Is this some big brother.......... stuff, or what?

[Gumbo4x4]

And now FB is trying to kill me with links to “blank’s” most dangerous “blanks”. I guess I know too much.

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

 

[I loveStitchnippyjon]

DH and I each have our own computers. We never share. Whenever he does a google search for a product, the next day I start getting pop-up ads for that product. Creepy!

 

[theSurlyMermaid]

My husband and I were in a sunglasses store trying them on. He liked a pair of Tom Fords but didn’t buy them because they were too expensive. The next day he got an ad for Tom Ford sunglasses. We never did any internet searches for that either.

 

[Kitty 34]

View attachment 344848

I used to wear that a lot when getting highlights in my hair back in the day!!

 

[Imzadi]

DH and I each have our own computers. We never share. Whenever he does a google search for a product, the next day I start getting pop-up ads for that product. Creepy!

If he has ever sent you emails or texts, then Google has linked the two of you. . . and probably all your friends. So they know when your DH pressure-washed the porch too, if they were able to connect the dots.

I wanted to sign up on a website for shopping. I decided to use an old Gmail address that I rarely use for anything, so any sales emails & spam would go there. Only I forgot the password I used as it's been so long since I last checked my emails on that account. Gmail gives a couple different ways to verify it's ME.

I adamantly do NOT link any phone numbers to verify my email accounts - which every email system now wants. I KNOW they will data mine that, sell all our info and someone will create a public cellphone phone number directory then the telemarketers & scammers will have a field day, using our names on our cellphones. Some people created a few already (with large gaps of missing names + phone numbers.)

Yet, I accidentally pressed the "Send code to my phone" instead of having Gmail ask me my security questions. I thought for sure the code would be lost in cyberspace. But my phone beeped, alerting me I have a code. I look at the screen and there's the code! It was sent through the Google Play Services app (which runs ALL Android phones.) I had forgotten, not only do I not give out my cellphone number for verification, I had registered my cellphone account & Google Play Services with that old email I never use.

I double checked my phone to see what account the phone is registered under. And although I usually check my (real/regularly used) Gmail though the Internet browser, instead of through the Gmail app, once I logged into to Gmail, it registered that phone to me. And since my phone is an Android, Google NOW knows both those email accounts and the phone are mine. It listed the rarely used account and my real Gmail account, so I can "conveniently" switch back and forth if I want.

It's not Homeland Security or foreign governments we have to be concerned about. It's GOOGLE. I happen to like Google. Although, they JUST released info that the location app is on even when we have it turned off, so they generally ALWAYS know where we are.

Again, I rigorously leave the location function turned off on my apps until I need them. But, since most of my Gmail correspondence lists the addresses of where I will be going to, or I check Google maps for how to get there, I'm now thinking it's a moot point to think I can keep Google from tracking me.


JUST DON'T SELL ALL OUR INFO GOOGLE!!!

 

[Imzadi]

If it really bothers you, use a VPN or proxy

Exactly WHO is at the other end of those VPN? And how do you know they aren't data mining all the info that gets sent through the VPNs?

 

[BadPinkTink]

My husband and I were in a sunglasses store trying them on. He liked a pair of Tom Fords but didn’t buy them because they were too expensive. The next day he got an ad for Tom Ford sunglasses. We never did any internet searches for that either.

This is called geo targeting and is done by advertising agencies employed by the company, in this case Tom Ford. You must have location or gps turned on on your phone. It could even be as simple as connecting to the stores free Wifi, which then logs the IP address/ By being in the sunglass store, it triggered the ad for Tom Ford.

Remarketing is done by tracking cookies, which are a little bit of code. When you visit a website, say Hilton Hotels, the website puts a tracker on your device. This tracking code is for Hilton Hotels internet ads. Then you leave the Hilton website and visit a website like DIS which sells advertising space on its website. You then see an ad for Hilton Hotels. This is because the advertising software on DIS recognises the Hilton tracker on your device.

Other websites such as Amazon are called machine learning websites. Using software programs and rules called algorithms they analyse users behaviours, eg the product pages you look at and the product searches you do and match up with other similar products. This is why you get suggested products on Amazon

Google advertising program is across all of its products and services. When a company pays for Google ads, they can specify where to put the ads eg on Youtube, or on websites like DIS or on mobile only or the regular text.

 

[Imzadi]

A question that's been on my mind lately is:

HOW does one get onto the "Dark Net"?

Does one decide to be a criminal one day, and "poof" the link to the Dark Net suddenly appears, or an ad, like for power-washing suddenly shows up, pay the high fee for the link to get on?

Commercials by Lifelock and Experian talk like they can just do a Dark Net web search for our Names & Identity info. So, there's like, a "Google Search" service for the Dark Net??? Who runs that? It costs the real Google millions of dollars a day to keep the good side of the Internet's web search running effectively.

More likely, Lifelock, Experian and those Internet theft protection services are paying for the black market lists of all the names and identity info. In essence, they are kind of funding these criminals, to get the updated lists.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Use DuckDuckGo for searches instead of Google.

 

[OhDannyBoy]

Exactly WHO is at the other end of those VPN? And how do you know they aren't data mining all the info that gets sent through the VPNs?

You don't. But if you're that paranoid, the perhaps Facebook or other such social media outlets and search engines aren't for you.

You'll never not be watched. VPN I I imagine at very least filter some of your data and make it a bit more difficult to accumulate. Maybe not. I don't really want to test the theory.

Personally, while I don't like it, I don't worry about it. My days of being interesting to any one are long gone.

 

[BadPinkTink]

the dark web is like a catch all term. It basically means websites and links which are not tracked or traced.

For example, on Twitter I clicked on this link posted by Mashable
https:// mashable. com/ 2018/08/14/pets-pick-out-makeup-beauty-challenge-youtube/ ?europe=true&utm_cid=mash-com-Tw-main-link

The last part of the link has a piece of tracking code added to it, to show that I clicked on the link posted on Mashables Twitter

If I just copied and pasted this part of the link https:// mashable. com/ 2018/08/14/ pets-pick-out-makeup-beauty-challenge- youtube/ without the Twitter code and posted it here and people clicked on it , Mashable will see that people came from Dis BUT they wont be able to track that it was originally a Twitter post

 

[Imzadi]

Remarketing is done by tracking cookies, which are a little bit of code. When you visit a website, say Hilton Hotels, the website puts a tracker on your device. This tracking code is for Hilton Hotels internet ads. Then you leave the Hilton website and visit a website like DIS which sells advertising space on its website. You then see an ad for Hilton Hotels. This is because the advertising software on DIS recognises the Hilton tracker on your device.

Yes, this is why answering all those innocuous, seemingly harmless, fun threads on the DIS, may not be so innocuous after all. Every time you answer something like, "How many siblings do you have and where do you fall in the family?" are all data mining GOLD for sites tracking you and compiling personal info.

If you read above, where I said video suggestions for Dollar Tree hacks showed up on my YouTube. Similar ads showed up on the DIS, too. I usually have an ad blocker on so I don't see the ads. That doesn't mean my info isn't being tracked and that stuff is being data mined, compiled and then sold and used on the DIS ads and other places.

Sure, your username here is phony, but your IP address is constant. Even if you switch from different devices, or different locations, they then have them ALL, linked to that username. So they don't need a real name. Eventually, they find who you are, because you use the same IP address for email, for work and other stuff. Like logging into your bank account. They don't know the account numbers or account info, but they know the actual bank you use. And the more info YOU give them at the DIS, which is also GOOGLEABLE, (read my previous posts on how I'm finding Google has been tracking me,) the easier you make it for these data mining companies to track you.

It is one thing to do random searches for stuff online. But, many of you are giving out personal details over and over an over. Many of you are just handing over a compilation of personal details.

Did (general) you see Minority Report, with Tom Cruise? He was in a shopping mall and they had eye retinal scans to track him as he walked though the mall, and they targeted and bombarded him with visual & voice ads, tailored to him. I can see someday, in the not too distant future, that because all the details we innocuously give out online that we get ads like: "Hey DISSER8452796, don't forget your third sister's birthday next week, who likes chocolate cupcakes. The Seven Dwarfs Bakery, 2 blocks down the street from your office can even make some up so your second son, with the peanut allergy won't get sick. They even have a banana nut frosting that your DH will love. Make sure to use your Citibank Card for cash back on the purchase."

 

[Imzadi]

Personally, while I don't like it, I don't worry about it. My days of being interesting to any one are long gone.

I used to think that too. I really didn't care that Google was collecting info on me. I still don't to the extent that I trust Google to a degree. I don't trust who they may be selling our info to and how THEY will use it.

That IS in fact, what happened to Mark Zuckerberg & Facebook and the now defunct Cambridge Analytica. The second or third party that gets our info MAY be foreign power or "Dark Net" scammers we don't want to get our info. I read that it may costs hundreds of dollars and a few years to have Lifelock get our identities back. As "uninteresting" as I personally am, my identity info is still my identity info. And there are certain rights to privacy I want in place.

 

[OhDannyBoy]

I used to think that too. I really didn't care that Google was collecting info on me. I still don't to the extent that I trust Google to a degree. I don't trust who they may be selling our info to and how THEY will use it.

That IS in fact, what happened to Mark Zuckerberg & Facebook and the now defunct Cambridge Analytica. The second or third party that gets our info MAY be foreign power or "Dark Net" scammers we don't want to get our info. I read that it may costs hundreds of dollars and a few years to have Lifelock get our identities back. As "uninteresting" as I personally am, my identity info is still my identity info. And there are certain rights to privacy I want in place.

Well fair enough. I don't like it. I just know there isn't a whole lot I can do other than proactively monitor my credit. Also. Have a plan as what to do if my identity is stolen. I don't really know what else I can do

 

[wenrob]

If he has ever sent you emails or texts, then Google has linked the two of you. . . and probably all your friends. So they know when your DH pressure-washed the porch too, if they were able to connect the dots.

I wanted to sign up on a website for shopping. I decided to use an old Gmail address that I rarely use for anything, so any sales emails & spam would go there. Only I forgot the password I used as it's been so long since I last checked my emails on that account. Gmail gives a couple different ways to verify it's ME.

I adamantly do NOT link any phone numbers to verify my email accounts - which every email system now wants. I KNOW they will data mine that, sell all our info and someone will create a public cellphone phone number directory then the telemarketers & scammers will have a field day, using our names on our cellphones. Some people created a few already (with large gaps of missing names + phone numbers.)

Yet, I accidentally pressed the "Send code to my phone" instead of having Gmail ask me my security questions. I thought for sure the code would be lost in cyberspace. But my phone beeped, alerting me I have a code. I look at the screen and there's the code! It was sent through the Google Play Services app (which runs ALL Android phones.) I had forgotten, not only do I not give out my cellphone number for verification, I had registered my cellphone account & Google Play Services with that old email I never use.

I double checked my phone to see what account the phone is registered under. And although I usually check my (real/regularly used) Gmail though the Internet browser, instead of through the Gmail app, once I logged into to Gmail, it registered that phone to me. And since my phone is an Android, Google NOW knows both those email accounts and the phone are mine. It listed the rarely used account and my real Gmail account, so I can "conveniently" switch back and forth if I want.

It's not Homeland Security or foreign governments we have to be concerned about. It's GOOGLE. I happen to like Google. Although, they JUST released info that the location app is on even when we have it turned off, so they generally ALWAYS know where we are.

Again, I rigorously leave the location function turned off on my apps until I need them. But, since most of my Gmail correspondence lists the addresses of where I will be going to, or I check Google maps for how to get there, I'm now thinking it's a moot point to think I can keep Google from tracking me.


JUST DON'T SELL ALL OUR INFO GOOGLE!!!

I watched a 20/20 (or Dateline or 48HRs, one of them) where the Google/Android combo helped convict a guy of murder. Google had his every move. It wasn’t hard for them to connect the dots. Saw another where a guy’s FitBit actually provided him with an alibi and yet another where the suspect willingly handed over his iPhone to the police then went to the nearest computer, logged in, wiped it and bricked it in seconds. He’s still walking free.

I don’t think “they” are listening through my phone or using my camera because I know about algorithms and cookies etc. I often wonder who people think “they” are anyway. I do use location services with my family, for my photos and with maps. Apps only when needed and then I shut them down. That’s more because they’ll drain my battery and less about “them” seeing I went to Walmart and bought Almond Milk. I don’t give away my security questions on the internet and I don’t plan on committing any crimes so “they” can have at it. That said if I were to find myself in a sticky situation let’s hope I have the common sense not to do it with my phone in my pocket.