For a while, I’ve been on a downer about Facebook. I should help give some content to better understand this perspective. I worked on preparation for GDPR – the General DataProtection Regulation that was instituted in Europe and came into effect on 25 May 2018.
It’s a great set of rules that define how organisations should respect and allow individuals to manage their own data. Yes, they might have collected it, but it is about us, it is thus still ours. It’s worth reading regardless of where you live, it might not be an issue as an individual, but most of us work for organisations and they have to abide by its rules. Indeed GDPR is not the only legislation about privacy and a surprising number of countries or sovereign states have controls.
Now, many will know of the Cambridge Analytica scandal that was linked to Facebook, indeed, it could not have happened unless Facebook had been so carefree with our data.
There have been other issues raised, such as Facebook’s influence over the 2016 voting for the US presidency and the UK’s Brexit vote. Recent changes by Facebook are, in my view, recognition that if it doesn’t change some aspects of its operations, it will be forced to by US or other governments.
Since those days, more and more focus has been directed to Facebook and how it handles our data. Instagram started in 2010 and was swiftly purchased by Facebook in 2012. WhatsApp started a little earlier than Instagram in 2009 and was bought by Facebook n 2014.
The links between the three products have become steadily more fixed and allow flow of data between them, although Instagram has maintained a distinct identity longer than expected. Now, however, Facebook has solidified that the three platforms are very much intertwined.
Why is this an issue? Think about it, you might text a friend in WhatsApp, like their photo in Instagram and then share common events and other thoughts in Facebook. That means Facebook now has the most complete understanding of you, as an individual, your network and it’s connections, as it possibly could. Indeed, it probably knows more about you than the government. Facebook knows who you are, who you like – and based on those social connections, who you don’t.
The recent announcement or clarification of the relationship between WhatsApp and Facebook for me was the end. I’m posting this today and linking to Instagram so that I can close my accounts on all three services fully. (Yes, I’ve deactivated my main profile on Facebook, but maintained Messenger contact with some of my best friends). I’ve moved to MeWe as my general social network platform (friends know I’ve tried various other social networks in the past, but this one feels like it could last). I’ve also moved to Signal which is amazingly like WhatsApp so it’s an easy switch for many to make. I’ve seen the numbers of others switching to Signal increase significantly in the last two weeks since I joined.
Many know I like Apple products. I like Apple because I trust that, while not perfect, it will allow me to manage my privacy more effectively and allow me to be the individual I want to be. The feud between Facebook and Apple only further highlights just how much Facebook wants, no I should rephrase, needs to know about you and your network of friends and other contacts.
Apple recently announced its intention to bring to the small screen the Isaac Asimov series about Foundation. The basis of which is “psychohistory” or the ability to predict mass groups and what they will do. To me Facebook is already attempting to bring this to life. Want to get a sense of how that could go wrong? Try another science fiction film – Minority Report. I don’t seriously think we’ll allow that sort of “Precrime” concept, though given the last four years (2016-2020) and the weird political actions that have happened, perhaps I should be more concerned?
Facebook is disturbingly easy to use and stay in touch with some friends, but it has a very dirty past in my opinion and now is a great time to highlight to them by switching off my connection with them.
I downloaded my Facebook data prior to deletion and was astounded just how much “off Facebook” activity Facebook gathers. You might be too…
The following is from a speech by Tim Cook about privacy: Technology does not need vast troves of personal data stitched together across dozens of websites and apps in order to succeed. Advertising existed and thrived for decades without it, and we’re here today because the path of least resistance is rarely the path of wisdom. If a business is built on misleading users on data exploitation, on choices that are no choices at all, then it does not deserve our praise. It deserves reform. We should not look away from the bigger picture and a moment of rampant disinformation and conspiracy theory is juiced by algorithms. We can no longer turn a blind eye to a theory of technology that says all engagement is good engagement, the longer the better, and all with the goal of collecting as much data as possible. Too many are still asking the question, ‘How much can we get away with?’ When they need to be asking, ‘What are the consequences?’ What are the consequences of prioritizing conspiracy theories and violent incitement simply because of the high rates of engagement? What are the consequences of not just tolerating but rewarding content that undermines public trust in life-saving vaccinations? What are the consequences of seeing thousands of users joining extremist groups and then perpetuating an algorithm that recommends even more? It is long past time to stop pretending that this approach doesn’t come with a cause. A polarization of lost trust, and yes, of violence. A social dilemma cannot be allowed to become a social catastrophe.
And another view on why Facebook doesn’t want us thinking about why it needs to track us: https://www.inc.com/jason-aten/what-facebook-isnt-saying-about-apples-upcoming-privacy-change.html