Facebook is far Creepier than I realised!

[Rainbunny]

I usually don't believe the warnings about facebook tracking stuff, like the post last week where the OP was worried that her ex could see that she'd been looking at his fb page. Then I read this article which explains a lot of strange things that I've experienced on FB, friend suggestions etc... I guess I'm posting this as more of a public service announcement than an AIBU. Definitely going to check my fb settings on my phone now!

www.slate.com/articles/technology/future_tense/2015/10/why_did_facebook_suggest_i_friend_my_ex.single.html

[hm] glad I don't use phone for fb!

Thanks for posting that. Very creepy.

Yeap. I've always known that the internet is gathering a lot of information about and as I have to use the internet for my work I've tried to shrug it off. But I was given a kindle fire last week and this week tried to set it up. First of all, amazon want to know my name, address, credit card number, phone number just to register. Though admittedly they accepted just my name and country. Then skype wanted to be specifically tied to that kindle. I use skype all the time, why did it need extra information to let me use skype? And then, nothing to do with privacy but the bloody thing will only let me read books I've bought from amazon and use apps I've bought from amazon.

Does anyone want a spy-cum-marketing tool that someone paid good money for?

Glad I deleted my facebook!

I have had a recent creepy experience with FB. It can only be explained by the fact they mine your phone for contacts which is appalling and should be illegal IMHO. Lots more people would use FB if it were not for shite tricks like this so in the long term, they are shooting themselves in the foot.

It's a algorithm. It's only scary if you don't understand how code works.

No one is personally mining your information, nor do they have access to it.

If it bugs you, unsync your contacts on your phone.

Nothing in that article is remotely bizarre.

What else does sync your contacts mean?

The facial recognition stuff is the logical next step of it identifying us in photos and offering to tag us.

Isn't that landlord question the same as one that one on here recently? I even feel like the wording is familiar.

Missing the point, I realise.

The other day DH and I were discussing a hypothetical big purchase, DH googled while we were chatting to get approximate costs. The next few days I've been getting FB ads for the same thing and related items. I reckon it's because we are listed as married to each other and it's generally a purchase you'd make as a couple.

I have had FB for years I just don't give it my phone number and don't give permission to share contacts

Also reckon the People You May Know identifies people in close proximity to you, eg in work. As several times its suggested people that I don't think would be bothered with FB creeping and who probably wouldn't know my full name anyway.

pepper are you logged in on the same device dh was? If so just clear your cookies and it'll stop.

Peppermint if your Dh used the same device to google that you use for Facebook you will get re targeted ads. So when you look at a product online a cookie or pixel can get dropped onto the device. When you next use Facebook it recognises the pixel so you see an ad for the product.

I disagree about mining information. I know that Facebook has gone through my Hotmail to find suggested contacts because there's no other way my tenant from a few years ago would come up as a suggestion.

No to syncing. Turn off location services too. Basically say no ta to as many questions as poss.

Oh god another Facebook stalking thread is it me or do wee seem to have one every week atm.

None of those things add up to fb shows people who have lookedmat your page. It identifies people in your location, with common interests, common friends and that may well be friends or friends friends so just because you have no friends in common doesn't mean your friends may not.

Peppermint you'll probably get an ad on here for the same product we get targeted ads on here too.

That's very true about the targeted ads - I'm in Australia and I get Australian ads!

Sorry, meant to say "targeted ads on MN"

Does no one do what I do. I have an Internet birthday an address that doesn't exist with a random postcode and I never put photos on the Internet of myself. I will only give out my true details in exceptional circumstances, usually only on paperwork.i.e. Passport renewal etc. And I even have an Internet name.

Friend puts her whole life on facebook. She can update her status 30 /40 times per day. I know and her 9000+ friends know exactly where she is and where her children are 24 hours per day. Now that is creepy.

I can't see the problem here. You know this person well enough to have their phone number, it's not like facebook is suggesting random strangers.
When you installed the app, facebook has synced your contacts and suggested that you might also use their platform to connect to that person. I find it very helpful that my contacts are synced to facebook- when that person updates their details on facebook (email/phone number etc) it also syncs to my phone.

I never did trust FB but not because it's woo. Just because they keep resetting privacy settings without letting you know.

I left years ago, they can knob off - I'm not hat desperate for an online social life that I'll put up with being fucked over.

I don't get why people find this creepy to be honest. It's a social network. If there's anything you don't want anyone to see, adjust your privacy settings accordingly. Or just don't put it on there, it's not compulsory!

I use a false name on Facebook.
The only place I use this name is FB.
Friends recently started getting spam emails from me under this name ( and not from any of my 3 email accounts).
So the spam virus must have come via FB.

Giving FB your phone number is now compulsory. It will lock you out of your account until you provide one and then type in the confirmation code you are sent.