22 Sep 23
@shavixmir saidI don't mean to be alarmist and I'm not a conspiracy theorist in the sense that there was no evil intent to control us, but "it works out that way" pretty well sums up my attitude toward social media linked to big data. Many people are incredibly naive about the digital footprints they leave across the Internet. Leave your name at one site, your postal address at another (so pizza can be delivered there), your vehicle registration at a third (for car insurance), your date of birth at a fourth and your former high school at a fifth (so you can contact alumni), and it is childishly easy for robots to connect the dots and create a digital profile of you. Every service these days expects you to 'register' online, from your medical practitioner to the auto mechanic, and yes it's so easy to order your meds online and have them delivered to your door and have the car serviced on schedule, but add to this the fact that nearly every month some company or govt agency loses control of its data base (Northern Ireland police dept., and the list of jurors of one of the grand juries which recently recommended indictment of Trump, to mention only two within recent memory), and you have recipe for: a) vigilantism against perceived 'enemies' and b) states within a state (e.g., China has recently been caught red-handed maintaining unauthorised 'police dept.s' in foreign countries for the specific purpose of controlling its own citizens abroad).
Really.
Many webpages collect data from each other (that’s all the cookie warning malarkey you have to agree to on various pages). They also collect IP addresses (so they can determine location, because some content is restricted, etc. ).
Now, if you google Bruce Springsteen, facebook connects your IP with google and Springsteen and then “assists” you in finding Spri ...[text shortened]... lexa is actually evesdropping, because that would mean intent, but ultimately it works out that way.
No one calls this "eavesdropping" -- it just works out that way.
22 Sep 23
@metal-brain saidIt’s not snooping if you willingly and knowingly open the door and pull the curtains open.
Facebook snoops your browser history and targets you with ads based on that. Could that be it?
22 Sep 23
@moonbus saidExactly.
I don't mean to be alarmist and I'm not a conspiracy theorist in the sense that there was no evil intent to control us, but "it works out that way" pretty well sums up my attitude toward social media linked to big data. Many people are incredibly naive about the digital footprints they leave across the Internet. Leave your name at one site, your postal address at another (so ...[text shortened]... olling its own citizens abroad).
No one calls this "eavesdropping" -- it just works out that way.
It's not a conspiracy though. You agree to it, by using the app.
In Europe they have to warn you before hand how they're going to share your information, so you can make an educated choice about what you're doing.
On a side note, but ultimately very interesting... in apps on your telephone, the apps collect a lot of data.
Say you have a weather app. You agree that they can use your location. One understands that this is to give you exacter details about the weather in said location.
But the app companies are actively sharing this information. Basically, peddlers of personal data buy it up and sell it to willing parties. Like the police. They can then see how many people from location X are moving towards location Y (as a very easy example).
Now, in the GDPR (EU privacy law) it states that this sort of use of data has to be specifically and easily explained to a user, so that the user has to actively agree to it.
They haven't.
So, pay attention in coming months. Either these apps are going to bombard you with new requests for authorisation... or they're gonna be forced to pay a hefty fine.
And then they'll bombard you with new requests.
22 Sep 23
@metal-brain saidAnyone who will pay him for it.
Agreed. But here is the caveat, who is he sharing that info with?
22 Sep 23
@shavixmir saidAgreed on all points.
Exactly.
It's not a conspiracy though. You agree to it, by using the app.
In Europe they have to warn you before hand how they're going to share your information, so you can make an educated choice about what you're doing.
On a side note, but ultimately very interesting... in apps on your telephone, the apps collect a lot of data.
Say you have a weather app. You a ...[text shortened]... .. or they're gonna be forced to pay a hefty fine.
And then they'll bombard you with new requests.
Apps which appear to be free to the end user always have a monetarization point, somewhere. No one puts an app out there just out of the goodness of his heart. Used to be that "time is money"; now it's "Information is money."
22 Sep 23
2 edits
@kevcvs57 saidMany people do not realize that FB's app snoops their contacts, or, if they do know, they underestimate what the consequences are for everyone else in their contacts list, and everyone else in their contacts' contacts lists, and so on and so on. Robots are extremely diligent in following the trail of bread crumbs, and it takes only milliseconds to turn up people in other people's contacts, whether or not they are on social media. I did not open my door, but I'm in the contact lists of many friends who are FB members because I might phone them or contact them via private email (without using FB), and FB will use the back door if it finds the front door bolted.
It’s not snooping if you willingly and knowingly open the door and pull the curtains open.
22 Sep 23
@kevcvs57 saidI could argue it is stealing. They are stealing your info behind your back. I didn't know they were snooping my browser history until I saw the targeted ads. After looking into e bikes facebook posted ads about e bikes. That is how I knew, but facebook does not tell you that is what they are doing. You have to find out on your own.
It’s not snooping if you willingly and knowingly open the door and pull the curtains open.
Full disclosure would have been nice.
22 Sep 23
@metal-brain saidIt's a hydra: cut off one head, and seven more grow back.
I could argue it is stealing. They are stealing your info behind your back. I didn't know they were snooping my browser history until I saw the targeted ads. After looking into e bikes facebook posted ads about e bikes. That is how I knew, but facebook does not tell you that is what they are doing. You have to find out on your own.
Full disclosure would have been nice.
22 Sep 23
@metal-brain saidYes.
@moonbus
Did you see this yet?
https://www.redhotpawn.com/forum/science/spying-using-microwaves.197896/page-1
22 Sep 23
@moonbus saidIndeed. Also its not only big businesses people have to worry about. Individuals who do not like you or who are just plain evil who have a bit of knowledge and a motive can dig up lots of information on you by using your name, address, phone#, facebook account. From that information someone can figure out your spouse's name, kids names, dog and cat names, dates of birth, SS information, place of employment and credit card information. Most peoples passwords are often some combination of the above. Technology has gone ahead and people are stuck with past habits. Even posting photos online can be dangerous.
I don't mean to be alarmist and I'm not a conspiracy theorist in the sense that there was no evil intent to control us, but "it works out that way" pretty well sums up my attitude toward social media linked to big data. Many people are incredibly naive about the digital footprints they leave across the Internet. Leave your name at one site, your postal address at another (so ...[text shortened]... olling its own citizens abroad).
No one calls this "eavesdropping" -- it just works out that way.
@metal-brain saidWow, coincidences 'convince' you.
I could argue it is stealing. They are stealing your info behind your back. I didn't know they were snooping my browser history until I saw the targeted ads. After looking into e bikes facebook posted ads about e bikes. That is how I knew, but facebook does not tell you that is what they are doing. You have to find out on your own.
Full disclosure would have been nice.
No wonder you believe all those Global Research articles.
22 Sep 23
6 edits
@rajk999 saidBoth armed vigilante groups and govt.s make abundant use of the information readily available online. Moreover, it can be shared anonymously on the dark web which, ironically, was invented by the CIA so they could share information anonymously with their informants.
Indeed. Also its not only big businesses people have to worry about. Individuals who do not like you or who are just plain evil who have a bit of knowledge and a motive can dig up lots of information on you by using your name, address, phone#, facebook account. From that information someone can figure out your spouse's name, kids names, dog and cat names, dates of birth, SS ...[text shortened]... has gone ahead and people are stuck with past habits. Even posting photos online can be dangerous.
Paedophile gangs, for example, use the dark web to share contraband images and find each other. There is definitely evil intent out there on the web.
Be mindful what words you punch into a search engine. For example, states which have outlawed abortion from 6 weeks will be monitoring search engines for "where is my nearest family planning advice bureau?"
22 Sep 23
@suzianne saidSuzianne says my question, this thread, is stupid? There are many websites regarding this very matter, let us all vote on whether the eavesdropping of our devices might be of concern.
Well, "shut up and stop asking such stupid questions" is also an answer.
Some answers you aren't going to like. Deal with it. Don't be a baby.
Oh, wait, I already asked the question.
Suzianne is, she's............