a word of advice and warning, Facebook is a toxic wasteland of security risks

[idleprocess]

Oh, I suspect that *effective* anonymity is possible so long as you don't do anything that sets a pattern and never use a service / device that can be traced to you. The limitations and massive inconvenience of this means that almost no one will bother. No accounts. No personal device that's not massively reconfigured every 24 hours (with a radically different config every time). Always using a neighbor's, the library's, a coffee shop's internet service. Only doing things so bland and generic as to blend in with what everyone else on the service is doing.

And even then you may well blaze a traceable path thanks to all the logging and analysis capabilities in the hands of the .gov, ISP's, and private industry.

 

[markr6]

OK, I understand that Facebook can be dangerous as far as content and phishing. But what about the computer and network I am using? Some of the IT guys at my company will not allow me to access our company's Facebook Page in fears of a hacker getting into my computer and into the system with customer information via the network. So I have to use a dedicated "facebook" computer off the network.

Do you agree? This really makes my job difficult. Yes, better safe than sorry but I really want to be more engaged on our page.

 

[mvyrmnd]

OK, I understand that Facebook can be dangerous as far as content and phishing. But what about the computer and network I am using? Some of the IT guys at my company will not allow me to access our company's Facebook Page in fears of a hacker getting into my computer and into the system with customer information via the network. So I have to use a dedicated "facebook" computer off the network.

Do you agree? This really makes my job difficult. Yes, better safe than sorry but I really want to be more engaged on our page.

Most IT departments rule by FUD (Fear, Uncertainty and Doom)

This sounds like FUD to me.

With proper passwords (not words or random numbers, but phrases and sentences!), 2-stage authentication (which Facebook does offer, and EVERYONE should use it) and I'm assuming that your IT guys operate and maintain a decent firewall, and you have a good (read: not Norton, McAfee or Trend) AV app on your system, the odds of you coming a cropper are as minimal as possible.

 

[Chauncey Gardiner]

The New York Times has reported, and Facebook has confirmed, that Cambridge Analytica, a political data firm that worked for the campaigns of Ted Cruz and then Donald Trump, acquired data from a company associated with Kogan on about 50 million Facebook users, without their permission.

https://www.consumerreports.org/pri...email&utm_campaign=20180326_cromc_fbcractives

 

[vadimax]

The New York Times has reported, and Facebook has confirmed, that Cambridge Analytica, a political data firm that worked for the campaigns of Ted Cruz and then Donald Trump, acquired data from a company associated with Kogan on about 50 million Facebook users, without their permission.

https://www.consumerreports.org/pri...email&utm_campaign=20180326_cromc_fbcractives

Obama campaign Facebook data mining asked permission of primary app downloaders, but their friends data was retrieved and operated without any permission or even knowing of those friends.

Just in case you wanted to see the entire picture And back then mass media named this activity congenial.

Just facts.

P.S.: Funny question: what is worse — to use "private" (damn, you place it in the public!) data without consent or to make an agreement and violate it?

 

[Chauncey Gardiner]

Yeah, I don't know why they thought they needed to include the campaigns that Cambridge work on. Seems kinda extraneous to me. Then you have to read a ways into the story to find this. - However, the company says the data was not used on behalf of the Trump campaign.

Addendum: My purpose for posting the link had to do with how much of a risk is posed when people post their whole life on Facebook.

~ Chance

 

[vadimax]

The most hilarious thing I ever saw are people with identifiable dates of their photos on vacations (posting time fits the criteria) in some remote places and their real address known to the public. Computer savvy burglars are welcome

 

[Enderman]

Word of advice: if you are concerned about what facebook has been doing with your data for the past decade, then you should probably stop using the internet and mobile devices, and move to a log cabin in a remote part of the world.

There are hundreds of other places which collect your data, just as much if not more than facebook.
Almost every website, search engine, browser, operating system, application, ISP, etc...
Not using facebook is going to make 0 difference.

Sorry but this is the hard truth of how the world works these days.

 

[vadimax]

There is a fine line between legal and illegal. When an app collects info on your calls made via that app it is OK only if this moment is described in a user agreement and you have pressed the "OK" or "Agree" button. But when an app collects and stores somewhere remotely information on your calls made NOT with the mentioned app... This is spying and steal of private info.

Well whatever mobile operators track your calls, location, etc. More of that, if they purchase special equipment (being sold to government institutions only) they may turn your mobile phone on remotely without any audible or visual indication and listen... I am serious.

 

[bykfixer]

Well just about the time I was going to toss my foil hat in the recyling bin I read this....

I started using a 'pre' smart phone (LG Envy) to check a weather radar. Then my son showed me a song identifier on his first "Droid" and man I was hooked.

Using privacy settings on safest practical, limiting contacts and practicing techniques deemed safe I still got hacked.

I know 3 people who will likely never be hacked. They use flip phones, own their house outright and pay cash for everything. Oh, and never use the internet.

One thing not mentioned here is "crawlers". That is tiny creatures that spot out logos for advertising purposes. Think about something obscure you own with a logo. Take a rare flashlight for example. If you ever posted a photo of that anywhere that is ad based like a web-based-board that allows outside advertizers (unlike CPF who only allows inside advertizing)... do a Google search for that brand and there is a real good chance your photo will be available.
I was searching for a no longer available limited edition jacket in a larger size as I had outgrown the one I own at one point. Proud of that jacket I had posted a selfie on a forum. In a google search there I was in that dam jacket. I edited the photo with the logo reversed at that forum, did another search and viola, that photo had vanished in searches.

Was it that logo that caused me to get hacked? Or Facebook? Or an online purchase at an https? Possibly the Equifax hack? Maybe my email address? I'll likely never know. But a complete overhaul of everything I do is taking place in hopes that history does not repeat.

It's not an if anymore. It's a when these days. If you go online anywhere you are at risk. Without going into politics, my thought is this announcement about facebook being used by politicians was a good thing. Perhaps it'll wake up folks to the potential perils of the world wide web.

Now to reverse the CPF logo on my tinfoil hat....

 

[Empath]

Any additional discussion of politics, and efforts to show "balancing" features or activities, or other polarizing aspects should be taken to the Underground. Those presently posted have been permitted to stand, since it is highly related to thread topic. Please though, any other discussion of that matter should be taken to the Underground.

 

[Chauncey Gardiner]

Any additional discussion of politics, and efforts to show "balancing" features or activities, or other polarizing aspects should be taken to the Underground. Those presently posted have been permitted to stand, since it is highly related to thread topic. Please though, any other discussion of that matter should be taken to the Underground.

... and tinfoil shouldn't be put into the recycle bin.

Thank you for the leeway, Empath. :thumbsup:

~ Chance

 

[PhotonWrangler]

I learned today that FB was scooping up call and SMS data on Android phones. Yikes.

 

[karlthev]

I just saw this and, am amazed all was identified near six years ago by the thread author. How true the ID theft and use----so much for the gratification of the "look at me" crowd.! I keep telling the "kids" about this but, no one listens.....



Karl

 

[Chauncey Gardiner]

I just saw this and, am amazed all was identified near six years ago by the thread author. How true the ID theft and use----so much for the gratification of the "look at me" crowd.! I keep telling the "kids" about this but, no one listens.....



Karl

"What did you say?"

~ CG