Deleting my facebook and going to Google+. Heres why must read if you care about Privacy!

[blue_sphere]

http://www.economist...ook-and-privacy

Friends I will be phasing out of facebook and switching to google+ over the next few weeks! Facebook has been found to share ALL OF YOUR INFORMATION as well as track your web history. Fortunately for me I use keyscrambler, but for the rest of you... Facebook has your credit cards, your bank account, and much more. They are probably tracking your activity on RWG right now!!!

Edited November 30, 2011 by blue_sphere

[Ronin]

Amen.

I work in a related industry and WITNESSED first hand, a hacker demonstration that:

1.) Take a picture of a person in a bar. Girl.

2.) Using Facial Recognition / Search (some servers in Cambridge) - Gained basic identity information from open FaceBook pages and images.

3.) Said hackers in previous years demonstrated a successful brute force 'crack' of Social Security numbers with 60% accuracy.

Result -- Taking a photo of a random girl at a bar on a smartphone was able to garnish:

1.) Girl's Facebook / Match.com profile, leading to

2.) Name

3.) Address

4.) Date of Birth

5.) Social Security Number (60% chance)

So yeah, fsck FaceBook. FaceBook has turned into "the internet for dummies" IMNSHO. FaceBook might as well be AOL (a walled garden) minus the CD's in the mail, and with a lot less care about you and your personal data. I have a Google+ account, and if they stick with their 'don't be evil' credo it could be promising. I guess I would trust Google over FB/Zuckerberg, but could live without any of them.

Long live-- Forums, Photo Sharing Sites that YOU control, and even basic email / instant messenger and SMS.

[TeeJay]

Zuckerberg's a slimy douche. I hate the lack of privacy on facebook, but I trust Google+ security even less... My reasons for staying on facebook are: my friends and family use it, so it makes for easier networking, and all the time companies (at least in the UK) say to go to their facebook page, rather than a standalone website, it is clearly going to be the 'industry standard' so the best (as in lesser of two evils) to maintain a presense on. That aside, I am very careful about what information I do share, and I keep all possible settings on 'friends only'...

[maxman]

I had my facebook account deleted about five weeks ago...[censored] face book.

It Is such Invasion of ones privacy it's not funny. One of the rep dealers posted some new reps on my wall. Im like..GTFO of here with that [censored]

Good thing i caught right away...but who knows how many people saw It.

Im not ashamed of my reps...but I certainly dont want to advertise the fact that I wear them...FFS.

There are also many other issues I have with FB........ like this [censored].

Yep... Im done with that bs...fook It.

Im now looking Into another social networking community........"Sit On My Facebook"

Mike

[phillycheez]

Facebook has been violating their users privacy? Everybody has known this for years... They just don't care. Most are just addicts to proving their social self worth.

I signed up in 04' when it was just .edu addresses. Rarely used it then and rarely use it now. I find it funny that they ask me for a valid email address every time I sign in cause my .edu email is long gone. F u c k you zuckerberg.

Edited November 30, 2011 by phillycheez

[slickdick]

Privacy:

All major corporations have same problem in US. Including Apple and Google.

[jmb]

Although I was in IT for over 20 years I'm proud to say I've never had an account on (or visited) any of the "social networking" sites and do not plan to do so. I also hate cell phones...

[Ronin]

The "Reasons" everybody states for being/staying on FB is a lot like standing by and watching [insert horrible tragic event] and doing nothing. You don't need FB to share photos. You don't need FB to stay in touch with people you REALLY care about.

The "Corporate" use of directing you to their FB page is an insult, and an atrocious marketing practice. Here is why. FB has a TOS (Terms of Service you must agree with, and join) it is not an open public site. In effect, a corporation is telling me to ACCEPT the TOS of a 3rd party entity who does not protect my privacy, and in fact sells my information to other 3rd parties.

Take a stand people. Just because something is FREE or CONVENIENT does not mean you should turn a blind eye.

"If you are not paying, you are the product."

"You can't get something for nothing,

You can't have freedom for free" -Peart

[modelizer]

"If you are not paying, you are the product."

"You can't get something for nothing,

You can't have freedom for free" -Peart

Amen.

[maxman]

Well said Ronin.....well said Indeed.

Mike

[ubiquitous]

Glad I never signed up for that junk.

[woof*]

Yep..all bad

[TeeJay]

The "Reasons" everybody states for being/staying on FB is a lot like standing by and watching [insert horrible tragic event] and doing nothing. You don't need FB to share photos. You don't need FB to stay in touch with people you REALLY care about.

The "Corporate" use of directing you to their FB page is an insult, and an atrocious marketing practice. Here is why. FB has a TOS (Terms of Service you must agree with, and join) it is not an open public site. In effect, a corporation is telling me to ACCEPT the TOS of a 3rd party entity who does not protect my privacy, and in fact sells my information to other 3rd parties.

Take a stand people. Just because something is FREE or CONVENIENT does not mean you should turn a blind eye.

"If you are not paying, you are the product."

"You can't get something for nothing,

You can't have freedom for free" -Peart

I look at it this way: It's a free service, people aren't paying for it, so sadly, people don't get any say in how fb operates. I don't particularly like it, but that's the deal with freebies And as for the keeping in contact thing, convenience is not a bad thing, it sure saves on the phonebill I just view it as a tool which makes things easier

[Watchmeister]

I have avoided it but if you have high school or college kids FB is ingrained in the culture and school life. When kids or even teachers need to get messages, data, homework, etc.out to a broad group of people FB is how they do it. That is the genius of FB. Kids go through high school and college and are drawn in. As long as FB is an integral part of growing up in developed countries you can protest all you want and decide whether you are willing to give up your privacy but it isn't going anywhere. I do believe Google+ will continue to grow. Increasingly the major academic institutions in the U.S. are moving onto Google Mail and that is where Google+ has a shot to make inroads. But I don't kid myself google does its own level of privacy intrusion. Of course this is coming from someone who participates in none of this but sees it through his kids. I managed to keep my kids off all these things until high school and college. Now it is impossible.

[Ronin]

I have avoided it but if you have high school or college kids FB is ingrained in the culture and school life. When kids or even teachers need to get messages, data, homework, etc.out to a broad group of people FB is how they do it. That is the genius of FB. Kids go through high school and college and are drawn in. As long as FB is an integral part of growing up in developed countries you can protest all you want and decide whether you are willing to give up your privacy but it isn't going anywhere. I do believe Google+ will continue to grow. Increasingly the major academic institutions in the U.S. are moving onto Google Mail and that is where Google+ has a shot to make inroads. But I don't kid myself google does its own level of privacy intrusion. Of course this is coming from someone who participates in none of this but sees it through his kids. I managed to keep my kids off all these things until high school and college. Now it is impossible.

This is the part that is wrong on so many levels. Like my corporate reference above, how can a teacher (assume public school in this case), in good conscience require a student to sign up for a FB page with a TOS that essentially signs away your privacy. There are other tools in the internet arsenal. Why not a "Forum" based communication method for a class? Easily controlled, moderated, locked down. Schools have/should have intranets.

The fact is most people are lazy. FB happens to be the path of least resistance so people "go along" with it, and most people are too dumb to realize the consequences. (Sorry for being blunt on this, this is a hot button topic for me- people are simply NOT acting in a logical manner when it comes to Social Media/Privacy in general.) So FSCK FACEBOOK!

[Ronin]

When logic fails, use humor. Gotta love "The Onion" sometimes.

Enjoy:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xAq6QFt8sXU

[cib0rgman]

http://www.economist...ook-and-privacy

Friends I will be phasing out of facebook and switching to google+ over the next few weeks! Facebook has been found to share ALL OF YOUR INFORMATION as well as track your web history. Fortunately for me I use keyscrambler, but for the rest of you... Facebook has your credit cards, your bank account, and much more. They are probably tracking your activity on RWG right now!!!

I am not sure that you statement is accurate, I have been using all these social network and I have never been a victim of any kind of Scam; I think the problem is not that the users do not know how to protect themselves; most of the time is lack of knowledge of what should or not should be done online. in other words the average user juts click any link as long they can get what they want, regardless of the consecuences.

my two cents

[Guest zeleni kukuruz]

Hehehehe...

Im soooo happy that im NOT a FB nurd never Registerd myself there

[Guest zeleni kukuruz]

Hehehehe...

Im soooo happy that im NOT a FB nurd never Registerd myself there

[hackR]

Although I was in IT for over 20 years I'm proud to say I've never had an account on (or visited) any of the "social networking" sites and do not plan to do so.

+1

...can't live without my blackberry...

[freddy333]

While facebook can be a privacy concern, it does not have to be since you control the info you place there, either when registering or posting. The trick, with everything online, is to be aware that anything you post online is both out of your control & permanent. If you always assume that what you post/upload will be read by your worst enemy & you avoid posting personally identifiable information (real name, location, contact info, etc), you can minimize the potential for privacy problems. Many government spy agencies operate on a need-to-know basis. That is, if the source requesting info does not absolutely, positively NEED to have it, then do not give it to them. I believe this is a good rule for all to follow.

[phillycheez]

Never heard of teachers using Facebook to get a message to their students ... Nor have I heard of a teacher making that mandatory. Scary if true but I don't believe it. Schools prefer that teachers are not to be friends with their students on FB as its too much risk.

I used blackboard in college.

I agree with freddy but again, nobody cares. It seems they want to show everybody their interests, fav movies, music, food... Proof of self worth is more important than privacy. It's sad really.

Edited December 1, 2011 by phillycheez

[Watchmeister]

Never heard of teachers using Facebook to get a message to their students ... Nor have I heard of a teacher making that mandatory. Scary if true but I don't believe it. Schools prefer that teachers are not to be friends with their students on FB as its too much risk.

Here is how it happens. Facebook originally came out of the top schools in the U.S. and spreads there (Harvard - Yale, Stanford, etc.) and then it spread to the UK and EU. At each school facebook becomes an inherent part of college student life. College students become grad students and grad students become professors. And along the way all high school students want to be college students....and underage students want to be high school students - a vicious circle isn't it.

[TeeJay]

Proof of self worth is more important than privacy.

I'm an intensely private person, I also struggle with depression (not something I've ever revealed here before...) I am extremely careful about what content I put on fb, infact, I rarely post any updates myself, but mostly comment on friends' updates. Where am I going with this? Well, there have been times when I have felt utterly alone, and miserable, and it has been at those times, when people on fb have given me support, as they are all my friends and family. I'm not one of those 'friend collectors' who adds people for the sake of it, my criteria are friends, family, or a business contact who I deal with enough to consider a friend. I'm not happy about the changes to fb layout and the utter lack of privacy it created, but, I would rather sacrifice a little privacy, than lose out on that network altogether. If I was to just sit at home all day trying to motivate myself to do something, I probably would've jumped from a tall building long ago, and while I'm not saying fb gives me a reason to live, or gives me a feeling of self-worth, it certainly provides enough of a connection, that if I ever am really feeling down, there will always be someone extending a hand to help me back up

[maxman]

I'm an intensely private person, I also struggle with depression (not something I've ever revealed here before...) I am extremely careful about what content I put on fb, infact, I rarely post any updates myself, but mostly comment on friends' updates. Where am I going with this? Well, there have been times when I have felt utterly alone, and miserable, and it has been at those times, when people on fb have given me support, as they are all my friends and family. I'm not one of those 'friend collectors' who adds people for the sake of it, my criteria are friends, family, or a business contact who I deal with enough to consider a friend. I'm not happy about the changes to fb layout and the utter lack of privacy it created, but, I would rather sacrifice a little privacy, than lose out on that network altogether. If I was to just sit at home all day trying to motivate myself to do something, I probably would've jumped from a tall building long ago, and while I'm not saying fb gives me a reason to live, or gives me a feeling of self-worth, it certainly provides enough of a connection, that if I ever am really feeling down, there will always be someone extending a hand to help me back up

Understood T..and thank you for sharing something like this...Im 100% you are not alone.

At the end of the day It works for some..and It dosent work for others...for a varity of reasons...Privacy being the main issue i suspect.

Although I dont care to be on FB..I can understnd why others choose to Interact there. I think Im the only person I know that dosent have a account on FB. Besides some of the folks here.

Mike