Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

I Downloaded the Information That Facebook Has on Me. Yikes.
nytimes.com ^ | 4/11/2018 | BRIAN X. CHEN

Posted on 04/14/2018 8:55:50 AM PDT by rktman

When I downloaded a copy of my Facebook data last week, I didn’t expect to see much. My profile is sparse, I rarely post anything on the site, and I seldom click on ads. (I’m what some call a Facebook “lurker.”)

But when I opened my file, it was like opening Pandora’s box.

With a few clicks, I learned that about 500 advertisers — many that I had never heard of, like Bad Dad, a motorcycle parts store, and Space Jesus, an electronica band — had my contact information, which could include my email address, phone number and full name. Facebook also had my entire phone book, including the number to ring my apartment buzzer. The social network had even kept a permanent record of the roughly 100 people I had deleted from my friends list over the last 14 years, including my exes.

There was so much that Facebook knew about me — more than I wanted to know. But after looking at the totality of what the Silicon Valley company had obtained about yours truly, I decided to try to better understand how and why my data was collected and stored. I also sought to find out how much of my data could be removed.

(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Culture/Society; Philosophy
KEYWORDS: facebook; suckerburg
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-8081-91 next last
To: chief lee runamok; Chode; Squantos; Lurker; snooter55; Jim Robinson; John Robinson; All

I can’t remember what the name of the Site was but it was Posted on FR years ago. It showed the other Sites that when you went say FR that would link to all the other Sites that automatically was gathering date . Started with a bubble in the center as FR and the other Sites bubble connected to the next ones with line from bubble to bubble.

It was amazing and revealing how many links there were.

Does anybody remember this ?


21 posted on 04/14/2018 9:35:14 AM PDT by mabarker1 ((Progress- the opposite of congress))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: Diana in Wisconsin

Google is totally biased, they hide the good stuff and put stuff they want presented on top


22 posted on 04/14/2018 9:36:26 AM PDT by KTM rider ( .......than to post and remove all doubt)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 19 | View Replies]

To: ProtectOurFreedom

Actually, I’ve done that just to see. WTH?


23 posted on 04/14/2018 9:40:10 AM PDT by rktman (Enlisted in the Navy in '67 to protect folks rights to strip my rights. WTH?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: KTM rider

I can’t understand why Google can get away with the monopoly with items they post on the top of their search engine....you have to do a lot of searching to find something other than what they want you to see...


24 posted on 04/14/2018 9:42:17 AM PDT by cherry
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 22 | View Replies]

To: Paladin2

yep


25 posted on 04/14/2018 9:42:38 AM PDT by SaveFerris (Luke 17:28 ... as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold ......)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: ransomnote; Whenifhow; null and void; aragorn; EnigmaticAnomaly; kalee; Kale; 2ndDivisionVet; ...

p


26 posted on 04/14/2018 9:47:20 AM PDT by bitt (We do not need the electric chair - we need electric bleachers!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: chief lee runamok
"I’m not seeing why this is just now being discussed."

The Establishment decided it is worthy of discussion because it supposedly helped Trump in some small way.

Just like Fake News, which has existed for decades before it recently became a big topic of discussion.

The Left is slaying their own dragons.

27 posted on 04/14/2018 9:48:46 AM PDT by UnwashedPeasant (I told you so)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: ilgipper; null and void; SkyPilot; Roman_War_Criminal; Paladin2

[ will be ]

We’re beyond the “will be” part. They’re right on it.

Somebody mentioned the B-36 movie here a few days ago - I replied “six turning four burning” - of course, when I got to Youtube - the video was all teed up.

How bout dah.

Been going on for awhile. This was just an example.


28 posted on 04/14/2018 9:50:16 AM PDT by SaveFerris (Luke 17:28 ... as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold ......)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: rktman

I’m a Facebook refusenik who nevertheless has been a heavy Googler for a long time.

Google probably knows us better than we know ourselves.

BTW, what search engine do you use?


29 posted on 04/14/2018 9:50:25 AM PDT by Catmom (We're all gonna get the punishment only some of us deserve.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: cherry

You can pay for ranking.

Also, Google is not just a private company (cough).


30 posted on 04/14/2018 9:51:42 AM PDT by SaveFerris (Luke 17:28 ... as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold ......)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 24 | View Replies]

To: Catmom
DuckDuckGo and startpage. But they all somehow get routed through google it seems. 🤔🙀👹
31 posted on 04/14/2018 9:52:12 AM PDT by rktman (Enlisted in the Navy in '67 to protect folks rights to strip my rights. WTH?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 29 | View Replies]

To: chief lee runamok

I agree....
Internet tracking (cookies) has been a common practice for years on every site visited.
I’m not seeing why this is just now being discussed. I’ve been offended by this invasion of privacy for decades......

Also, recently have had ads pop up on sites after I search/browse other sites. Example...wigs. Not only did they pop up on Drudge but they were all over the screen and some were moving. Following my ever move.

What the hell are they thinking. It’s so very annoying that I would NEVER buy from them just for that reason alone.


32 posted on 04/14/2018 9:52:14 AM PDT by TribalPrincess2U (0bama's agenda�Divide and conquer seems to be working.?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: rktman

Our problem seems to be thinking “deletion” and “removal” methods delete and remove.

We think if *we* no longer see our own information, or can retrieve it that “they” no longer possess every jot and tittle we ever wrote, posted, copied, linked or contacted.

Search engines, anti-virus and any other “helpful” feature that enters your browser enters your life online. FOREVER.

Google will be much more invasive, if that is possible, than FACEBOOK, and we already learned it makes no difference if we were/are on Facebook, or a “member” of Facebook, a simple reference to our name, or a link, then WE are matched up and tracked, as well.

Discussions on how we have protected ourselves against exposure are made mute, perhaps laughable at this point.


33 posted on 04/14/2018 9:53:14 AM PDT by RitaOK
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: rktman

I haven’t checked in on FB file... but I get these calls all the time... I do a little of anything when they call... I let them listen to Rush until they hang up... or I don’t say anything and it’s blank until they hang up.. I don’t answer most of the time... or click on and then off.... But if I do answer and they call me by my name, I stop them in mid sentence and ask why are they calling this number when I did not ask them to... where did you get this number and where did you get a name.. by the time I get all the questions asked, they are ready to hang up... but on “where did you get his number”, they say they have a data file or etc.. I ask where did it come from and they don’t know. I tell them to take this number off their list.. and NONE Of the things I say to them is in a friendly way..

I’m sorry to be rude... but they ask for it when they dial my number, and say “this is ___ and I’m calling on a recorded line.. can you hear me?”. man, are they asking for it. Or they say “is this ___ ____ “? I do have calls I expect and it does not say who is calling.. just a number... and so when they say my name, and I don’t know them, it’s katy bar the door.

I also have been getting all kinds of magazines that I did not order.. don’t order any magazines... They have my address but a name I never heard of. I tried different things, but as of now, I write on the address of the magazine “this is not my magazine, this person does not live here” and put it back in the mail box. ...One time I told the carrier to only deliver with the last name.. and explained when I am gone for 2-3 days, these magazines fill up my box and mail can’t be delivered in a full packed box. I’m still giving them back to the carrier and he’s taking them back. I feel he is the deliverer of junk mail and I don’t want it! Some of the magazines are not fit to put in my box.


34 posted on 04/14/2018 9:53:33 AM PDT by frnewsjunkie
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: UnwashedPeasant

Add to that list: Collusion with Russia. The Left has been doing that since Stalin, but it was a non-topic until the Trump-Russia conspiracy theory.


35 posted on 04/14/2018 9:54:08 AM PDT by UnwashedPeasant (I told you so)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 27 | View Replies]

To: SaveFerris

Google is worse than Facebook, but they all do it.

Also remember everything you say on a cell phone can be easily captured.

We used to hear our neighbors baby monitor. Unless you totally live off the grid, everything is captured.


36 posted on 04/14/2018 9:57:07 AM PDT by luckystarmom
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: RitaOK

Once in the ether, it’s forever in the ether.


37 posted on 04/14/2018 9:57:25 AM PDT by rktman (Enlisted in the Navy in '67 to protect folks rights to strip my rights. WTH?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 33 | View Replies]

To: Da Coyote

Hmph. My cousin got clearance and he uses Facebook. Interestingly enough, now that I’ve heard FB is actually a DARPA project, I remember back when it started, two friends, scientists, working on DARPA projects, adamantly refused to sign up for Facebook or any other social media. Wonder if they knew something now.


38 posted on 04/14/2018 9:57:36 AM PDT by ichabod1 (If there is to be war, let it begin here.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: rktman

I spent fifteen minutes following the link on how to see the copy of your data that Facebook has. I was never able to find it. It says on every facebook page there is a little arrow that you click and it will go to Settings. I could never find that.


39 posted on 04/14/2018 9:58:28 AM PDT by crusty old prospector
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: mabarker1
no, but if you find it pls ping me
40 posted on 04/14/2018 9:58:44 AM PDT by Chode (You have all of the resources you are going to have. Abandon your illusions and plan accordingly.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 21 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-8081-91 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson