Facebook Users' Data

[Pea-n-Me]

Anyone else following along?

Mark Zuckerberg is facing questions from lawmakers this afternoon.

 

[BadPinkTink]

Yes I am watching.

For anyoneone concerned if their Facebook data has been shared in the Cambridge Analytica data breach, click this link

https://www.facebook.com/help/1873665312923476?helpref=search&sr=1&query=cambridge

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

I suspect CA is just the tip of the iceberg. Unclear to me why I should be more concerned about this use of data than the others we know about (e.g. use in 2012 election) and don't know about.

Wasn't a "data breach", per se, from what I understand.

 

[DLgal]

I am good. Neither myself or any of my friends info was shared. I never take those dumb quizzes on FB for exactly this reason...

 

[mom2rtk]

So who else is wondering if Zuckerburg had to go buy a suit for today's hearing? I half expected him to show up in a hoodie.

 

[Iya]

I got the notice this morning on my page. It was due to a friend who used that app, but I have a tight rein on security settings and have always limited what info apps could use/share. I don't share a lot of stuff on Facebook, either. I don't really care if they know what TV shows I like or what music I like. My email is a generic gmail address and I would never give them my phone number. I'm not worried.

 

[BadPinkTink]

I don't really care if they know what TV shows I like or what music I like. My email is a generic gmail address and I would never give them my phone number. I'm not worried.

Every piece of data, no matter how useless or inconsequential you may think it is, is actually very valuable to the brands and companies who use Facebook for advertising.

For example if you like a certain TV show called The Mickey Mouse Club. You have put your location as New York into Facebook. You have put your birth day into Facebook and your birth year is 1985.

Disney an advertiser, is planning to rerun The Mickey Mouse Club TV show but it will only be on TV in the East Coast of America. Disney using Facebook advertising can create a Facebook Ad which will only be shown on the timelines of people who live within 500 miles of New York, who are aged between 35 and 45 and who are interested in Disney. They could also target females only, and females who are married.

Its called the Facebook advertising funnel. Facebook ad filters start off generic but can be set in such a way that brands and companys can literally target the exact person on Facebook who will buy their product.

 

[Iya]

Every piece of data, no matter how useless or inconsequential you may think it is, is actually very valuable to the brands and companies who use Facebook for advertising.

For example if you like a certain TV show called The Mickey Mouse Club. You have put your location as New York into Facebook. You have put your birth day into Facebook and your birth year is 1985.

Disney an advertiser, is planning to rerun The Mickey Mouse Club TV show but it will only be on TV in the East Coast of America. Disney using Facebook advertising can create a Facebook Ad which will only be shown on the timelines of people who live within 500 miles of New York, who are aged between 35 and 45 and who are interested in Disney. They could also target females only, and females who are married.

Its called the Facebook advertising funnel. Facebook ad filters start off generic but can be set in such a way that brands and companys can literally target the exact person on Facebook who will buy their product.

Understood. Which is why I don't enter my location. And who doesn't use an ad blocker? I don't see ads on facebook and skip right on by any "sponsored" junk on my newsfeed.

 

[BadPinkTink]

Understood. Which is why I don't enter my location. And who doesn't use an ad blocker? I don't see ads on facebook and skip right on by any "sponsored" junk on my newsfeed.

anything that says sponsored IS an Ad, the company or brand has paid money to Facebook to show it in peoples timelines. This is called boosting a post.

thats great and Im exactly the same, BUT a huge amount of Facebook users dont. Its human nature for people to fill out the sections. People want to share their relationship status with their friends and family so they will tell Facebook when they get engaged, when they get married etc. People want to share where they work or their job title with their friends and family so they will tell Facebook where they work. People like checking into restaurants and events and places. People like sharing with their friends and family the tv shows, the music the films etc they like to watch, the hobbies and interests, the things they like to eat and drink.

Every single piece of information I have outlined above and alot more is available to advertisers on Facebook. People just dont think that it is and dont know how it is used.

 

[Iya]

anything that says sponsored IS an Ad, the company or brand has paid money to Facebook to show it in peoples timelines. This is called boosting a post.

I know, which is why I used quotes. I've been on Facebook for a very long time, I know how it works.

 

[amberpi]

So who else is wondering if Zuckerburg had to go buy a suit for today's hearing? I half expected him to show up in a hoodie.

Honestly, wouldn't that have been a big middle finger? I'd have loved to have seen it!

 

[cabanafrau]

Honestly, wouldn't that have been a big middle finger? I'd have loved to have seen it!

Not so certain he's in a position to be gesturing to anyone these days.

 

[mom2rtk]

Not so certain he's in a position to be gesturing to anyone these days.

Yeah, I think he's on the defensive right now and I'm sure a lot of very pricey attorneys have advised him to play nice.

 

[amberpi]

Not so certain he's in a position to be gesturing to anyone these days.

You're quite right...doesn't stop me from wanting to see the circus.

 

[Hikergirl]

Every piece of data, no matter how useless or inconsequential you may think it is, is actually very valuable to the brands and companies who use Facebook for advertising.

Which is exactly why I assume that my data is being used and abused no matter what anyone says about it being protected and what my privacy settings are set for.

 

[GreatLakes]

Anyone even the least bit surprised by this is either ignorant or naive. The technology industry in general, and I.T. security specifically, has been screaming that this is happening at the top of their lungs for years.

The data that can be gathered about anyone, even with your ad blockers and fake email addresses and incognito mode browsers, is staggering. If you have never bothered to read past the surface information the terribly inadequate mainsteam media "reports" on you would be in for a shock. I suspect few people even bother.

Ask yourself how much you are paying for any online service. If it is $0 then you are not the customer. You are the product being bought and sold.

Zuckerberg will be the temporary whippinh boy for Congress for a bit but what they are doing is the norm, not an exception.

 

[Kimberle]

A couple weeks ago, I purchased something in a store I've never shopped in before. I paid with my credit card and gave NO personal information. Prior, I've never received any on-line advertising from this store. Well, guess what... The next day, a nice big ad from this store was on my FB wall. Now on earth did they get all this info about me??? Credit cards are suppose to be private. The vendor get no customer info and not even the whole card number.

 

[gotomu212]

A couple weeks ago, I purchased something in a store I've never shopped in before. I paid with my credit card and gave NO personal information. Prior, I've never received any on-line advertising from this store. Well, guess what... The next day, a nice big ad from this store was on my FB wall. Now on earth did they get all this info about me??? Credit cards are suppose to be private. The vendor get no customer info and not even the whole card number.

Did you have your phone in your pocket? Anything with location services enabled?

I know people keep saying they have their security set to private, but that’s just for what other “users” can see and get access to, absolutely nothing is private to Facebook the company. They own any data they gather from you including what sites you visit, where you’ve gone via location services, messages youve sent once you launch their site. FB is gathering the largest net of information about people and their habits.

They aren’t the only ones either. Any email browser including google is scanning your emails for keywords, search engines record what you search for and where you click from there, and apps gather completely unrelated data. Heck even the disboards has troves of info.

Advertisers are one thing, but all this information is then also available to hacks. Remember when Sony was hacked and people’s personal emails with their very private thoughts were shared-that really could happen to all of us.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

It sounds like some people are unconcerned if they think this doesn't affect them personally.

Honestly, wouldn't that have been a big middle finger? I'd have loved to have seen it!

Loved to see Zuckerburg give who the middle finger? The American people? Lawmakers?

 

[Southernmiss]

In today's age of computers, I really don't believe I have any privacy. I am sure all kinds of my info is out there.

Just got a new credit card in today's mail because an entity I charged at was hacked.

Happens all the time.

Don't do a lot on Facebook, especially not politics, and have security settings.

This breach is political and thats what had bought Zuckerberg out to testify.