Watching Mark Zuckerberg on The Hill

[Tom]

Interesting watching Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg testifying on The Hill today. He was obviously well-coached, put on a tie, and suppressed his normal cocky character. He handled himself much better than I expected, but was clearly rattled by some questions, and couldn't answer a number of others. It continues in The House tomorrow.

Meanwhile, Mr. Zuckerberg has refused to appear before the UK Government to answer questions. Might be something to do with the tougher legislation passed by the European governments.

The movie The Social Network is a good watch on the history of Facebook and its founder.

[Tom]

A great set of questions was:

"Can you tell us which hotel you stayed at last night?"  No.

"If you've messaged anybody this week, would you share with us the names of the people you've messaged?"  No.

"That might be what this is all about — your right to privacy".

[retusn]

I was also interested to see how he did.  I agree that he couldn't answer some questions, but with over 25k people working at facebook, it's like any other company, government entity, or even a family.  Dad doesn't know everything that's going on.  I did like him asking some of them questions in return.

[HappyWanderer]

I'm surprised at the outrage. Is there anyone on the planet unaware that Facebook is a data mining application, and everything you read and write is tracked?

And yet people are more than willing to post personal information and live their entire lives on social media.

[Betty Brewer]

 

[jackiemac]

I'm surprised at the outrage. Is there anyone on the planet unaware that Facebook is a data mining application, and everything you read and write is tracked?

And yet people are more than willing to post personal information and live their entire lives on social media.

X2

My OH says we're all becoming "curtain twitchers".....   😂

[Tom]

The first time I signed on, I warned family and friends that FB is very intrusive and could share or provide access to your data. Unfortunately, folks didn't/couldn't see the danger. This isn't the first time folks' data has been shared without their knowledge. Privacy settings haven't always been easy or obvious to figure out. One thing at issue this time around is the ability of a 3rd party app to mine the data of 600K members and apparently 87M of their friends.


The next scary thing is the plan to use facial recognition tools to identify people in photos and link them with their personal data and friends.

[kdbgoat]

And the same question I asked in another topic, is Google any different than Facebook when it comes to collecting data?

[HappyWanderer]

And the same question I asked in another topic, is Google any different than Facebook when it comes to collecting data?

Probably not, except for the extent that people voluntarily reveal personal data on Facebook.

[NY_Dutch]

Google is very different from Facebook in one very important aspect. Google does NOT sell or make individual data available to anyone. Their entire business model is built around selling aggregated "eyeballs" to advertisers, not personal data. Google uses the data they collect to place a client's ads where they will be seen by the most people that fit the clients specifications. The clients are never allowed access to any specifics about individual Google users. Google really is pretty benign in comparison to Facebook.

[SpencerPJ]

Don't forget Amazon.  I was shopping the other day and noticed it said, X  dollars available in your Cash Back rewards from Discover.  Hmmm, I get it at checkout, but they know what I have sitting there, hence, my guess, do they know what I buy with my Discover card as well.  Fortunately, I trust no-one online.  I have a Discover card with a small limit hat I use for all online transactions.

[Tom]

FB says they don't  sell your data per se. They use your data to target who sees which ads. They charge advertisers for access to a targeted market.

Separately, they've allowed 3rd party apps access your data, supposedly with you permission; There has been no control over what the app developers did with your data. This will supposedly change, but for many the genie is already out of the bottle, and there's no knowing what data has been collected.

[_Rusty_]

I'm surprised at the outrage. Is there anyone on the planet unaware that Facebook is a data mining application, and everything you read and write is tracked?

And yet people are more than willing to post personal information and live their entire lives on social media.

And all the while companies like "Ancestors" actually charge you to catalog your DNA so future "Orwellian" societies can track your family, your movements, and activities.  Even today the government has used these programs to identify relatives of criminals so as to help locate and detain suspects.  I wouldn't doubt the NSA actually funds these companies so as to build this massive database. (sounds like a conspiracy, doesn't it?) 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

When you registered your Discover Card with Amazon, Discover shared your account status with them.  Probably much more too, but neither are saying.

[Oldgator73]

We are in the era of information overload. If someone is savvy enough they will get your information, regardless of how hard you try to protect it. I’m not saying you shouldn’t protect your information since the low hanging fruit will always be taken first. Folks cannot get information from your FB account unless you put it on there. I don’t have anything on mine that I don’t want everyone to know. My FB info is common knowledge. People can look at your profile on this forum and see what you are willing to share. If you don’t want your information out there, buy a safe and keep it in the closet with all your stuff in it. Don’t let anyone know the combo. Pay cash for everything. Don’t keep your money in the bank. Banks can be hacked.

[SargeW]

I tend to view the info that is mostly gathered as non threatening. Like what products I buy, where I like to go, my political opinions (which I don't talk about much).  Does Amazon send me offers for stuff I may want to buy? Yep. If I am interested, I look at the ads, if not I just delete and move on. I do apply many safeguards to protect my financial information, but realize even that is not 100% safe.  Shoot, if the NSA can get hacked, no one is completely safe. 

I try to take a reasonable approach to the overall situation. Shoot much of the information that FB can get on me I have posted here on this forum many times. I was a LEO for 25 years. I gave up way more information to join those ranks than I ever have on any on line forum. 

I just don't put every thought that pops into my head on line. Some live for it like the newer generations. I guess we can all blame Bill Gates for getting this computer age shifted into high gear.

[Lou Schneider]

I didn't have much personal information in my Facebook profile, but I decided to delete it anyway.  One thing I found is actually deleting an account is more involved than just deactivating it.

The procedure to deactivate your account is straightforward, but it just makes your account invisible to other users.  All of your information stays with Facebook, it just stops others from routinely connecting with you.  You can go back and reactivate the account at any time by just logging in to it. 

Deletion is another step beyond that, and it is hidden elsewhere, seperate from the more visible deactivation option.  You have to log into a seperate deletion web site, the option to delete the account is not available from within the normal Facebook interface.  After you request deletion your account becomes deactivated for 14 days.  If you access the account during that time, the deletion request is aborted and your information remains on Facebook's servers indefinitely.

I'm hoping deletion actually erases my information from Facebook's records.  If it does, I may try it again in the future.

[Tom]

I'm hoping deletion actually erases my information from Facebook's records.

When asked, Zuckergerg said several times yesterday that your data is deleted when your account is deleted. No mention of the 14 days delay.

[winona]

I didn't have much personal information in my Facebook profile, but I decided to delete it anyway.  One thing I found is actually deleting an account is more involved than just deactivating it.

The procedure to deactivate your account is straightforward, but it just makes your account invisible to other users.  All of your information stays with Facebook, it just stops others from routinely connecting with you.  You can go back and reactivate the account at any time by just logging in to it. 

Deletion is another step beyond that, and it is hidden elsewhere, seperate from the more visible deactivation option.  After you request deletion your account becomes deactivated for 14 days.  If you access the account during that time, the deletion request is aborted and your information remains on Facebook's servers indefinitely.

I'm hoping deletion actually erases my information from Facebook's records.  If it does, I may try it again in the future.

I deleted my fb account years ago -- was tired of seeing what others were having for lunch or the drama in their lives or how long they were gone on vacation and where the key was hidden.  I had to google how to delete the account as fb only tells how to deactivate.

I do miss keeping up with some people -- my high school classmates, etc. but stay in touch with email and a real phone call!

Found it interesting that many on the Hill were unfamiliar with the ins and outs of fb.  I can see why Zuckerberg wouldn't answer at which hotel he was staying --- would anyone of his wealth and fame?

[Lou Schneider]

Here's an article that explains the difference between deactivating and deleting a Facebook account.  FB states there's a 14 day waiting period before the account is actually deleted, the article points out it can take up to 90 days for your information to actually be wiped off the servers.  This is confirmed in the Terms and Conditions you're required to agree to when you delete the account.

http://www.trustedreviews.com/news/how-to-delete-facebook-account-2950145

[Tom]

I can see why Zuckerberg wouldn't answer at which hotel he was staying --- would anyone of his wealth and fame?

The Senator was making a point (to Zuckerberg) 

[PJ Stough]

Although, Senator Durbin's questions were interesting, I dont believe they made a valid point.  Now if every morning Facebook asked you where you stayed last night, would be one thing, but when people post where they stayed last night, without being asked is quite another matter.

[Tom]

The 'point' was the sharing/availability of data that an individual doesn't want to share with the world. We can agree to disagree 

[PJ Stough]

 

The 'point' was the sharing/availability of data that an individual doesn't want to share with the world. We can agree to disagree 

[Kevin Means]

I deleted my fb account years ago -- was tired of seeing what others were having for lunch or the drama in their lives or how long they were gone on vacation and where the key was hidden.  I had to google how to delete the account as fb only tells how to deactivate.

Ain't that the truth! Years ago, at the urging of my daughters, I joined Facebook but deleted my account a week later after being inundated with... stuff that I couldn't care less about. I value my family and friends dearly, but also my time and sanity. When I told my daughters that I dumped Facebook, because the whole social media thing wasn't for me, they immediately responded by saying, "No Facebook, but you're on the RVForum every day." Ouch! (Sometimes the truth hurts)

Kev

[Tom]

Several years ago I asked our 30-year old grandson why he didn't respond to my emails. His answer: "we don't communicate that old-fashioned way" 

[Back2PA]

The 'point' was the sharing/availability of data that an individual doesn't want to share with the world.

 


When my privacy is balanced against billion dollar empires, I think we know who’s gonna lose. And in my opinion while these hearings may look good to the constituents, those same senators are taking “campaign money” from the very companies that use FB and Google to advertise their wares. IMHO, these hearings are all for show. A couple weeks from now it’ll be, “OK, we made it look like we did something there, what else can we talk about?” (Boy am I getting cynical in my old age  )

[SeilerBird]

 


When my privacy is balanced against billion dollar empires, I think we know who’s gonna lose. And in my opinion while these hearings may look good to the constituents, those same senators are taking “campaign money” from the very companies that use FB and Google to advertise their wares. IMHO, these hearings are all for show. A couple weeks from now it’ll be, “OK, we made it look like we did something there, what else can we talk about?” (Boy am I getting cynical in my old age  )

I agree Scott. These hearing are all for show. They will not accomplish anything except giving FB a ton of publicity.

[Oldgator73]

The 'point' was the sharing/availability of data that an individual doesn't want to share with the world. We can agree to disagree 

As far as FB is concerned unless you set your security to certain parameters anything on your page will be seen by most anybody. Even your profile. Go to anyone’s page and click on “About” and their entire profile is for the reading. Those that want privacy should not join FB or any other social media. I joined FB because I like to debate (some call it arguing) and keep up with the kids and friends around the world.

[BinaryBob]

I have many friends and family that make a point to post their daily lives on Facebook.
OTOH, I use it to share the occasional recipe. You can't data-mine what doesn't exist.
If the conglomerates are interested in how I prepare Chicken Tikka Masala, more power to 'em......