Why do people make such a big fuss about Facebook's privacy issues?

Yes, I know facebook traces what kind of websites you browse outside of Facebook, but what harm can that do? As you don't post something BLATANTLY illegal on Facebook, then you should be FINE.

 

What changed?

https://www.wilderssecurity.com/thre...scious-are-your-real-world-companions.347446/

 

I changed because I don't see anything wrong with using Facebook. Just don't do stupid things on it. Like posting and doing blatantly illegal stuff on it.

 

Seriously. Its about privacy for many of us. The illegality likely plays no part for most and only a small part for some. Where I hang out, read, shop, browse, etc.... is my business alone. I don't care if everyone here knows Palancar is a security/privacy advocate, but Facebook will never know that about the real ME! I don't even mix TOR bundles between sites. Each of my frequently used sites has a unique TBB to access it. Over the top. Maybe?

 

what is legal today may not be tomorrow. not every country has grandfather clauses or statutes of limitations.

 

I'm a Facebook user myself, so I don't see anything wrong with using it. But letting it track my activities outside their site is out of the question. It is a matter of choice, and I like to exercise my choice each time I can do it.

 

In the current climate, to say Facebook very obviously is a one stop shop for three lettered agencies wouldn't be wide of the mark. If thats not important to you then that's your choice ....

However, those who contradict themselves over and over with their choices, as with you ComputersRock, raise a red flag.

 

Because it'd be better to just use alternatives that do exist and that do try to respect users privacy like: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diaspora_(software) or https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Movim

There's a few other things listed here (which is how I found those two I mentioned): https://prism-break.org/en/categories/windows/

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Basically though, why use a service that's already king of the social network, no less one of the top 10 sites in the world when there are better things starting up? Wouldn't you love there to be multiple choices and actual competition?

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So when you're in the bathroom, I can install a hidden camera and as long as you don't do anything illegal then I'll never personally bother you, yet I will know everything you did in said bathroom. See how this "I don't have anything to hide" sort of idea doesn't really work? See how they benefit off of YOUR privacy and you lose, but they gain?

 

As Palancar said, each identity should have a distinct path to the Internet. That might be VPN chains for some, Tor instances (Tor browser, Tails, or Whonix) for others, JonDonym for others, etc. Maybe everything goes through a common VPN, either commercial or private to a VPS, to isolate the rest from ones ISP. Also, each identity should have at least one machine, and multiple identities should never share the same machine. Using multiple VMs on a host is OK except in critical situations.

Each identity should have its own non-overlapping set of interests, websites frequented, online friends and email contacts, and so on. In particular, there should be no overlap between meatspace identity and any online activity that you don't want associated with meatspace identity.

Having multiple meatspace identities (such as LARP) is cool, but it's nontrivial. However, LARP is a good cover for talking about some online activity in meatspace. That might come in when buying Bitcoins in meatspace. Maybe you get caught lying about your name But don't mix meatspace-associated identities with other more-private online identities.

 

You're making the same mistake a lot of the public is still making. You think you're safe as long as you're not being criminal. Facebook doesn't just track you across the web to get an idea of what you prefer, like cookies have done since the start of the WWW. They track you and use that data to share everything about you with every single Facebook user, along with all of their advertisers and other companies who profit from every post you make, every picture you post and share, etc. You think it's okay that they are using your photos for their facial recognition program to use your face in ads and other things? Is it okay to pick a text post you made about a product and use it and your image in an ad for said product..without asking you? They've done it. And yes, the government scours Facebook and Twitter for user data, political posts, religious posts and more. So does your employers and potential employers.

You can't use the same argument that the "security by obscurity" crowd makes. They aren't any safer using some no-name AV or HIPS and you're no safer by not being a terrorist, child molester, bank robber or whatever. Being or not being a criminal stopped mattering years ago. By all means continue on not worrying, I doubt anyone really cares if you do or don't. But you should at least have the information so that you can make a choice.

 

It's all about the depersonalization of the collection of data. They don't physically see the people collecting the data at their doorstep, so it's out of sight out of mind. That, and because Facebook is "free" to use and works, they don't care.

 

True, it's all an invisible process that happens without interfering with their daily work and activities. It also starts with innocent data such as the type pf product you buy most often, preferred brand name. Who cares that you prefer Campbells soup over another, right? Well, then it gets into where you buy it, who do you buy it for and it all just goes downhill from there. One day you're doing a product survey, a month down the road you're getting emails and sometimes physical mail from companies you never heard of or did business with. And it might have started with a can of soup. And that's just the more innocent use of data.

Free services are another issue. If Facebook was a paid service, they wouldn't be able to get away with some of the hijinks they've pulled in recent years. Neither would Google. People are obsessed with being social, yet they aren't quite understanding that these services are making people overall less social. A new Facebook account today quickly turns from a place to keep up with friends, family and business partners to an assault of ads, friend requests from people you didn't know exist, spam and forced crap into your feeds. All the while Facebook is taking all that data, all those images and using them somewhere else or selling it all off. Google pulls a lot of the same stunts, but they at least are upfront most of the time before you use their services. Facebook waits until someone finds out and spreads it all over the media, and half the time they either deny it or downplay it.

 

You don't have to post anything on Facebook, or even be a member, for them to track you .
All you need to do is visit a page that has that stupid 'Facebook-button' and Mark's NSA-handlers will now you where there .

Your 'argument' about 'nothing to fear if you behave' is just .. Well, 'silly' .

 

you post your life on Facebook then complain about privacy....? ironic isn't it

 

Excellent Statement! That sums up Facebook.

 

Ok I agree with you on that. I don't like the fact that it tracks my activities outside of the site. But other than that, I'm perfectly fine with Facebook.

 

Seriously? This is a question you need to ask?!

I don't use facebook or any social media bs, aside from forums to read information, total waste of time. Even if I had used those types of hubs, they have no right to track your usage, period. It's invasion of privacy.

So to your question... Would you like it if an employee of the grocery store stood by your side writing notes about the products you personally purchase? This employee would also jot down the most frivolous information: your mumbling something, how you walk down the isle, push your cart ect, they'd also jot down information that you have in your wallet, the clothes you wear, if you paid in cash, debit, credit, check... etc. The color of your hair, how long it is, your sex, national origin, or what they "think" your ethnicity is, types of shoes you wear, glasses. Hmm list could go on and on. In essence, no they don't have a right. 1) It's considered Harassment, 2) It's invasion of privacy, 3) Don't get too close, guaranteed a broken and bloody nose, and a few fingers or a limb!

Does your telephone company record every conversation you have over the line?

 

I rest my case.

 

Computers Rock, either you're trolling or you have serious schizoid issues. Beats me why you even post.

 

+1, Yes the Original Post is absurd.

 

I just use Facebook on a separate browser from all of my other Internet activities. There you have it.

 

No, but the NSA does

 

The most absurd thing about Facebook is its perversion of the word "friend". I'd rather have 2 real friends than 1000 on Facebook.

 

"I have 25,000 Friends, all I want to do is disappear." ~ Alabama 3's Facebook.com song.