[PopTart]

Re: Thanks to everyone : Tue Oct 22, 2019 2:11 pm  

bren2k wrote:

I'm one of those rare people who never signed up to FB, and I never will; I have no desire to reconnect with people I left behind in my schooldays, I'm not interested in where people go on holiday or what they're having for tea, and if I want cat videos, I imagine I can find them on YouTube. On that basis, FB never appealed to me.

The recent scandals about personal data and how its used have confirmed that I made the right decision; and if I had any doubt, a recent work meeting with a company who specialise in using the FB algorithm to target potential employees has removed it - the level of targeting and specificity they can achieve by using the data that FB harvest about its users is genuinely sinister. The guy actually said to me, "the reason FB is free to users, is because you're not the customer - you're the product." Scary stuff.

That aside - online abuse does seem to be reaching epidemic proportions; and the social media companies appear to be moving heaven and earth to ensure that they don't have to take any responsibility for the content that appears on their platforms. My suggestion - set a date, and turn off FB, Twitter and Snapchat; the latter being, as far as I can see, inherently dodgy, since it's USP seems to be that messages disappear immediately having been read, hence it's popularity with 'the kids.'

I get your point about social media and your information but unfortunately you are still out there.
If you have any kind of bank card then lots of retailers handle that info.
Restricting social media won't stop that kind of fraud, which is the bit you need to secure.

I'm sure when America was wild and untamed, they'd say the gun was the best invention the world had seen. Same with the Internet. It is a phenomenal invention and can do good in unprecedented ways. Unfortunately people use it for criminal activities too.
You wouldn't stop producing cars because it was used to run someone over. You stop the guy getting a car.

Re: Thanks to everyone : Tue Oct 22, 2019 3:41 pm  

PopTart wrote:

I get your point about social media and your information but unfortunately you are still out there.
If you have any kind of bank card then lots of retailers handle that info.
Restricting social media won't stop that kind of fraud, which is the bit you need to secure.

Oh I'm not in the tinfoil hat brigade - I'm very well aware that all sorts of personal data is circulated in less than obvious ways; but the way that people willingly submit every facet of their behaviour to FB in particular, just seems crazy to me. I know I'm just an old man yelling at clouds, but I don't care.

Re: Thanks to everyone : Tue Oct 22, 2019 4:10 pm  

bren2k wrote:

I'm one of those rare people who never signed up to FB, and I never will; I have no desire to reconnect with people I left behind in my schooldays, I'm not interested in where people go on holiday or what they're having for tea, and if I want cat videos, I imagine I can find them on YouTube. On that basis, FB never appealed to me.

The recent scandals about personal data and how its used have confirmed that I made the right decision; and if I had any doubt, a recent work meeting with a company who specialise in using the FB algorithm to target potential employees has removed it - the level of targeting and specificity they can achieve by using the data that FB harvest about its users is genuinely sinister. The guy actually said to me, "the reason FB is free to users, is because you're not the customer - you're the product." Scary stuff.

That aside - online abuse does seem to be reaching epidemic proportions; and the social media companies appear to be moving heaven and earth to ensure that they don't have to take any responsibility for the content that appears on their platforms. My suggestion - set a date, and turn off FB, Twitter and Snapchat; the latter being, as far as I can see, inherently dodgy, since it's USP seems to be that messages disappear immediately having been read, hence it's popularity with 'the kids.'

…I'm with you, Bren...the only ones I use are text messaging and WhatsApp.

Dinosaurs rule

Re: Thanks to everyone : Tue Oct 22, 2019 5:28 pm  

bren2k wrote:

I'm one of those rare people who never signed up to FB, and I never will; I have no desire to reconnect with people I left behind in my schooldays, I'm not interested in where people go on holiday or what they're having for tea, and if I want cat videos, I imagine I can find them on YouTube. On that basis, FB never appealed to me.

The recent scandals about personal data and how its used have confirmed that I made the right decision; and if I had any doubt, a recent work meeting with a company who specialise in using the FB algorithm to target potential employees has removed it - the level of targeting and specificity they can achieve by using the data that FB harvest about its users is genuinely sinister. The guy actually said to me, "the reason FB is free to users, is because you're not the customer - you're the product." Scary stuff.

That aside - online abuse does seem to be reaching epidemic proportions; and the social media companies appear to be moving heaven and earth to ensure that they don't have to take any responsibility for the content that appears on their platforms. My suggestion - set a date, and turn off FB, Twitter and Snapchat; the latter being, as far as I can see, inherently dodgy, since it's USP seems to be that messages disappear immediately having been read, hence it's popularity with 'the kids.'

With yuou all the way, Bren, 100%. I'd ban Facebook tomorrow. I'm sure that it has more bad qualities than good.

[PopTart]

Re: Thanks to everyone : Tue Oct 22, 2019 5:51 pm  

Lol. I reckon we are similar ages but I absolutely love social media. There are lots of things I don't like about it but they are all how other people use it.
I'm just careful what I share, thrifty with my friends list and don't buy anything directly through links.

Re: Thanks to everyone : Tue Oct 22, 2019 5:53 pm  

Nah I've never particularly been into Facebook, I joined initially to get in touch with an old University friend to tell him about a mutual friend that had died. After that for the first year or so it was just used for catching up with all old school mates, College and University friends that I'd lost touch with, or had moved around the Country, or emigrated. Then after a while you get bombarded with friends requests from people you knew slightly in the early 90's and you feel obliged to except them. Then you start getting loads of notifications from lots people doing their utmost best to show the world they're living their absolute best life, eating at this restaurant, going to this Club, this holiday, this new car, so many people trying too hard. Also the thing that's crept in the past couple of years is a fair number of the women I know and some of the men have become shockingly good at Photoshop to make themselves look younger, slimmer, more muscular etc. The amount of times I've nearly died from cringing when I bump into someone who looked great in their recent pictures on Facebook is no joke. .

Facebooks the least of people's worry imo, because not everyone uses it and like me put next on nothing on it, it's mobile phones, IPhones in-particular are the biggie, they're like having an implanted chip in your arm, where 'they' know where you are 24/7, where you stop, where you eat, all those pages of small print no one ever reads when they're updating various operating systems and apps, can get you a bit paranoid if you think about it too much . Plus if you use your phone to pay they also know what you're spending you money on.


Well this has gone well OT.

Re: Thanks to everyone : Tue Oct 22, 2019 6:03 pm  

bren2k wrote:

I'm one of those rare people who never signed up to FB, and I never will; I have no desire to reconnect with people I left behind in my schooldays, I'm not interested in where people go on holiday or what they're having for tea, and if I want cat videos, I imagine I can find them on YouTube. On that basis, FB never appealed to me.

The recent scandals about personal data and how its used have confirmed that I made the right decision; and if I had any doubt, a recent work meeting with a company who specialise in using the FB algorithm to target potential employees has removed it - the level of targeting and specificity they can achieve by using the data that FB harvest about its users is genuinely sinister. The guy actually said to me, "the reason FB is free to users, is because you're not the customer - you're the product." Scary stuff.

That aside - online abuse does seem to be reaching epidemic proportions; and the social media companies appear to be moving heaven and earth to ensure that they don't have to take any responsibility for the content that appears on their platforms. My suggestion - set a date, and turn off FB, Twitter and Snapchat; the latter being, as far as I can see, inherently dodgy, since it's USP seems to be that messages disappear immediately having been read, hence it's popularity with 'the kids.'

been one of the worst things I did joining facebook at the time, I found it ok at the time but then it just got ridiculous, I stayed on while I had the brewery but once it was sold I had no reason for it, thanks to TRB he posted his breakfast then tea in the same day that was it I closed it down, last week I had to log back in as someone had used my old account gawd knows how and was contacting everyone asking for money to a good cause I was supposed to be doing, within minutes I was inundated with messages and one ringing me oh the relief when I closed it again

Re: Thanks to everyone : Tue Oct 22, 2019 6:25 pm  

PopTart wrote:

..... There are lots of things I don't like about it but they are all how other people use it.
I'm just careful what I share, thrifty with my friends list and don't buy anything directly through links.

I'm with you on that one. Good advice which mirrors what I do. However without it I would never get to know what my kids and grandkids are up to I use private groups for family and friends and that helps quite a bit.

Re: Thanks to everyone : Wed Oct 23, 2019 1:56 pm  

FIL wrote:

:CLAP: …I'm with you, Bren...the only ones I use are text messaging and WhatsApp.

Dinosaurs rule

Have they been replaced ?
I think that I might give friends reunited a go when I get time

Re: Thanks to everyone : Wed Oct 23, 2019 2:31 pm  

A good result for the club, pleased for Rocky. Lets be honest not many SL clubs would let an ever present, British, top assist and try scorer depart.