Are you worried about the knowledge that Facebook has on you?
 

I go on Facebook now and again to watch how my great grandchildren are doing. I can see their photos and get news on how their lives are progressing.Pretty simple things with no malice in them. Or so I thought!!!I have been looking on line for a new parasol for the garden.I have also been looking online for a new greenhouse.After a futile search I decide to see what’s happening on Facebook.And what do I find among the stuff about my family,advertisements about parasols and greenhouses. How the hell did Facebook know what I had been searching for? Now if Facebook can know simple little things about me,it begs the question what does it know about really important things in my life? I am sure there is a debate to be had on this subject

Re: Are you worried about the knowledge that Facebook has on you?
 

i only go on to keep in tough with distant family n friends i get the same crap.shouldn't be allowed, but have to put up wi it.

Re: Are you worried about the knowledge that Facebook has on you?
 

I don't use Facebook, Jim, but selling your 'interests' to businesses is its primary function. It hasn't developed into what is now simply to allow people to share photos of their lunch for free. Using such sites is the equivalent of sending letters without an envelope, and using an advertising agency to deliver them. What information do you reckon online banking is collecting?

Re: Are you worried about the knowledge that Facebook has on you?
 

I have never used FB...I do not see the point of it. Won't ever use it.
I can keep in touch very easily with my family scattered over the globe by other means.
I have always had an innate suspicion of the motives of FB....and it seems,from what I have seen,to cause as many problems as it solves.

It has irked me from time to time when I have wanted to enter promotional competitions, to find that you can only enter them if you are a member of FB.
I think most sites are linked to advertising...it is how some sites gain their revenue.
There may be options on your browser to protect your privacy (a little)by not allowing tracking...but this is not really that successful.
You will always find that adverts that reflect what you have been searching for will appear on your browser.

Wetherspoons has suspended all use of social media sites and feels that this will not affect their business.

Re: Are you worried about the knowledge that Facebook has on you?
 

It`s not just facebook though, your computer stores small files called cookies that hold information about websites you`ve visited & searches you`ve done. Websites display adverts of things you may be interested in based on your cookies.

A bit more info from here - https://support.google.com/adsense/t...054008269&rd=1

"Google shows you ads based on many factors, including:

Types of websites you visit, and mobile apps you have on your device
Cookies on your browser and the settings in your Google Account
Websites and apps you’ve visited that belong to businesses that advertise with Google
Your activity on another device
Previous interactions with Google’s ads or advertising services
Your Google Account activity and information"

Disabling cookies in your browser settings will help to stop them.

Re: Are you worried about the knowledge that Facebook has on you?
 

I clear my cookies on a regular basis.

Re: Are you worried about the knowledge that Facebook has on you?
 

No I'm not worried anyone can follow anything I'm interested in I don't care, if I Google for a greenhouse and magically a cheap greenhouse appears that's great.
If I Google for anything embarrassing and it appears well that's my problem, so long as you are sensible, then you have nothing to worry about no matter how they probe your lifestyle.

Re: Are you worried about the knowledge that Facebook has on you?
 

I agree and I didn't vote for Trump !

Re: Are you worried about the knowledge that Facebook has on you?
 

I don’t have a Facebook account although I did have Twitter once. To be fair the world has changed no end to the point most of us have an online presence even if you don’t know it. Case in point me. I do the following. Internet bank, book holidays, airline tickets, car parking, order takeaways, hire cars, change energy suppliers, pay bills, track my car, check house security, and use the Accy web all online via my laptop iPad or as now my iPhone. The minute you do this you create an online presence that means some of your data is available for others to see and as such you start getting advertising emails and cold calls. Most people who sign up for online services or to social media sites always tick the terms and conditions box but no one ever reads them. In 2013 and 2013 Facebook changed it T and Cs 13 times but no one ever reads them. Do you know most councils generate revenue by selling residents council tax details. It’s how they generate revenue and they can do it because people do not read the forms properly and fail to tick the disclosure box. It’s the price of living in the modern world. One of my daughters works for a very high profile multinational. At her interview they asked her for the details of five of her friends. The reason to check their profiles to see if there is anything embarrassing on there relating to my daughter. Like many people now my daughter had two FB profiles one professional one social in a different name.

Re: Are you worried about the knowledge that Facebook has on you?
 

As to the council tax thing..My Mum fell into the trap of not ticking the box to keep her details safe.
She had no online presence, she did not know one end of a computer from another.
Because she was elderly she was targeted by all kinds of Charities....charities in which she had no interest.
Being soft hearted she gave small donations to a select few....this generated more requests for support.
I told her not to deal with them anymore, that I would do this.
I sent all the mail back to senders and requested that my mums name be removed from the commercial register at the council offices.
This was done and very gradually these charity requests dwindled.

I don't have a smartphone, I do have internet banking, and some bills get paid over the Internet. I do not order food, or book holidays on the net....I do have a Flickr account....and of course Accyweb...so yes, I have an internet presence.
I try to read terms and conditions, but sometimes I have to admit that I try to ask myself if I tick the 'disagree' box will it make life that bit more difficult....and find myself accepting them for an easier life.
It is something that, like it or not is inevitable and there was something in the media yesterday about the elderly who are not connected to the internet being penalised for this....they cannot access the same money saving offers.

The internet is a swamp filled with crocodiles....as long as you remember that and treat it with a modicum of suspicion tinged with caution, then you will be OK.

Re: Are you worried about the knowledge that Facebook has on you?
 

Terms and conditions are a nightmare. For a start they are seldom written in English, I should say English that unless you are a corporate lawyer you will have no chance of understanding. As I said the moment you do something online you create an online presence. The more you do the greater the presence. There are now intelligence gathering companies that specialize in OSINT (Open Source Intelligence ) OSINT is information that is freely already out in the public domain about you. These people use a whole host of search engines (not just google) but highly specialised search engines that pull out all kinds of information all of which has been put out there by you and me when we sign up to groups, utilities etc. They pull all this data together to create a profile on the individual which may be used as a recruitment tool or for general intelligence purposes. Sadly all this information can be used and is often used for the wrong reasons and a good example as Margaret said is charities and other cold callers. This is the cost of using the internet. Having said that before the internet how did we manage to do all the things we now do online when you had to physically go and see people and talk to them????

Re: Are you worried about the knowledge that Facebook has on you?
 

I still do those things that we now use the internet for.
I write letter(though I seldom get one in return...but maybe an e-mail)....I still visit people and talk to them face to face...admittedly, they all tend to be the older folk.
I enjoy listening to them talk about their lives.
I am absolute rubbish at texting...and I watch in amazement at the speed that the young folk can do this tiresome task.

Sometimes technology takes the joy out of life....it might make things easier in practical terms but it doesn't make them joyful.

Re: Are you worried about the knowledge that Facebook has on you?
 

facebook, texts, constant use of a mobile phone i can live without and as for internet banking they can do one on that subject. i might be stuck in a timewarp but its one i,m happy with.

Re: Are you worried about the knowledge that Facebook has on you?
 

All of the above I enjoy as part of modern living. It is only like the good old days of no Internet, when, if you hang your dirty laundry out to dry someone will comment, no doubt to your embarrassment.

Just be careful to whom you pass on personal information, (and never post a selfie of your tits, you don't know we're they might end up).[emoji32]

Re: Are you worried about the knowledge that Facebook has on you?
 

Where not we're don't you just hate this modern predictive text thingy?[emoji6]

Re: Are you worried about the knowledge that Facebook has on you?
 

There is no chance of that kind of selfie from me....or any other kind either.
I hate the word....(I tried, without success,to remove that category for pictures from my iPad)and I like to be behind the camera...always.

Re: Are you worried about the knowledge that Facebook has on you?
 

Got to admit, selfies are abused, a piccy of me with perhaps friends outside, for example Empire state building would just about be bearable just from the excitement of being there but most are unbearable. ( I was going to say narcissus but until now predictor couldn't spell it).

Re: Are you worried about the knowledge that Facebook has on you?
 

I really dislike those pouty pseudo sexy pictures the young girls post.
I think it makes them look like caricatures and is very unattractive.
I don't even think it is valid to take a picture of yourself at the Eiffel Tower, or the Taj Mahal....just to show you are there.
A simple picture of the place would do it...you can't take the shot unless you are there.
Vain and shallow, shallow and vain.

Re: Are you worried about the knowledge that Facebook has on you?
 

Invariably these pictures turn up in the press when their lives go horribly wrong.
Is that the way these young girls want to be remembered.

Re: Are you worried about the knowledge that Facebook has on you?
 

Selfies have their uses. Profile picture. Although my wife took mine on holiday but your are missing the point. If you don't like the selfies because lets be honest there are one or two odd looking people out there well you can print them off and use them to keep the kids/grandkids/great grandkids away from the fire. Every cloud has a silver lining. Actually Ive just realised does anyone still have a fire????

Re: Are you worried about the knowledge that Facebook has on you?
 

Yes...we have a fire, but it is enclosed.
As for profile pictures..get someone else to take a nice one if you must have a picture of yourself on your profile....something natural will do....not these contrived caricatures.

The thing about selfies that I don't like is that they are so self absorbed...and it is the posed pouty pics of young girls that I dislike the most.

Re: Are you worried about the knowledge that Facebook has on you?
 

Just so that I am not accused of being sexist....I am not so keen on those preening posing males either...they look a lot like they are gurning(the boys AND the girls).

Re: Are you worried about the knowledge that Facebook has on you?
 

Margaret I'm shocked!!!! that's not a caricature that's what I look like and I'm not preening just trying to look intelligent. lol

Re: Are you worried about the knowledge that Facebook has on you?
 

C'mon Big Joe...you told me that your wife took it...so by that admission it is NOT a selfie....and some time back I think I told you that it was a very presentable picture.

No, you know the kind of thing I mean....those who try to look 'cool' never do....the 'trying' prevents it.
You are either cool(and that is another abhorrent term) or you aren't....if you are, then you already know it and don't have to try....and if you aren' t then 'trying' is very sad because it means you are not happy with yourself....and only you can do something about that.

I guess that much of this 'selfie' obsession is because the youngsters want to copy what the
Z listers are doing.
To them I would say...'Never be a copy, be an original that someone else wants to copy'.
Life as a monkey is far more interesting than that of a sheep.

Re: Are you worried about the knowledge that Facebook has on you?
 

I can vouch fer that.:D:D

Re: Are you worried about the knowledge that Facebook has on you?
 

I know you can Cashy...you are of the monkey generation.

Re: Are you worried about the knowledge that Facebook has on you?
 

dont do selfies .. . I prefer to be behind the camera .. the only time you see a photo of me is if someone else has took the pic ...:D

by the way facebook has only what I put up on it .. its only what I want others to see ...

don't do internet banking, don't pay bills online I go to the post office, i hardly ever do emails .. i got a text the other month .. check your emails .. :D

Re: Are you worried about the knowledge that Facebook has on you?
 

This forum uses cookies to make it work properly and it shows adverts as links sometimes. Makes me laugh how people expect things like facebook, twitter, email and search engines to be free but they cost £millions to provide. Advertising is how they deliver that service for free and that includes sharing information about you with others. read the terms and conditions of the things you use.

Re: Are you worried about the knowledge that Facebook has on you?
 

I don't think that is necessarily true....about people expecting things for nothing.
I also think that terms and conditions are sometimes a bit....well, how shall we say....let's say that they are long winded for a reason.
That reason is to put people off reading them thoroughly...and in most cases if you do not agree to all the terms and conditions then you cannot use whatever service the company is providing.
You have no choice as to which terms and conditions you accept, and which you would like to dismiss....so then providers have you over a barrel....if you wanted to pay for a service that gave you acceptable terms...even that is not available.
The sites that I use have free options....I do not use those because they do not offer me what I want.
I figure if I want a particular service, I have to be prepared to pay for it.

Much has been made of the fact that increasingly companies want you to use internet services....councils, banks utilities....all of these want you to deal with them as an online presence.
Today I have been in touch(by land line phone) with British Gas.
I waited to speak to someone for 20 minutes(not a freephone number either)....listening to advice regarding dealing with my issues via online services, mobile apps and such.(I don't think the bereavement services of BG have availability on the internet)
I PAY for my internet and in that payment is the cost of e-mails, browsing, etc
I do not use social media sites...well, Flickr, Accyweb and Pinterest are the only sites I use that perhaps could come under this umbrella....I pay for my Flickr account, I want to be able to pay my way.
I clear cookies on a regular basis.
I accept that to fund some of the sites I use, there must be advertisements, but I do not think that should give them carte blanche to use my information for commercial purposes.

Re: Are you worried about the knowledge that Facebook has on you?
 

It pays for your access to the internet but doesn't pay for the websites you are browsing that all cost money to create and host on the internet.


Have you had the email about flickr changing?

Re: Are you worried about the knowledge that Facebook has on you?
 

Yes, I have had that e-mail.
These changes rarely benefit the users, but I will wait and see.
When you visit websites, it is very often to their advantage.
I have no qualms with them having advertisements, but I do not want websites to sell my details to third parties in whom I have no interest.(dating websites and such)

Re: Are you worried about the knowledge that Facebook has on you?
 

Closed my FB page a few years ago now for just a few reasons but mainly they were always changing user conditions which I spent ages reading. Yes it was nice to catch up with old friends but what an open platform it is net result what we read or see about how its all operated. Many I know have since packed it in as well and we are all walking more, meeting more and using our telephones to catch up with more time on our hands to do good things.