Tech: Question re: Facebook

Subject: Tech: Question re: Facebook
From: frogprince
Date: 13 Jun 14 - 11:24 AM

So I just received an email from Facebook, promising to "improve" my experience of advertising on Facebook. Allegedly, up to now, the ads I get are triggered by something I've done or said on Facebook; I can't see how that can be remotely true in most cases. Now they happily announce that they will "provide" ads related to just about anything I do anywhere on the internet. But they do provide a link for opting out of the "improvement". When I tried to do so, I got a notice that my computer isn't accepting cookies, and that I need to enable cookies to do the opt out. I don't think I've ever even gone into the settings for cookies on this computer; I've reset my mudville cookie a number of times with no problem, and I think I must have cookies for at least several sites like our online prescription provider. I think the email is really from Facebook, but I'm not even certain of that. I click Facebook only to check stuff from a number of distant young relatives; is there any better alternative than trying to ignore the piles of absolute crap that I have to wade through to do that? What would an intelligent person who actually knows what's going on do at this point?

Subject: RE: Tech: Question re: Facebook
From: frogprince
Date: 13 Jun 14 - 11:26 AM

I need to consult John in Kansas...

Subject: RE: Tech: Question re: Facebook
From: GUEST,#
Date: 13 Jun 14 - 11:34 AM

It may make sense for Facebook to contact you via Facebook, but via email? Open nothing, mark it as spam and then trash it.

Subject: RE: Tech: Question re: Facebook
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 13 Jun 14 - 12:06 PM

They sent those notices widely. I also treated it like spam. I don't trust facebook's email, mostly because too many people try to spoof it in spam.

They'll figure out another way to get your attention if no one responds to the emails.

SRS

Subject: RE: Tech: Question re: Facebook
From: maeve
Date: 13 Jun 14 - 12:50 PM

Article here: http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2014/06/12/facebook-ads-targeting/10365027/

Subject: RE: Tech: Question re: Facebook
From: Greg F.
Date: 13 Jun 14 - 01:17 PM

From the article:

But most U.S. online consumers don't want to trade their personal data for more relevant ads, according to a recent survey by Consumer Reports.

Gee, well maybe they shouldn't have splashed their personal information all over the web in the first place, eh?

Subject: RE: Tech: Question re: Facebook
From: bobad
Date: 13 Jun 14 - 02:45 PM

Froggie check out this site: http://www.aboutads.info/choices/#completed

Subject: RE: Tech: Question re: Facebook
From: GUEST,.gargoyle
Date: 13 Jun 14 - 11:10 PM

Get over it.

Max fiddles with the same, in the box beside the fish.


Sincerely,
Gargoyle

They keep offering "voice lessons" ...must be the you-tubes we listen to.

Subject: RE: Tech: Question re: Facebook
From: Ole Juul
Date: 14 Jun 14 - 12:50 AM

That USA Today article is a little deceptive when it says: "With its "like" buttons on websites across the Web, Facebook has been able to keep tabs on what its 1.3 billion users are doing." The fact is that unless you block Facebook on your computer, then every page where there is a Facebook like button (most do) will drop you a cookie which is for tracking. Yes, it doesn't put your name beside it unless you're a Facebook member, but it does attach to your IP. Facebook tracks everybody.

I chose not to, but I don't blame somebody for using Facebook since it does provide a valuable service. However, whether you do or not, it is a good idea to be proactive and aggressive in cutting down on all the tracking. Everybody is doing it, not just Google and Facebook. One thing that people forget about is that clearing your cookies does not do so much any more. Local shared objects (LSOs) are commonly called "Flash cookies" (Google it), and they are essentially everlasting unless you figure them out. They are hidden deep in your computer and duplicated in two separate places. Even if you delete both of those directories, and all the ones leading to them, they still come back! I finally solved the problem by deleting them, and then immediately making the topmost directory (and thus all the ones below that) unreadable and unwritable - even by me.

You really have to go to extremes to keep your information from being collected by others. It is not just a matter of what you put out there. It is a matter of what those out there take.

Subject: RE: Tech: Question re: Facebook
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 14 Jun 14 - 01:45 AM

Ghostery give you a look at the tracking - it's a lot of baggage following you around from site to site.

SRS

Subject: RE: Tech: Question re: Facebook
From: Joe Offer
Date: 14 Jun 14 - 05:39 AM

Facebook has been a very effective tool for nonprofit organizations. I deal with the Facebook accounts of two nonprofits. It seems like Facebook is pushing us to pay money for more exposure. I haven't felt restrictions on what we've been able to post at Facebook, but it feels more and more like we're soon going to have to pay Facebook for what we've enjoyed for free.

-Joe-

Subject: RE: Tech: Question re: Facebook
From: Ole Juul
Date: 14 Jun 14 - 05:40 AM

In this case, one can only hope that if one is surfing to Hawaii, one's baggage arrives in London.

Seriously, +1 for Ghostery.

Subject: RE: Tech: Question re: Facebook
From: Greg F.
Date: 14 Jun 14 - 09:43 AM

Joe- did you think FarceBook was a philanthropic organization? Its all about the money.

Subject: RE: Tech: Question re: Facebook
From: frogprince
Date: 14 Jun 14 - 09:44 AM

Bobad, if you look back in, thanks for the link to the op-out page; we'll see how much effect that actually has on my ad load.

Subject: RE: Tech: Question re: Facebook
From: Ole Juul
Date: 14 Jun 14 - 04:37 PM

I looked at that ope-out outfit and I'm not entirely convinced that it is any good. Check out how many cookies you have. They're like mud on your boots. Tracking is ubiquitous and out of control now. Google analytics is one of the most common. And I'll point out that waiting for all those trackers to be contacted is slowing down your browsing unless you're on raw fibre somewhere.

Subject: RE: Tech: Question re: Facebook
From: bobad
Date: 14 Jun 14 - 04:49 PM

I used the utility and Ghostery tells me that I have zero trackers on Facebook. Froggie do you use AdBlock Plus? I do and get no ads whatsoever on Facebook.

Subject: RE: Tech: Question re: Facebook
From: Joe Offer
Date: 14 Jun 14 - 11:45 PM

Well, Greg, I thought philanthropy was good advertising, so that's why Facebook was allowing nonprofits to post.

I predict that if Facebook becomes too commercial, it'll die. They'd better be careful in their commercialization effort.

-Joe-

Subject: RE: Tech: Question re: Facebook
From: GUEST,#
Date: 15 Jun 14 - 10:19 AM

MySpace is working its rear off to get clients back after they screwed up years ago. Maybe Facebook will learn from that. I hope not.

Subject: RE: Tech: Question re: Facebook
From: gnu
Date: 15 Jun 14 - 01:22 PM

Hmmm... looks like they got froggy. I wonder what the ransom is.

Subject: RE: Tech: Question re: Facebook
From: r.padgett
Date: 15 Jun 14 - 01:33 PM

Yea

Ray

Subject: RE: Tech: Question re: Facebook
From: Greg F.
Date: 15 Jun 14 - 02:43 PM

I predict that if Facebook becomes too commercial, it'll die.

Not a chance- the self-absorbed, self-important exhibitionist hordes will gladly pay any price necessary to spash their trivial nonsense all over the web. Count on it.

Subject: RE: Tech: Question re: Facebook
From: treewind
Date: 15 Jun 14 - 06:29 PM

I predict that if Facebook becomes too commercial, it'll die.

It is and always was an entirely commercial operation, selling a product to customers. But you have to understand that
(a) the customers are the advertisers
(b) you, the user with facebook account, are the product.

By the way, the content of the message referred to in the first post is correct. Facebook have always collected what you "like", where you go on facebook and who your friends are so they can target your adverts. The new development is that they can now get your browser to send back your browsing history, so they know everywhere else you've been ou the web and thus know much more about your interests.

I don't do facebook.

Subject: RE: Tech: Question re: Facebook
From: frogprince
Date: 15 Jun 14 - 06:37 PM

Me still here; got only iPhone rite now.bh