I mean do we really think Facebook is the only company with data problems? Is switching to something different really going to make a difference? Deleting your Facebook won't get rid of your data. Google, Microsoft, Twitter, your ISP, your cell carrier all have so much data on you. At this point you are out there in someone's database somewhere. Unless you haven't been on the grid at all which clearly anyone on HN is on the grid. So not sure what we think #DeleteFacebook will really do?
It annoys me that you're getting downvoted with no replies. I completely agree with you. The only way to stop your data from being spread across the web is to never put it there in the first place. I feel like federated systems (Mastodon, Diaspora*, et al) will only make it more difficult to remove your data, because now it's spread across 100 individual servers in 100 individual countries with 100 individuals doing their own thing. It ends up being even MORE permanent in the end, IMO.
One thing I respect about Twitter, is that they spell this out fairly clearly in their privacy policy:
Twitter is primarily designed to help you share information with the world. Most of the information you provide us through Twitter is information you are asking us to make public. ... Twitter broadly and instantly disseminates your public information to a wide range of users, customers, and services, including search engines, developers, and publishers that integrate Twitter content into their services, and organizations such as universities, public health agencies, and market research firms that analyze the information for trends and insights. When you share information or content like photos, videos, and links via the Services, you should think carefully about what you are making public.
I could swear an earlier version even pointed out that tweets you delete are not gone, because, by the time you delete it, it's already been permanently archived by a zillion third parties. I can't find anything about that in the current version, though.
I suppose Twitter's in an easier spot here, though. Like they say, Twitter's for talking to the whole world. Whereas, when people use Facebook, they typically use it to communicate with a more intimate circle.
There is no end. I suspect multi generational data to be endlessly more nasty.
We do have other approaches. That I can obtain your employment contract, take your picture as you walk in and out of buildings and when you visit the beach, figure out your birth day and who you hang out with...
...doesn't mean I'm allowed to or freely share/sell every detail of your life.
We could for example create a license or permit for gathering a type of data. Like: If you are a dating agency you can ask for peoples sex. If you are a head hunter you may gather data on employment history. If you have a taxi service you can ask for peoples address.
We could also adopt a government issued key for things like signing petitions.
Where the data is stored could also be subject to regulation. Its possible to keep access logs with specific justification for each bit of sensitive information accessed.
Absolutely. You got to think: "what am I getting out of this; is it really worth it?". Maybe you'll then realize that it's best to keep your data out of somebody else's computer.
I think it's better for 10 different companies to each have 1/10th of your data rather than one company having all of it. Facebook has grown to the point where they're just too big. They have pretty much every person I've ever known as a user. Those users have the app (or multiple apps) installed on their phones, upload all their photos, do much of their messaging, plan their events, etc. within Facebook. Plus Facebook owns a bunch of other properties with huge user bases.
The potential for abuse is smaller if we use independent services for all of those different things, even if those services aren't any more trustworthy than Facebook.
No major tech company has shown such disdain for the privacy for its users and
No tech company (at least no customer facing tech company) has driven the handling of user privacy this badly into the gutter.
So much went wrong over the years with Facebook and user privacy (normally followed by a mealy mouthed bullshit apology, same as you see now) that they do not deserve any more benefit of a doubt.
Threatenting to sue the publications uncovering this tragedy is just about the icing on the cake.
1. Agreed, private action is not enough, public (political) action (as happened in the EU) is needed in addition.
2. Having said that, spreading the awareness of this problem (as people are doing with this hashtag/campaign) is a good thing.
3. Maybe you can't avoid being in some database, but you can be in fewer databases with less information, and make it harder to aggregate all the information about you.
4. What do you suggest, resigned fatalism? Of course, you can do something. Avoid Google products, avoid Facebook, use a VPN, avoid tracking cookies, etc. - there's a ton you can do. Use different emails for different purposes, for example.
5. If enough people start caring about this, then companies will (have to) take note.
The point, I think, is to send a message. Yes, the damage is done. But public pressure to #DeleteFacebook might force Facebook to be a little less cavalier with billions of people's personal data, respect previous agreements with the FTC [0], etc. in the future.
