Does social media know too much?

[billsstamps]

It is in the news at the moment, so under General account settings I clicked Download a copy of your Facebook data

16Gb of zipped data took 2 hours to download, and currently the unzipping process says it will take another 4 hours!

That seems more data than any of my friends know about me, but I am not paranoid yet. May change after I look at the data.

[cornishmaid1961]

I heard somebody say on T.V. that it had collected all the data from his mobile phone address book, names and numbers etc !

Glad I'm not on Facebook !

[sidthelamp]

You cant really be surprised can you Bill the whole internet is about gathering information, any one got a google account ? youtube account, check your settings on your google account, yes you do have a account if your email addy is through them, just look at all the settings that by default share and gather information, check the apps section, you can not turn these settings off but you can pause them, google owns youtube any videos you watch are logged any you "liked" are used to target you, you think your new smart phone is smart, it is, just not in the way you think it is, ever had a bbc account then delete it, they dont ,they hold information from you, in my case my last to previous addresses, next step check the science section on the bbc news site for the last two months they have been selling you the justification of the next generation of satellites, designed to spy on you, sold to you as a help aid, BAAAAA

[sidthelamp]

[QUOTE=cornishmaid1961;1697971]I heard somebody say on T.V. that it had collected all the data from his mobile phone address book, names and numbers etc !

Glad I'm not on Facebook ![/QUOTE

the real question is why, answers on the back of a sheep tag please

[BordersBargains]

Wow 16gb It probably just contains all conversations, posts, pictures etc

Still worrying to think they have all your info even though you didn't put it on FB

[squern]

I've never understood Facebook:
Why does anyone want to see someone else's dinner, or pictures of their cat.
And how are normally-cautious politicians induced to come out with outrageous statements that they have to then apologise for?
What is it that turns normal people into foul-mouthed racists or makes them feel it is fine to threaten to murder or rape a complete stranger?

We all understand that "friends" or "followers" are not real friends.
We know that we are manipulated by "celebrity" endorsements, by politically-motivated groups and others who want to make money off us.
We understand that very unsavoury characters look for pictures of children, that fraudsters mine the information for leads, even that foreign governments seek to influence our society.
Facebook is quick to take profits, but slow to pay taxes. Slower still to remove disgusting jihadist videos.
And we still use it. It beggars belief.

Perhaps people feel that it gives them something they can't get in real life. Or they are lonely, or find it difficult to get out and meet real people.
That is why forums like this one are valuable: people with a shared interest exchanging ideas and thoughts can feel part of a community.
The difference is that they really are part of something. The people posting are real and show genuine concern for, and interest in, other folks who they have not met.

I don't use Facebook, never have.

So I'm safe from online abuse i all its forms. I don't understand why everybody else wouldn't want to be.

[madelaine]

Facebook has allowed me to see my friends' children's weddings and watch their grandchildren growing up. I've made contact with people I haven't seen for years.
I also ask for suggestions and opinions (the sort of thing you can't google) and am amazed with the usefulness of the replies.

I seldom post pictures of my lunch!

[TiasTreasures]

I downloaded my Facebook data (it took about an hour). I went through all the files. Everything I've posted, my basic personal information (which is easily obtainable from other sources), and a list of my friends (just their names and DOB). I didn't see anything from my phone. I have a separate email account for Facebook, so they sure didn't get anything new from that. I never put anything out there that I wanted kept private. I'm not sure what the fuss is all about.

[HerMajesty]

I love my facebook. Like Tia and madeleine, I don't put anything online that isn't public knowledge anyway, except maybe a few photos of the birds and rabbits around the place. With this, I am able to keep in touch with my kids, grandkids (through my girls' limited postings), family and friends in the states, and even video chat with them. I enjoy keeping up with what is going on in their lives, and see articles they have written, or are interested in. Don't use it on the phone. If you aren't on FB, your info is still out there a lot from emails, using google, etc. When I fly to the states, sometimes my suitcase is opened and inspected. That is a similar invasion, tho for a different reason. I've had people in my home when my mom lived with me, to help from time to time, and later found I had things missing. There is no absolutely safe or private place in the world, unless you are a hermit from birth, living in an unknown (unlikely!) cave.

[sewmuchtosee]

Nothing wrong with facebook for me.