'Utterly horrifying': ex-Facebook insider says covert data harvesting was routine

UK Guardian ^ | March 20, 2018 | Paul Lewis

[rarestia]

If the product is free, you’re not the customer.

[Zarro]

NOT shocked, I tell you!

[Zarro]

So true! A good corollary: You are paying for it somehow.

[rdl6989]

I’ll be surprised if there is a Facebook by summer.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

I use FB to keep in touch with friends and family, and as an alternative when FR goes down. (There’s a FR Page on FB.) I don’t do ANY politics on my own page and delete anything political that anyone else posts.

I know I’m being sold down the pike. They’ve sold me to Kohl’s and Zappos and a few other places. I totally understand it.

And ignore it. :)

[Joe 6-pack]

Why is this horrifying or shocking? I never joined facebook precisely because I thought this was the very reason it existed.

[Catmom]

We can all dream.

Can’t say the world wouldn’t be a better place.

[Pearls Before Swine]

I'd say this is very interesting, considering:

- How big a fuss the media has made over Cambridge Analytica over the past few days

- How the MSM has insinuated some sort of plot between Trump and Cambridge Analytica to misuse our sacred personal data

- How Assange has reminded us that FB's Cheryl Sandberg offered HRC all the help she could provide

- How the media fawned over how clever and modern the Obama campaign was in its use of personal data analytics in 2012, one interesting and detailed example of which can be found here.

[SkyDancer]

Just waiting for FB to fold up and wither away like some dried up leaf.

[cgbg]

That is very thoughtful of you to share your life with multiple intelligence agencies (of numerous countries) as well as criminal organizations throughout the world.

I am sure they appreciate it!

(Now is a good time to stop—really.)

[cranked]

Earth calling Mark Zuckerberg....

[US_MilitaryRules]

Back to myspace.com! lol

[dainbramaged]

It’s not just fake book that tracks you, they all do. If I look at an item on Amazon, then go to Drudge, an ad for that item appears magically.

[factoryrat]

This is shocking to people because???

The whole FB model is based on data mining and target marketing.

That’s why it’s free to sign up for FB.

[FreedomPoster]

Using Facebook Data 2012 vs. 2016:

[Obadiah]

Excellent summary.

[Sergio]

Remember, it’s only objectionable if conservatives do it.

[robroys woman]

I think of it like radio: I’m forced to listen to the commercials.

I have always just assumed everything I say or do on facebook is “harvested”. Why wouldn’t it be?

[Sergio]

They really don’t like being beaten at their own game, do they?