http://fusion.net/story/339018/facebook-psychiatrist-privacy-problems/
IF this is true, shit meets fan.
Some people have noticed that offline conversations are resulting in 'suggested posts' and ads related to the conversation, presumably because of apps that requested access to the microphone. I'm wagering that it'll become a news 'thing' at some point.
I suppose it's more reasonable for FB to scale back on its suggestions rather than the psychiatrist having a burner phone for every patient.
Quote from: BoL on August 31, 2016, 12:20:59 PM
Some people have noticed that offline conversations are resulting in 'suggested posts' and ads related to the conversation, presumably because of apps that requested access to the microphone.
People are saying this about G and android phones too. Mind you, people are saying it about G and iPhones, which says more about people than ads.
I think that this is likely a combination of selection bias and some less obvious targeting criteria.
QuoteBob is thinking about a holiday in ibiza. He's checked out a few hotels, but not done much else. Bob tells his friend Jim about his plans and Jim tells him about this amazing event happening in a few weeks. Next days Bob sees an ad for the same event and knows that evil internet people are listening in on his conversations with Jim.
Meanwhile... back in the sane world
QuoteChris is marketing this amazing even in Ibiza. He runs some ads targeting people who have visited websites about, or shown interest on social in Ibiza
In fact Bob might even have been shown the advert before Jim mentioned it, but it didn't register at the time.
My gf gets recommendations now and then for FB friends and the only way it can know there is a connection is through location, i don't care what they say about it being a short test.
Most of these people were shop-workers in shops she frequented but didn't have any connection with any of the people.
QuotePeople are saying this
From my own experience, my 5 year old daughter at her bedtime had asked me a trivial thing about why fish don't have feet which ended up in a 10 minute discussion about various animals. An hour later I had a suggested post about a fish that has feet... without any Googling or ad campaigns.
Quite a remarkable coincidence, which made me take notice of the possibility.
I'm not buying it. They've specifically denied it. It would almost certainly be illegal if they were and the cost of that would far outweigh the benefit. That aside the practicalities of processing and indexing everything they hear from a few hundred million devices just don't stack up.
I think that they are making a lot of weird/creepy/clever links, but they're not doing this.
Quote from: Rooftop on September 07, 2016, 09:30:01 PM
I'm not buying it. They've specifically denied it. It would almost certainly be illegal if they were and the cost of that would far outweigh the benefit. That aside the practicalities of processing and indexing everything they hear from a few hundred million devices just don't stack up.
I think that they are making a lot of weird/creepy/clever links, but they're not doing this.
Yes, the UK police are allowed to do the mic thing now without a warrant but not FB.
It's location-tracking, has to be, even though they deny it. "Do you know this person who is often signed in at the same location as you?"
Yes, I think location is a big part. We know they use that. Although they said "we don't suggest friends because you are in the same location" that doesn't limit it being a factor. Without testing, my money would be on location + 2nd/3rd degree connections. (oh, you both hang around this university and have friends who know each other - you probably know each other). Add in selection bias and a conspiracy theory is born.
Whatever means they use, it is crap. Just looking at my friend suggestions now. There are obvious "friends of friends" - fine. There is an IT contractor that I use (presume I gave them contact permissions at some point), but some random ones too:
Random guy in Norwich who I don't know and have no mutual friends with (I know one person in Norwich I think, but they are not connected)
Some bloke in Colorado who I share no connections with, but has the same name as an ex employee
Scary looking Gambian dude waving a gun in his profile picture
A Magician from east london
No idea where those (and lots more like them have come from). I suspect some might be vague work connections - maybe on the same mass BCC as me at some point (would be amusing if that is what the psychiatrist did). Must check permissions again.
Edit : OK - things like the contractor are creepy. I just checked permissions. FB does not have access to my google account, email or address book. Other people in my firm also have this guy as a suggestion. Current favourite theory : People who look at your FB profile ( or vice versa )
Yesterday I had a suggestion who is the wife of someone I knew in my teenage years. They now live in a different country and we haven't talked for years.
The only point of connection I can think of is LinkedIn.
Mass BCC that's a good point.