PrincessMommy Posted March 22, 2018 Share Posted March 22, 2018 (edited) I'm curious if anyone has considered deleting their profile by the recent revelations and Zuckerberg's statements today? I'm surprised by the shock... why is anyone surprised that they were using our information. I remember seeing comments about companies lifting data from all those silly "What kind of ...." am I type quizzes. Seems like the time is ripe for an alternative to FB. Edited March 22, 2018 by PrincessMommy 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AmandaVT Posted March 22, 2018 Share Posted March 22, 2018 I was just coming to post about FB. This article caught my eye tonight: https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2018/3/21/17144748/case-against-facebook I wish there were a viable alternative (aside from this board). I have a few groups I belong to on FB and need to check in with them fairly regularly. I wish I didn't. I try to limit my interactions on there and I don't post pictures. It still feels a bit dirty though. 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scarlett Posted March 22, 2018 Share Posted March 22, 2018 I'm curious if anyone has considered deleting their profile by the recent revelations and Zuckerberg's statements today? I'm surprised by the shock... why is anyone surprised that they were using our information. I remember seeing comments about companies lifting data from all those silly "What kind of ...." am I type quizzes. Seems like the time is ripe for an alternative to FB. Meh. People have an illusion of privacy. I don't have it. I also don't believe most of what I read on line. 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liz CA Posted March 22, 2018 Share Posted March 22, 2018 The virtually useless privacy options of FB in an online world that has very little privacy to begin with have always been a problem IMHO. I never signed on. I agree though that people are now using this kind of platform in so many ways that something has to replace FB. Hopefully, either FB execs will pull together and learn a lesson here (I am not standing on one foot waiting) or someone else will have to come up with something better. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liz CA Posted March 22, 2018 Share Posted March 22, 2018 (edited) Patty Joanna, would you link or tell us what it is? I just read another article by two FB employees that were among the start up team. The whole thing does remind me a bit of the Sorcerer's Apprentice (Zauberlehrling) by Goethe in which there is a statement (loosely translated): The spirits/ ghosts / demons that I called, I now cannot get rid of." The first was Justin Rosenstein, now the co-founder at Asana, a collaboration software company. Rosenstein helped to lead development on Facebook's like button, but this year he complained about the psychological effects of social media, and the "bright dings of pseudo-pleasure†that came from friends liking his posts. "It is very common,†Rosenstein told the Guardian, “for humans to develop things with the best of intentions and for them to have unintended, negative consequences.†Sean Parker, who was Facebook's first president, seemed to echo Rosenstein's comments at an Axios event last month where he called himself "something of a conscientious objector." "I don't know if I really understood the consequences of what I was saying, because [of] the unintended consequences of a network when it grows to a billion or 2 billion people and... it literally changes your relationship with society, with each other," Parker said. "It probably interferes with productivity in weird ways. God only knows what it's doing to our children's brains.†https://www.theverge.com/2017/12/20/16800842/facebook-2017-russia-scandal-news-feed-criticism-defectors Edited March 22, 2018 by Liz CA 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Targhee Posted March 22, 2018 Share Posted March 22, 2018 Already did some time ago. I was not shocked at all. BTW your phone listens to you too. And many apps track your location via your phone and use that data too. Oh, and all those stores asking for your phone number at check out - they’re tracking your behavior too. And even if you didn’t give them your number if you use a credit or debit card they track your behavior that way too. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arcadia Posted March 22, 2018 Share Posted March 22, 2018 Google is just as bad. I switch to Bing sometimes for fun and my husband would switch to DuckDuckGo. It’s always fun to compare returns on the same search terms on different search engines. Why would anyone be shocked that Facebook, Google, Yahoo, Bing, WhatsApp, WeChat are all data mining. That’s how they earn. Facebook is expanding into Moffett Towers 2, Sunnyvale, California which gets local people more annoyed because traffic is already at a gridlock on US101 near there during peak hours. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustEm Posted March 22, 2018 Share Posted March 22, 2018 Does not surprise me at all and I'm really not all that concerned. I've had a very lengthy conversation with someone who designs programs for marketing departments that help them target their advertisements. You'd be surprised how much you don't realize is going on. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wheres Toto Posted March 22, 2018 Share Posted March 22, 2018 (edited) I have too many groups plus a business page, to quit. I don't do much on my personal page, just the occasional picture and memes mostly. Although I've been on for a long time so I have quite a few things on there. Since I now have a business page I avoid anything even remotely controversial or political. I won't even like most things anymore. None of what I"m hearing so far is surprising. I was studying marketing over 10 years ago and they talked a lot about this stuff. Edited March 22, 2018 by Where's Toto? 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mergath Posted March 22, 2018 Share Posted March 22, 2018 If I ever did quit FB, it would be in order to escape the dopamine cycle, the constant need to present my life as perfect and happy to my FB friends, and the harmful psychological effects it can have. With the data mining, I mean, duh. I've always assumed they use my data for targeted marketing, political purposes, and probably a million other things. I ad block everything and I don't get my news from FB, so it's not a big deal for me. And I'm not particularly paranoid that the government is somehow taking my data from FB and will kick my door in one of these days and take away my kids and lock me up because I said Trump is an idiot. I think the stress of trying to avoid every possible avenue of data collection online and IRL would be worse than whatever could happen to me from the collection of that data. 16 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arcadia Posted March 22, 2018 Share Posted March 22, 2018 Facebook mining proposed during Commonwealth Games “SYDNEY: Visitors at the Commonwealth Games in Australia could have their Facebook data mined in exchange for free and fast Wi-Fi, although authorities Thursday (Mar 22) insisted no private or personal information will be stored. The local Gold Coast council is offering a service up to 10 times normal speed after laying new fibre cables to coincide with the multi-sport event next month, which is contested between nations that are members of the Commonwealth. But there's a catch. To use it, you must log on through a Facebook account, allowing the council to capture data, which it says will be used to help shape future tourism marketing campaigns.†https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/technology/facebook-data-concern-at-commonwealth-games-10065610 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted March 22, 2018 Share Posted March 22, 2018 (edited) I haven't and don't plan to. I'm not under any illusions that I have privacy on the internet. Without facebook I'll still be online and still won't have privacy. I don't do quizzes, play games or do other things through facebook. I don't make purchases through facebook. The only thing I have connected is my Goodreads account so I can post to facebook from GR about books I'm reading. I don't pretend to believe that my strict privacy settings keep my information from third parties, but I don't make it easier for them. I don't spend hours on facebook. I check it a few times a day for 5 or 10 minutes at a time. I go for days at a time without posting then might make several posts in one day. As for social media playing with my mind, I use a program (Social Fixer) that allows me to customize quite a bit on fb. I can filter out topics I don't want to see. I can hide topics to a separate tab within facebook. For me, I filter out politics, certain news organizations, and sports, but you can customize it to filter out whatever you don't want to see. I'll still see those posts if I go to a friend's page and they posted but it won't come through my newsfeed. I spend more time here at WTM than I do on facebook or any other social media. Edited March 22, 2018 by Lady Florida. 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted March 22, 2018 Share Posted March 22, 2018 Google is just as bad. I switch to Bing sometimes for fun I use Bing to earn Amazon gift cards. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slartibartfast Posted March 22, 2018 Share Posted March 22, 2018 (edited) I think they are all going to be equally bad. If something is free, you are not the customer, you are the product. Edited March 22, 2018 by Slartibartfast 12 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nixpix5 Posted March 22, 2018 Share Posted March 22, 2018 If I ever did quit FB, it would be in order to escape the dopamine cycle, the constant need to present my life as perfect and happy to my FB friends, and the harmful psychological effects it can have. With the data mining, I mean, duh. I've always assumed they use my data for targeted marketing, political purposes, and probably a million other things. I ad block everything and I don't get my news from FB, so it's not a big deal for me. And I'm not particularly paranoid that the government is somehow taking my data from FB and will kick my door in one of these days and take away my kids and lock me up because I said Trump is an idiot. I think the stress of trying to avoid every possible avenue of data collection online and IRL would be worse than whatever could happen to me from the collection of that data. Back when I used Facebook I always wished someone would post real life. You know, laundry stacked in the chair, dishes in the sink, selfies in make up less faces and sweats. Now that is a Facebook in could get behind :) 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustEm Posted March 22, 2018 Share Posted March 22, 2018 Back when I used Facebook I always wished someone would post real life. You know, laundry stacked in the chair, dishes in the sink, selfies in make up less faces and sweats. Now that is a Facebook in could get behind :) Well if you ever get back on facebook you can be my friend. my posts are about as real as they get picture wise. While I mostly just post silly pictures and videos of my kids I never pay attention to the background. So plenty of people have seen my messy house, with drywall missing in spots because of plumbing repairs ( I swear one day we will patch those holes!) 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenny in Florida Posted March 22, 2018 Share Posted March 22, 2018 I haven't deleted, but I did deactivate my account several months ago. in my case, it wasn't specifically because of privacy concerns, but more about the general tone of "discourse" I was seeing combined with the general sense of "ickiness" I got from the overwhelming, overt commercialization that I realized had overtaken the site. There was also some personal/familial stuff going on that I wanted to avoid. I thought it would be hard, but I have found I don't miss it even one tiny bit. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mergath Posted March 22, 2018 Share Posted March 22, 2018 Aside from one small, private group that I'm in, I really wouldn't miss FB too much if I quit, but where would I get my snarky memes? I need a constant source of snarky memes in my life. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gstharr Posted March 22, 2018 Share Posted March 22, 2018 Nope. Have never had an FB account. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slartibartfast Posted March 22, 2018 Share Posted March 22, 2018 I use facebook but mostly to talk to friends and family members. I don't know if I could get my parents on another site. :laugh: 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annie G Posted March 22, 2018 Share Posted March 22, 2018 Facebook seems to be more real life now and less idealized life like it once was. At least along my friends and family. We live 1000 miles from family so I’m glad to have Facebook to see what they’re up to. As for privacy concerns- I rarely post on Facebook and don’t click on quizzes and such. But I use Apple Pay wherever I can, have an Amazon Prime account, and have loyalty cards from several retailers so I don’t assume I have any privacy anyway. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LucyStoner Posted March 22, 2018 Share Posted March 22, 2018 I don’t do FB quizzes, games or those little “fun†apps where they make you a word picture or video or whatnot. I’ve also never labored under the delusion that I was not, along with every other user, the product on FB. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrincessMommy Posted March 22, 2018 Author Share Posted March 22, 2018 (edited) Already did some time ago. I was not shocked at all. BTW your phone listens to you too. And many apps track your location via your phone and use that data too. Oh, and all those stores asking for your phone number at check out - they’re tracking your behavior too. And even if you didn’t give them your number if you use a credit or debit card they track your behavior that way too. I'm always shocked when people don't seem to realize this. I mean, you actually have to click a button accepting that they are going to follow you if you use certain apps. We've talked here several times about IRL conversations being "overheard" by our devices. Surely, we cannot be the only people who noticed?? Edited March 22, 2018 by PrincessMommy 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrincessMommy Posted March 22, 2018 Author Share Posted March 22, 2018 I think they are all going to be equally bad. If something is free, you are not the customer, you are the product. Great quote!! I want to figure out a way to spread that one around. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gaillardia Posted March 22, 2018 Share Posted March 22, 2018 What is the best way to quit? Do you unfriend everyone? Delete your photos? Unfollow in groups? Unlike 10k likes? Throw me some answers. I don't feel it is necessary to be on it, but there are a couple groups I'm in that use fb for announcements, electronic sign-ups, urgent needs/requests, etc. Some of it is pretty important stuff. I wouldn't see photos of family without it too. I was able to catch up with co-workers and bosses from years ago, high school friends, get back into the high school reunion mailing list, and a lot of other things that I had missed. What about that kind of stuff? Whatever happened to that other place? My Space? Is that what it was called? My sil used to bug me sometimes, "well, you're still not on f-c-b--k so I guess you wouldn't know...but blah blah blah." She never interacts with me on it either though. lol. And if I want to stop using my cell phone, and instead use a landline, there would be so many intrusive calls, even with national do not call registration. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seasider Posted March 22, 2018 Share Posted March 22, 2018 I rarely post anymore, but two organizations we are part of use fb groups for vital communications. I would otherwise happily ditch it. And yes, I'm convinced my phone is listening. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amira Posted March 22, 2018 Share Posted March 22, 2018 I use FB extensively so it would be hard to quit. And I had to decide a long time ago that I was okay with data mining in exchange for the many advantages of the internet. I don’t think FB is particularly unique in its data mining. But the thing that is making me think about quitting is their blasé attitude about the whole thing for years. Their apparent lack of willingness to do anything about problems they see. Their seeming indifference to the actual power they might have to influence people not just to buy something or do certain things with their money, but to vote in certain ways. Sure, there are plenty of ways people try to get voters to to vote a certain way, but this type of data is far more powerful. It’s one thing to use data to make money, it’s something else entirely to use it to influence elections and FB doesn’t seem willing to accept that their lax standards may have allowed certain groups access to powerful data they shouldn’t have had. I don’t want to support that. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKL Posted March 22, 2018 Share Posted March 22, 2018 I'm not leaving, but I don't put much "data" on there. I always wonder about those "answer these 30 questions" posts - people give out all kinds of personal info for no good reason. No thanks! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tanaqui Posted March 22, 2018 Share Posted March 22, 2018 I never joined. I don't like having a non-chronological feed. Period. So I stayed on Dreamwidth (with crossposts to LJ for the one lone holdout) and if other people don't like it they can always keep in touch through passenger pigeon and telegraph like Grandma did. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Momto6inIN Posted March 22, 2018 Share Posted March 22, 2018 I am currently on a "FB fast" but it has nothing to do with data mining and everything to do with social media changing the way I think. If it can cause depression in teens, then I'm probably not exempt from those effects, especially now that I'm beginning to feel the hormonal changes of pre/peri menopause. It definitely changes my perspective of FB and how I use it when I take a temporary break. I'm not ready to quit it altogether but I do need to radically change my approach to it. I find, like a PP said, that every year or so I need a fast from it. I'm a "real life" poster for sure, lots of pictures of a messy house and stupid hilarious things me and my kids do that aren't particularly flattering but are funny. My phone is for sure listening to me because I mentioned a casual friend's husband by name and I kid you not within 20 minutes his name popped up on FB as a suggested friend. Creepy, yes. But I'm still going to use my phone :) Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-J327AZ using Tapatalk 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marbel Posted March 22, 2018 Share Posted March 22, 2018 Back when I used Facebook I always wished someone would post real life. You know, laundry stacked in the chair, dishes in the sink, selfies in make up less faces and sweats. Now that is a Facebook in could get behind :) Lots of my facebook friends post stuff like that. Messed-up kitchen, failed attempts at cute crafts, stories about their kid's night of projectile vomiting, the shoes the dog chewed up. Only one person I follow presents the facade of a perfect life. I'd unfollow her but we are related. :-) 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluegoat Posted March 22, 2018 Share Posted March 22, 2018 Haven't read the replies yet. I've wanted to do it for a while for a variety of reasons. What has stopped me is it's the hub for homeschool activities. I'm kind of hoping that maybe if enough people leave there will be some other option. Actually, now that I think about it, maybe it's a topic I should raise. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regentrude Posted March 22, 2018 Share Posted March 22, 2018 (edited) I use fb and have no intentions to quit. For me, it is a convenient way to exchange information with groups of people. I manage two public pages, one private and one work related one. I don't use fb as a source of news. I don't put any information on fb that I wouldn't want my boss or parents to see; I have no illusions about online privacy. I don't use fb to log into apps and websites. Edited March 22, 2018 by regentrude 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparklyUnicorn Posted March 22, 2018 Share Posted March 22, 2018 Not planning to quit. It's just a form of entertainment for me. I assumed my info was being used, but really I'm pretty boring so.... 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pawz4me Posted March 22, 2018 Share Posted March 22, 2018 I've never joined FB and don't plan to. Ever. I'm under no illusions (or maybe I should say delusions) about privacy on the web. But before using a service or app I weigh what I'm getting versus what it's costing me in terms of loss of privacy. I want a good net benefit on my side, and the benefit for FB has never remotely been on my side. Plus they creep me out much more than Google, Amazon and others I choose to use. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluegoat Posted March 22, 2018 Share Posted March 22, 2018 As an aside, I wish we could find a different word than "privacy" for this issue. I tend to think of privacy as being a personal issue, it's bout personal information security. The issue with data mining isn't so much about that. But I can't really think of a single word or phrase to describe it. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pink and Green Mom Posted March 22, 2018 Share Posted March 22, 2018 I'm always shocked when people don't seem to realize this. I mean, you actually have to click a button accepting that they are going to follow you if you use certain apps. We've talked here several times about IRL conversations being "overheard" by our devices. Surely, we cannot be the only people who noticed?? I'll give my example of my phone listening to me. I was at co-op standing in the hallway with just my cell phone in my hand. A mom asked me where I got DS13's Apologia physical science materials. I told her "Rainbow Resources." Within an hour, I had an email from Rainbow Resources telling me I could save $x (can't remember the amount) if I bought Apologia Physical Science. That was the first email I had ever received from Rainbow Resources. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluegoat Posted March 22, 2018 Share Posted March 22, 2018 I'll give my example of my phone listening to me. I was at co-op standing in the hallway with just my cell phone in my hand. A mom asked me where I got DS13's Apologia physical science materials. I told her "Rainbow Resources." Within an hour, I had an email from Rainbow Resources telling me I could save $x (can't remember the amount) if I bought Apologia Physical Science. That was the first email I had ever received from Rainbow Resources. I think many don't read the agreements. Or if they do, they don't really think about what it means. Maybe because they don't realize the technology can do that? 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparklyUnicorn Posted March 22, 2018 Share Posted March 22, 2018 I actually don't mind getting advertisements for products I might want to buy. It's getting ads for crap I'd never buy that annoy me. Like getting phone calls to buy time shares or all the phone calls I got when I rented for home stuff I wouldn't have bought. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regentrude Posted March 22, 2018 Share Posted March 22, 2018 (edited) I actually don't mind getting advertisements for products I might want to buy. It's getting ads for crap I'd never buy that annoy me. Like getting phone calls to buy time shares or all the phone calls I got when I rented for home stuff I wouldn't have bought. I don't get the uproar about advertisements. They don't make you buy the stuff - you still have free will and can choose to ignore the ad. One of my favorite forums uses ads to finance running the forum. They are annoying, but I don't find targeted ads any more annoying than non targeted ones. They don't change my spending patterns. ETA: There is also the option of clearing cookies. Edited March 22, 2018 by regentrude 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madteaparty Posted March 22, 2018 Share Posted March 22, 2018 Sadly, I’m sharing more than ever because I’m trying to be respectful of DS wishes for our travel blog (he wants readers, I want personal memory keeping. He wins, I guess). But I also think we crossed that rubicon a long time ago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Storygirl Posted March 22, 2018 Share Posted March 22, 2018 I have never been on Facebook. I have considered joining, because I miss information posted there by extended family, and because with four teenagers, I think it would help me stay more informed about what is going on in their schools and organizations we participate in. I have no desire to post any personal information about me or my family online, and I have never shared pictures online. I was not exposed to election related vitriol last year, the way that many or most others seemed to be. I find targeted ads and the idea that my devices are "listening" to be creepy. The recent news has disturbed me and made me thankful that I never joined. But I know that avoiding the negative aspects has also resulted in me not being as connected in my community. And so even though I have held out this long, I may eventually try to figure out how to join and keep my Facebook presence as nondescript as possible. It will be interesting to see what changes may come about, due to this recent news. I'm not convinced that Facebook will do anything other than what they need to in order to protect themselves. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seasider Posted March 22, 2018 Share Posted March 22, 2018 If you've never done this, go to your settings, then to "Ads." I've removed/blocked everything. Not sure how much it really helps, but I feel like I've at least tried. Just didn't see the switch to choose to deafen my phone. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoodGrief Posted March 22, 2018 Share Posted March 22, 2018 Facebook has been overwhelmingly positive for me. Finding and staying in touch with the various people from the past and distant relatives has been a delight, truly. This allows closer relatives that live far away to follow some of the day to day activities of our lives. Two different biological cousins were able to find us and get to know us. I even feel like I have gotten to know local acquaintances better than I would have otherwise, as a mild introvert married to an extreme introvert. The primary negative for me is the political grandstanding that some people do on Facebook, and I've controlled that by limiting whose posts show up in my feed daily. The data mining does not really concern me at all. As far as our brains changing, I think television started doing that for us years ago. I do believe the screens have an addictive quality, but it's certainly possible that this addiction is replacing other, more destructive addictions for some people. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aelwydd Posted March 22, 2018 Share Posted March 22, 2018 Quit? I never joined because I thought FB to be stupid and insipid. Now, I think it's harmful and divisive, like much of social media. My 15 yo ds does not have an account either, and he only got Snap Chat because his hockey team uses it to post practice times (much to our mutual annoyance). I work in the tech industry, I'm very aware of how little privacy we have these days. I'll be damned if I help them out by virtually stripping for FB's investors though. Pun intended. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted March 22, 2018 Share Posted March 22, 2018 I don't get the uproar about advertisements. They don't make you buy the stuff - you still have free will and can choose to ignore the ad. . I don't get it either. And I'm not creeped out by targeted ads. I'd much rather see ads for things I'd actually consider buying than generic ads for all kinds of things. I usually just ignore ads but on a few occasions I've found a deal on something I was planning to buy. If not for targeted ads I might not have found such deals. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Targhee Posted March 22, 2018 Share Posted March 22, 2018 Quit? I never joined because I thought FB to be stupid and insipid. Now, I think it's harmful and divisive, like much of social media. My 15 yo ds does not have an account either, and he only got Snap Chat because his hockey team uses it to post practice times (much to our mutual annoyance). I work in the tech industry, I'm very aware of how little privacy we have these days. I'll be damned if I help them out by virtually stripping for FB's investors though. Pun intended. We have moved (out of state) 5 times in the last 15 years - FB was a way to stay connected to people or reconnect with people. I closed my account once we were more settled in a place, but then our co-op did everything through FB (not unlike your Hockey situation), and the women’s group from church, and the drama group the kids were in, and even my local friends turned to connecting/communicating through FB (rather than email, text, and sometimes real life conversation). So I created a new account. Then we moved again and I wanted to find out things about our new homeschool community, when rec soccer started, where a good place in town to eat was, etc and it was all on FB. And this last move was hard (it’s always harder to meet people when you hit middle age and everyone is fairly established and not looking for new relationships), and I found that aside from my family and the cashier at the grocers I had no contact with anyone most days. Very lonely. FB was a place to feel a degree of connection with people I actually had a relationship with IRL, that just happened to be a thousand of miles away. I guess I post to say that there is some non-insipid appeal to FB, even some necessity when you’re involved with groups. But my accounts have been closed for a while now, and I don’t think I will ever go back. Nor to IG or SnapChat or whatever. I’ve learned how to be the annoying one who says “I’m not on FB so you’ll need to email those announcements out†and I’ve come to realize I have to be a force in the counter current away from virtual connection and back to human connection. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saddlemomma Posted March 22, 2018 Share Posted March 22, 2018 Already did some time ago. I was not shocked at all. BTW your phone listens to you too. And many apps track your location via your phone and use that data too. Oh, and all those stores asking for your phone number at check out - they’re tracking your behavior too. And even if you didn’t give them your number if you use a credit or debit card they track your behavior that way too. THIS! Smart TVs do the same thing. You can't get away from it unless you're going to devoid your lifestyle of all internet-driven media. Anytime you surf the web and every site you visit tracks you. I have a Facebook account with a separate page for our business. I don't do any of those online quizzes or play any of their games. I just (rarely) post on my personal page. Mostly I post my new designs and DH's photography on the business page. That's about it. I don't have a smart TV, and we only have "dumb" track phones. However, I'm very aware of all the tracking we invite by incorporating the internet into our schooling (YouTube, Netflix, Hulu, Amazon, sties for research, etc.). If you're accessing the internet in any way, you're being tracked. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plansrme Posted March 22, 2018 Share Posted March 22, 2018 I don't get the hatred for Facebook. I like keeping up with friends from 20+ years ago. I have a small circle (just under 100) of FB friends, and they're cousins, neighbors, teammates, former teammates. I like seeing how they're doing, and I think they like to see what my family and I are up to. I post maybe a half-dozen times a year, tops, but I read other people's posts daily. I am under no delusions that FB isn't tracking my every move on Facebook (or elsewhere online, for that matter), but I don't do anything online that I wouldn't tell you all about, so I don't see enough potential danger in it to give up my updates on the lives and careers of people I know and care about. 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluegoat Posted March 22, 2018 Share Posted March 22, 2018 I don't get the hatred for Facebook. I like keeping up with friends from 20+ years ago. I have a small circle (just under 100) of FB friends, and they're cousins, neighbors, teammates, former teammates. I like seeing how they're doing, and I think they like to see what my family and I are up to. I post maybe a half-dozen times a year, tops, but I read other people's posts daily. I am under no delusions that FB isn't tracking my every move on Facebook (or elsewhere online, for that matter), but I don't do anything online that I wouldn't tell you all about, so I don't see enough potential danger in it to give up my updates on the lives and careers of people I know and care about. This is the reason I think we need a different word though, than privacy. Privacy is about your personal information. What is being questioned about Big Data is really about power. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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