Delete my FB account?!?!

[berni_mccoy]

Damn. That’s gonna hurt.

But it’s the right thing to do.

And it’s what needed to keep social media free from using our own data against us.

[msongs]

1. instead of getting swept up in the hysteria on twitter u could wait and see what is actually

real and true first.

[berni_mccoy]

2. You following Channel 4 and the Guardian?

If not, you should.

[pnwmom]

21. If you did you'd realize that leaving FB now won't fix the problem.

They already have the data of millions of people OFF Facebook. Even people who have never been on FB themselves, if they have a friend on FB who has their email address, and gave FB permission to go through their address book.

[RKP5637]

26. Yep, exactly!!! n/t

[emulatorloo]

6. This isnt hysteria, it is solid investigative journalism

Last edited Mon Mar 19, 2018, 07:08 PM - Edit history (3)

https://www.democraticunderground.com/10142017981#post8

See also

The Cambridge Analytica Files
https://www.theguardian.com/news/series/cambridge-analytica-files

On Edit: adding links

[sarcasmo]

10. HA. Facebook dropped 13% today, this is more than hysteria.

[janterry]

3. I have a facebook

and I'm not deleting it. It does not have my real name and I have aged myself by more than five years .

I use it to look at information from my daughter's school and that's about it.

I have no friends on the platform (and that's okay by me). It's a tool to open access to things I need, but nothing more. Then can harvest my fake data at will.

[greymattermom]

4. My facebook

is in a fake name. I keep in touch with my grandchildren there and post photographs. My right wing cousin posts recipes that are so gross that they're amusing. That's about it.

[rockfordfile]

8. you're using a fake name, but posting photos? Are you kidding?

I'm asking other folks what does that sound like?

[Skittles]

18. I'd get a Hide if I said what I think it sounds like

[cwydro]

19. Oh dear.

Smh.

[PDittie]

23. Fake names on Facebook

are against their terms of service. You can get reported for doing so, in which case you'll be required to submit proof that you go by your "fake name" in real life, like a DL or a birth certificate. No joke.

Anonymous IDs were disallowed long before the "Russian troll" business came to light, in fact.

The way around this is to use your middle name, maiden name, or an initial for one or two of your names.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

5. Every website you visit and retailer you buy something from uses your data "against you."

Many employers do as well. Do people not understand marketing anymore?

[berni_mccoy]

7. Not like FB. They have much more data than a website you visit.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

9. Depends on how much data I've given them.

They're good at guessing, of course. The analytics at most large corporations are.

[pnwmom]

22. Do you use a cell phone?

http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-43465968

You can of course, simply leave Facebook, but the campaign group Privacy International warns that privacy concerns extend beyond the social network.

"The current focus is on protecting your data being exploited by third parties, but your data is being exploited all the time," said a spokeswoman.

"Many apps on your phone will have permission to access location data, your entire phone book and so on. It is just the tip of the iceberg."

[RKP5637]

28. I often wonder how many realize how invasive phone apps are. Looking at some that do a simple

task the permissions required are extreme ... it's clear they are data harvesting. I do run some trustworthy apps that scrutinize all apps on my phone and red flag those of concern.

[rockfordfile]

12. Not the same thing. Facebook helped essentially attack our country.

[HopeAgain]

11. Haven't gotten around to joining FB yet...

My life has been perfectly fine without it.

[Sunsky]

13. Good job

I have been scaling back for over a year now. Haven't updated my page in over a year. My only hang up is that my classmates have a group on there. I think you did the right thing.

[RandomAccess]

14. I've thought about it and I can't

I use it for business a small but important amount.

And there are a number of health-related groups I'm a member of that are very important to me, as well as the local Indivisible Group.

If these groups would either go elsewhere, or if similar resources were available elsewhere, that'd be great, I'd have no problem.

If I were using it merely for enjoyment, I'd leave in a heartbeat.

[Raine]

15. When I was on FB I used a fake name so all they

have is info on a person who doesn't even exist. I quit going there though about a year and a half ago, it was a waste of too much of my time.

[MicaelS]

16. I have a FB account for only one reason.

So I can play my games across platforms. It does not use my real name, has no picture, and I don't friend anyone.

Works for me.

[csziggy]

17. I don't put personal data on Facebook

I post articles from trusted sources there so my husband can see, read, and share them. Most of the articles are ones I find posted here on DU. I have three friends - my sister, my husband, and my niece. I don't post much original stuff - well, I did post photos from the Women's March January 21, 2017 - but I did not tag anyone or provide identifying information.

The only reason I joined Facebook was to follow some needlework organizations. I visit Facebook about once a week to catch up on what those groups are doing.

I'd be incredibly surprised if anyone can garner much political data about me other than the fact that I am a liberal from the things I post on Facebook.

[Le Gaucher]

20. People.. doesn't matter one bit you give your real name or not.

Fb can still track your likes and activities And build an accurate profile that can be used for targeted advertising.

They have ties with many news sites (huff post for instance) and even comments made on a external website are really FB comments that appear of the FB page of the news site.

So If you think faking your name , age and location protects you one bit .. I have a bridge to sell you

[PDittie]

24. I deactivate my account

and only activate it periodically -- once a week or less -- to see what's going on with family, friends, etc. for a minute or two, then deactivate again. (Click on "settings" and follow the instructions.)

Avoid "liking", "following", "friending", posting, commenting, and especially playing games. These actions enter your behavior profile, and are precisely used by Facebook to sell to Cambridge Analytica and many others. Similarly, you may remove likes and follows and also "friends" who are but casual acquaintances, with whom you might share political sympathies. This is also part of your profile, which helps Facebook predict which ads to push to you.

Become a lurker there as many do here if you feel like you need to see what's going on, but give FB as little of your personal information as you can. You're not the customer there; you're the merchandise.

Deactivation prevents FB from marketing an active profile to their advertisers. If it's only active a few minutes a week, then the algorithm is short-circuited. They are probably trying to design a workaround as I type this. For the moment, deactivating gives them the impression that you are leaving and not coming back. You'll realize this when you deactivate because they make it so difficult for you to do so.

[hexola]

25. Im moving my FB groups back to web based forums

It was better anyway!

I hated moving to FB - but that's where all the action went - for awhile!

[samnsara]

27. im not deleting it.. my data is really boring

[katmondoo]

29. I just deactivated my facebook account

[Pachamama]

30. I essentially stopped using it very much during the election, then stopped using it almost never

...after the election and now am considering completing deleting it.

I have never used LinkedIn, twitter, Instagram, snapchat etc. (like my kids generation) and its been because I came from high tech industry and knew how data and databases of info were being compiled and sold. I now regret that I made an exception for Facebook because a friend had cancer and it was how I could be kept informed and updated on her.

There is so much information coming out about what Cambridge Analytica and Facebook and "Project Alamo" were doing....

I think its so criminal and horrible what has been done and I refuse to be a part of this and be another $$$ on the bottom line of Facebook and Mark Zuckerberg as crimes are being committed against our democracy and we are unwitting participants.

It may seem at first painful to those who use it often...but the reality is you lived for how many decades before that without it and were just fine....maybe indeed actually better off without it.

Like a drug....get off of it and it will be much better for you....