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#DeleteFacebook trends in response to Cambridge Analytica
We all moved on from MySpace. We can move on from Facebook too." This was a typical message found on Twitter in the wake of accusations over Cambridge Analytica using personal data from 50 million Facebook users to influence the US presidential election in 2016. After reports of Cambridge Analytica using Facebook's user information came to light, people began to urge others to either #DeleteFacebook or #BoycottFacebook in response.
[...] A spokeswoman for Privacy International warned that privacy concerns extend beyond Facebook as "your data is being exploited all the time". A person on the technology subsection of Reddit agreed, saying removing Facebook "doesn't solve the long term problem [because] consent to data use is very weakly protected online right now". And one Twitter user seeking regulation of Facebook said having the ability to delete an account is "a privilege".
This is a campaign we can all get behind, regardless of your position on election interference and influences.
Previously: The Cambridge Analytica Files
(Score: 5, Insightful) by Grishnakh on Wednesday March 21 2018, @01:27AM (12 children)
I've been saying for many, many years that trusting Facebook is idiotic, but no one wanted to listen to me. I warned that putting your lives up on display for anyone to see is a bad idea. I've seen people lose jobs because of things they posted on Facebook.
I've also been saying for many years that people interested in social media should be using a decentralized service like Diaspora so they can control what they share with the world, or selectively with other people. But no, no one wants to do that because it isn't as easy.
You (Facebook users) are all getting what you deserve.
One final comment: in the article, some loser "tweets" this:
There's nothing forcing all these people to connect to family/friends/business with Facebook instead of other methods, such as good ol' email. And what does this moron think that a "real discussion" is going to accomplish anyway? Facebook is a private company, and can do whatever the fuck they want with your data once you've given it to them. They're not a fucking democracy. If you don't like the way they run their business or handle your data, then stop using them. Does this idiot think that "having a real discussion" about Microsoft's forced updates is going to accomplish anything there? Or that "having a real discussion" about payday loan practices is going to make payday loan lenders act better? Or that "having a real discussion" about Mafia business practices will get them to abandon organized crime and racketeering? Sheera Frenkel (@sheeraf) is a naive idiot.
(Score: 4, Funny) by takyon on Wednesday March 21 2018, @01:33AM (7 children)
Grishnakh is a privileged elitist who needs to check his privilege!!!
[SIG] 10/28/2017: Soylent Upgrade v14 [soylentnews.org]
(Score: 2) by aristarchus on Wednesday March 21 2018, @03:46AM (6 children)
Or, on the contrary, he might just be your average Boomer non-rabid-right-wing Soylentil. Like most of us.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday March 21 2018, @04:21AM (4 children)
One of these things is not like the other...
(Score: 2) by aristarchus on Wednesday March 21 2018, @05:12AM (3 children)
This is one of those things we should ponder. We have no data. But my self-reported age is coming up upon 2400, actually not there yet. TMB is at least 40, so he says. Several other Soylentils have let slip ages that are in the 50-60 range, like the really old dude, Runaway1953. Wow, is he old! And so stupid! But that is not our present issue. The alt-right is a Millennial rebellion against the Old Right, the Republicanism of Reagan, the Bushes, Goldwater and Nixon, and Eisenhower. They are young, conservative, and stupid. Not necessarily in that order. And, they are a minority in America, and a minority on SoylentNews. But they seems, for some reason, to have an oversized voice? *Freearistarchus!!! Remember, "*Freearistarchus!!!" has the correct lowercase spelling of "aristarchus" and three (3) exclamation points. You, too, could be part of the rebellion!
(Score: 1, Touché) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday March 21 2018, @06:30AM (1 child)
Sometimes I do wish your screeds would be useful. Young and stupid they may be, but obi wan you are not.
(Score: 2) by aristarchus on Wednesday March 21 2018, @07:21AM
Patience, my young padewan! When 2400 years old you be, begin to understand you might.
(Score: 3, Funny) by kazzie on Wednesday March 21 2018, @08:16AM
Funny, my alt-right button is labelled 'AltGr' instead...
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday March 21 2018, @08:24PM
... conveniently ignoring his many posts advocating authoritarianism and fascism.
(Score: 4, Interesting) by vux984 on Wednesday March 21 2018, @02:21AM (3 children)
I agree with you on pretty much everything you say here. I don't use facebook, actively block it. However, since that loser you quoted wanted real discussion: there IS another way - treat it like Ma Bell:
1) Break up facebook (into national / regional / state entities as appropriate). Let them federate so you can message from one to the other. (Phones wouldn't have been much use to everyone if you couldn't call from one to the other either.)
2) Open up the system so additional competors can startup and federate with the system.
3) Optionally some nations / states may wish to further regulate or even nationalize their fragement. Up to them and their citizens.
After that, take a good hard look at Google (no brainer). Microsoft (separate cloud / OS/desktop / and advertising so they aren't constantly trying to turn a desktop OS into advertisng platform for Candy Crush); and even apple -- split it into os/hardware and itunes/app store and break down the walled garden. Give consumers the choice to pick which stores they want to shop at.
(Score: 3, Interesting) by Grishnakh on Wednesday March 21 2018, @02:42AM (2 children)
You can't treat it like Ma Bell and break it up. That's politically impossible. The trend right now, in many industries, is consolidation, and anti-trust enforcement in the US is completely non-existent, with zero interest in reviving it from either major party. Honestly, it's amazing that we still have 4 major cellular carriers instead of 2 or 3.
For federation, what you're describing is essentially Diaspora.
For other nations, none of them except China have shown any willingness to take such measures.
For your other examples, sure, breaking up MS and Apple and Google sounds great, but again, good luck with that pipe dream. It's about as realistic and likely to happen as my pipe dream of redrawing the state borders to be more sensible. Governments (esp. the US one) just haven't shown any willingness to do any such thing. The most we see is some complaining by the EU followed by some fines.
(Score: 4, Insightful) by vux984 on Wednesday March 21 2018, @02:49AM (1 child)
Politically impossible right now, but the tide is slowly turning. Eventually it could get there. If facebook is that entrenched, but simultaneously becomes sufficienlty distrusted and unpopular, a break up might become possible. But yeah, we're not even close yet.
Yeah, the diaspora 'model' is good. But it needs critical mass that it doesn't have. And likely can't get.
(Score: 2) by NotSanguine on Wednesday March 21 2018, @04:04AM
Especially with little or no help from the fucking devs.
Had they focused on ease of installation/administration back in 2012, they could have completely kicked Facebook's ass.
I joined up even before that, but it was a fucking ghost town except for twelve Germans and a few Japanese. None of whom I knew. I invited a bunch of people, some of whom actually signed up, but...crickets...
Too damn bad.
No, no, you're not thinking; you're just being logical. --Niels Bohr