Is Facebook eavesdropping on phone conversations?

Re:Is Facebook eavesdropping on phone conversations? by astazangasta on Wednesday May 25, 2016 @11:46AM (#11770567)

How is this possible even in principle? Location tracking might be one explanation - they certainly have access to the data - but it seems implausible for Facebook to be suggesting you friend every goddamn person you walk past. They couldn't have known you thought she was attractive, so what gives?

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Is Facebook eavesdropping on phone conversations? by PeCaN on Wednesday May 25, 2016 @11:58AM (#11770709)

My guess:

Since anysz mentioned he has 0 friends, there will be no social graph recommendations. Thus less-confident recommendations will show up, including spending some minutes in the same location as someone. It could then consider other factors—opposite genders, relatively close in age, maybe similar interests.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Is Facebook eavesdropping on phone conversations? by eunoia on Wednesday May 25, 2016 @11:53AM (#11770659)

Healthy skepticism aside,

> They couldn't have known you thought she was attractive

Are you so sure? To me (no ML experience) that seems a somewhat solvable problem if you have a competency in ML and Facebook's data.

Just imagine if Tinder shared data back...

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Is Facebook eavesdropping on phone conversations? by astazangasta on Wednesday May 25, 2016 @02:06PM (#11771796)

So, since people largely agree on who is attractive, does this mean FB would be recommended this poor lady to all the schlubby loners who wander through her checkout line? "The digital pimp, hard at work."

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Is Facebook eavesdropping on phone conversations? by clavalle on Wednesday May 25, 2016 @02:28PM (#11771969)

Probably only the ones that meet her rough demographic profile.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Is Facebook eavesdropping on phone conversations? by zyxley on Wednesday May 25, 2016 @03:53PM (#11772582)

There's something scary yet fascinating in the idea of a proactive automated matchmaker.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Is Facebook eavesdropping on phone conversations? by clavalle on Wednesday May 25, 2016 @04:49PM (#11772958)

As long as there is nothing forcing people into it, I think it could be great.

We don't know what we don't know to paraphrase that famous romantic Donald Rumsfeld. Who knows if the person behind you on the rollercoaster or grabbing a taco might be the yin to your yang.

I just wish Waze could tell me who my ideal carpool partners might be.

[ Parent | on HN ]