Reasons to think that, in terms of influence if not wealth, Facebook has peaked

Re:Reasons to think that, in terms of influence if not wealt... by abecedarius on Sunday February 18, 2018 @01:07AM (#16404720)

> the fact that you have a Facebook account allows advertisers to track and target you

I use a separate browser profile just for Facebook; I never log in from my main profile. Do they link the separate browsers? There'd be a bunch of clues like the IP address, window size, browser version and OS, related but not identical time of activity, etc.

So how hard do they work at linking up data from people who expressly don't want them to? I despise Facebook and expect this is the sort of thing they'd do, but does anyone know more?

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Re:Reasons to think that, in terms of influence if not wealt... by dazc on Sunday February 18, 2018 @04:23AM (#16405174)

'So how hard do they work at linking up data from people who expressly don't want them to?'

I stopped using Facebook several years ago; I wasn't much a user anyway so never worried about it.

Then, last year, I installed whatsapp. Then I started getting emails about an old colleague's activity on facebook. I don't have any contact details for this person anywhere, especially on my phone. I'd forgotten he even existed.

OK, you can connect the dots since my email hasn't changed and that connects me to facebook, and so on.

Nonetheless, it just made me realise how hard you have to work to protect your privacy these days.

When I deleted my facebook account I couldn't know that one day I'd use another service and facebook would not only acquire that service but then start using it to hook me back in?

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Re:Reasons to think that, in terms of influence if not wealt... by gaius on Sunday February 18, 2018 @03:56AM (#16405105)

So how hard do they work at linking up data from people who expressly don't want them to?

It actually doesn’t matter how much effort they put in or how effective their techniques are. Doing that at all for people who have expressed a wish not to be is stepping over the line. That is why GDPR is going to hammer them.

And the funny thing is, with both Facebook and Google, this is completely obvious to anyone outside the very narrow demographic they hire from. So much for (their fake) diversity.

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Re:Reasons to think that, in terms of influence if not wealt... by eecc on Sunday February 18, 2018 @03:36AM (#16405062)

You are quite the exception. Most people don’t even have a computer and get along with an old Android phone for everything (as admittedly, it’s quite enough)

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Re:Reasons to think that, in terms of influence if not wealt... by abecedarius on Sunday February 18, 2018 @03:48AM (#16405091)

Yeah, it's unfortunately rare, but it is easy: on mobile you could install some separate browser app. In Chrome on a desktop it's two clicks to switch profiles, and about three to create a new one. I used to open an incognito window for Facebook, but you'd have to log in anew each time.

Of course I wish people would leave Facebook instead. I'm doing my part by not posting there.

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