Facebook is for...everyone--like it or not

[Fred Moore]

Here's an interesting post for all you Facebook NON-users (or thought
you were) from today's Macintouch security forum
<http://www.macintouch.com/readerreports/security/index.html#d20dec2011>.

And for Wes, I learned a new word: zucked.

*****
Dartanyan Brown
Ok, so I've been a Mac user since '85 and a user of BBS and early
'social media' since too far back to say (cough "commodore64" cough).
I'm also a musician & educator. That said, Facebook is about as
attractive to me as the gout.

I have been "impersonated" on FB twice in the last year. Since I have
never been a FB member, the only way I found out was when friends
emailed me wondering why I didn't "like" them.

The first time it happened (a year ago this week) my facebook-using
friends, literally hounded the imposter page out of existence. (It was a
kid in Turkey?!)

This week it happened again, but this time I used one of the many
"incident report" pages. After searching for a while, I found a page for
people who've been impersonated, but are *not* facebook members.
Weirdly, the incident report couldn't be submitted for a day(!) because
the page kept asking me for the URL of the impersonator page.

Remember, as a NON-member of FB you can't even get in, much less find
anything. This problem caused a day-burning feedback loop as the 'bot
(human or digital, I couldn't tell) tried to figure out the "insoluble
problem."

Thankfully, one of my fb-using friends and a *Cisco* engineer was able
to send me a screenshot with the URL (https) so I could then forward it
to the FB team.

Almost done... Now they asked for a jpeg of my govt-issued photo ID, so
they could tell who the "real me" was. (They promised they'd destroy it
on conclusion of this matter... yeah, I know =-)

Now I'm only moderately famous -- in Iowa -- and why somebody would want
to be "me" is an open question.

The bigger issue: If you don't want to be on FB but somebody, purporting
to be you, takes your 'brand' as their own and starts rechanneling your
business to their destination, what's to stop them?

As a non-user of FB you have no idea, nor can you monitor in any way,
WTF is going on in there, possibly in your name.

Again, technology has been a *big* part of my life, I still bleed
rainbow colors, but the "service" provided by these guys is doubly
outweighed by the privacy/civil liberties/co-opting violations inherent
in this sort of application.

It's easy to see the problem in my view:

FB appears to be a reconnaissance environment masquerading as a fun
place to be. They are delivering solutions to problems I don't have.
Answering questions I never asked. They are "there" for advertisers.
They are "not there" for mere "users."

I think it's great that 800 million people want to be a part of
something. I know that the networking potential is a goldmine for many
of you. FB is like *wow*. I'm glad you're having a blast... just stay
over there and it's all good.

FB, on the other hand, has now reached out and touched my livelihood
twice, and since you can't even call these folks on a regular telephone
(?!?!), you know the lost-at-sea feeling that brings on.

I've never written anything this long on my fav MacInTouch, but as a
former MacWEEK staffer who has written more than a few words about our
Mac universe, I have to cry 'foul' on what I believe is a most egregious
data rights scam -- and in the country that should know better. In
France, users own their data. No questions asked. Settled law. Google,
I'm looking at you, too.

Apple is certainly a "walled garden", but thus far, our data with Apple
was safe with Apple. (That probably will change eventually, too.)

Remember: Steve (and Steve) delivered tools for us to use. The questions
they answered were the ones every creative mind on the planet has asked
for hundreds of years, and we have the results in improved lives and
culture. (Windows users, I can't speak for....)

All the rest will sell your data to the highest bidder -- and give you
nothing in return.

I was ready to ignore this fb thing... after all, one day there *will*
be another, mo' better version of 'social'.

But when, in their hubris and insolence (my opinion), they trample over
not only my data rights but my real life affairs, you can believe me,
brothers and sisters digital, I will not allow myself to be zucked over
again. Believe it.
...(puts lawyer on speed dial...)

(Mordant humor: I see where Mr. Zuckerberg has even been zucked on his
own petard... priceless.)
*****

[Howard S Shubs]

In article <fmoore-A53D16....@news.eternal-september.org>,

Fred Moore <fmo...@gcfn.org> wrote:

> Here's an interesting post for all you Facebook NON-users (or thought
> you were) from today's Macintouch security forum
> <http://www.macintouch.com/readerreports/security/index.html#d20dec2011>.

Why are you arguing for FB if you're indifferent?

--
May all your good dreams and fine wishes come true! - The Wizard
May joy be yours all the days of your life! - Phina
We are but a moment's sunlight, fading in the grass. - The Youngbloods

[Fred Moore]

In article <howard-32EB03....@news.giganews.com>,

Howard S Shubs <how...@shubs.net> wrote:

> In article <fmoore-A53D16....@news.eternal-september.org>,
> Fred Moore <fmo...@gcfn.org> wrote:
>
> > Here's an interesting post for all you Facebook NON-users (or thought
> > you were) from today's Macintouch security forum
> > <http://www.macintouch.com/readerreports/security/index.html#d20dec2011>.
>
> Why are you arguing for FB if you're indifferent?

Howard, you obviously didn't read the post because your question has a
false assumption. The post is by a NON-user who STILL had his privacy
invaded via friends who are FB users. My point was to caution non-users
not to think they were immune to data mining from FaceBook.

Thank you for playing. Next contestant, please.