falling down the rabbit hole now, so I'm going to stop here. 

[frostyjack]

3 hours ago, fork said:

Good advice to just not use platforms like this if you are worried about privacy at all.

Even if you limit what you tell them, they figure out a lot from your friends. For example you might not upload your contacts to some platform or app, but if other people upload their contacts and you are in that list, then they know at least some of your contacts.

If you have two phones that always are at the same location together, that can be correlated.

• Use different email addresses and passwords everywhere
• Use entirely different devices for hobbying. Use a different service provider (AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, etc)
• If a breach of privacy will ruin you, then just stop. It's impossible to be fully private in 2020.

When I started this hobby, I ignored the advice of getting a burner thinking it was more to hide from an SO rather than big brother. My view on that has changed. 

[Kaduk]

14 minutes ago, frostyjack said:

My biggest concern at this point is if Facebook is profiling and accurately identifying users based upon algorithms designed to try and match habitual usage patterns on simple social media platforms, how detailed of a profile has been developed by both Google and Apple based on overall cell phone usage? As @Kaduk pointed out, all these tech giants are under investigation for misusing data, and honestly the conclusions feel like surface scratching results, so the question becomes to what depths is this data really being used?

I'm falling down the rabbit hole now, so I'm going to stop here. 

Yesterday hopped in the truck to do some work the radio was set to CPR caught just a brief part of the interviewee conversation on what does it all mean pertaining to "Takeaways From the Hearings"; He talked about the loss of personal privacy, not knowing the context at the time I didn't listen for very long. I've been trying to find that interview to grasp it in its entirety..... 

[E.J.England]

11 hours ago, frostyjack said:

I have a regular Facebook account, nothing special, it's me with all my pertinent information, I have a modest friend count of maybe 100 people, I typically will post something once ever few months, and I mostly use it to browse political forums and chat with old friends and distant relatives. I'm really not on there much. I'm on here more than there.

I also have an Instagram account, but it's strictly for perv'ing out at all the voluptuous Instagram models who make a career out of wearing next to nothing. That account has all completely different information, different birthdate, email, etc. I don't keep any of their apps on my phone because I don't care that much, and I only use my Instagram account in incognito mode on a chrome browser to avoid storing history or cookies. 

Fast forward to yesterday, I was bored and couldn't sleep, so I opened up Instagram to browse. While I was scrolling through pictures, the friends suggestions caught my eye: the first one was a military buddy of mine with the words "Because you're friends on Facebook". I checked my settings to make sure nothing was linked, and sure enough nothing was there. Did a little research and found this:

https://www.wired.com/story/instagram-unlink-account-wont-unlink-facebook/

To paraphrase the article, Facebook collects so much data about its users, clicks/actions/behaviors/likes/dislikes/source IP's/accessing locations/etc, that regardless of different the information that YOU enter into the profile, it knows who you really are and will link the accounts without giving you any real control over if they should or not. And since Facebook owns Instagram and the platform it sits on, it does the same thing with Instagram. 

I deleted that account before it shows up on anyone's radar, but who knows if it's really gone.

I been noticed that. I told a friend girl about it. My Facebook is personal and I use my Instagram for same thing you do. 2 Different emails but people I know started sending me request on Instagram because some how Facebook alerted them. Yeah I don't use Instagram Now. Yeah Im Good....

[pfunk]

I tend to believe "it's all about the money".

The reason these tech companies collect our data, is so they call market to us, and sell us stuff. I doubt they care about our morals. 

However, the federal and state governments can, and will, use their powers (RICO, SESTA) to extract data from the tech companies, if they have security, or criminal activity, concerns. 

I worry a bit about the government entities. Sometimes they overreach.

 

[whosyourdaty]

My wife asked me why I always whisper in the house. I told her that I think Mark Zukerberg is listening. 

She laughed. I laughed. Alexa laughed. Siri laughed.

[lintlizard]

Sorry folks.  If you've ever used a debit or credit card you have already entered the world of consumer profiling. Those purchase histories can also be used to build criminal cases. You can't buy a can of beans without someone taking an interest.

It's the digital age.

[ilovewomen]

We all have been profiled for decades.

Sores have done studies that have determined that almost 100% of people when they enter a store, they turn to the right after entering. So stores will place items they wish to sell on the right side fo the store.

Credit and Debit cards all record what you are purchasing and where. Web sites record what sites you visit.  All so they can send marketing and ads to you.

The music you hear in stores has been claimed to have subliminal messages.  Don't know if this true or not.

Your cell phone will record your daily travel patterns. If you turn off the do not track me features (which I do), I believe they still track. How else would Google Maps know my home and work addresses?

Me. I don't care.  I do what I want when I want, buy what I want.

Just know that there are cameras everywhere recording your movements.  So don't do anything that you don't want anybody to know about.

[ilovewomen]

FYI, I'm not a conspiracist or paranoid.  I'm a realist....or at least I think I am.  I just don't really worry about being tracked an photographed.

[fork]

4 hours ago, pfunk said:

I tend to believe "it's all about the money".

The reason these tech companies collect our data, is so they call market to us, and sell us stuff. I doubt they care about our morals. 

However, the federal and state governments can, and will, use their powers (RICO, SESTA) to extract data from the tech companies, if they have security, or criminal activity, concerns. 

I worry a bit about the government entities. Sometimes they overreach.

 

This is all true. The main security blanket we have is that the corporations have most of the data and they are interested in making money. The government has less of this data and is more interested in a few specific types of crimes (terrorism, drug crimes, etc) than in people getting their dicks wet. This can change, especially when politicians and police, somehow, despite this being a very simple concept, often confuse sex trafficking and especially underage trafficking with what two consenting adults might do. It baffles the mind, but anyway.

The other security blanket you have is that you're probably lost in the sea of data - most fish swimming in a school don't get eaten by the sharks, just an unlucky few do.

[Bit Banger]

1 hour ago, fork said:

... - most fish swimming in a school don't get eaten by the sharks, just an unlucky few do.

I remember my father telling me one of his few tales about his WW2 service as a B-17 navigator in Europe.  The General complained that they were flying too loosely, allowing the German fighters to get into their formation.  So on the next mission they broke all the wingtip lights.  “Close enough for you, General?”

[ilovewomen]

3 hours ago, Bit Banger said:

I remember my father telling me one of his few tales about his WW2 service as a B-17 navigator in Europe.  The General complained that they were flying too loosely, allowing the German fighters to get into their formation.  So on the next mission they broke all the wingtip lights.  “Close enough for you, General?”

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[average1]

On 7/30/2020 at 3:11 PM, Bit Banger said:

This is why I do NOT have either a FaceBook, Instagram, or similar accounts.  When I participate in social media it is on topic specific forums, like TOB.

Bit, I am the same.  No facebook, instagram or any other social media.  It surprises some folks who know my past career was tech.  But because of my past career, I know the privacy issues with social media, so choose not to participate...except in forums like TOB.

[Bit Banger]

7 minutes ago, average1 said:

.  It surprises some folks who know my past career was tech.  But because of my past career, I know the privacy issues with social media, so choose not to participate...

Precisely!

[fork]

FYI even if you're not a FB user, Zuck is watching!

https://www.vox.com/2018/4/20/17254312/facebook-shadow-profiles-data-collection-non-users-mark-zuckerberg

[Vassago]

On 7/30/2020 at 6:52 PM, pfunk said:

I assume anything I do online is visible to all board administrators, and people who are good at hacking. I don't really have anything they would want, so I just don't worry about it.

I agree. The best place to hide a letter is on the mantle. Nothing is secret anymore. I’m too small a fish to bother with, anyway. 

[Luvcoloradogirls]

Should not be a surprise to anyone that the CEO of Facebook is an unscrupulous bastard.  After all he stole the original idea for his company from the Winklevoss twins.

[frostyjack]

On 8/2/2020 at 10:39 AM, Luvcoloradogirls said:

Should not be a surprise to anyone that the CEO of Facebook is an unscrupulous bastard.  After all he stole the original idea for his company from the Winklevoss twins.

If I've learned one thing in my endeavors to become financially independent, it's that you don't become a billionaire by being a "swell guy" or an "honest businessman". I'm sure there are exceptions, but most of the insanely rich got that way off the backs of others.

[BadBoy]

6 hours ago, frostyjack said:

If I've learned one thing in my endeavors to become financially independent, it's that you don't become a billionaire by being a "swell guy" or an "honest businessman". I'm sure there are exceptions, but most of the insanely rich got that way off the backs of others.

Fake News!  Rich people are the best people!

Edited August 3, 2020 by BadBoy

[ilovewomen]

On 8/1/2020 at 6:02 PM, fork said:

FYI even if you're not a FB user, Zuck is watching!

https://www.vox.com/2018/4/20/17254312/facebook-shadow-profiles-data-collection-non-users-mark-zuckerberg

This is why I refuse to use Facebook on my phone.  And I only visit Facebook about once a month to see what family is doing and for that I use a computer that I typically use very minimally.

[fork]

More stuff to keep you up at night:

https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/nepxbz/i-gave-a-bounty-hunter-300-dollars-located-phone-microbilt-zumigo-tmobile

To summarize: Even if you have turned off location services on your phone, and don't use Facebook or anything like that, individuals (not just law enforcement) can find your phone's location knowing nothing more than the phone number.

This was a surprise to me and I thought I knew a fair bit about how this data is used. It's a combination of the service providers selling information for "legit" purposes that gets sold and resold and sometimes accessed via bugs/hacks.

[Guest]

I have had providers pop up on social networks before, I think it is because when I hobbied, I used my real phone number. It's disconcerting to say the least.