I was not sure whether to put this in the 'Angry' thread or not. It may be common knowledge, but I was not aware.
Apparently when someone joins 'Facebook', (or any 'Meta' company), they have the option to upload their contact list. If they opt for this, any contact they have listed is stored by Meta, unknown to the person whose details have been stored. :o. A way to check if Meta have your details, without your permission, is to use
https://www.facebook.com/contacts/removal (https://www.facebook.com/contacts/removal)
I have just checked this and both my mobile number and email address were there - they are not there now!
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The following is taken from an email I have received from 'Malwarebytes' - I am sure they will not mind me repeating it here -
It's common knowledge that Facebook knows everything about you, even the data you choose to withhold. Take, for example, your contact number or email address. Many of us opted out of giving this away when we signed up for Facebook, Facebook Messenger, or Instagram because we didn't want to be searchable using these pieces of data.
But, alas, many of us have realized that even if we don't provide data to Meta directly, someone else will. When someone signs up to any of Meta's services, they are asked if they want to share their entire address book to make it much easier to find connections. This is how Facebook got hold of details even if the user had never had a Facebook account.
Thankfully, we now have a tool to delete and keep our contact numbers and email addresses from Facebook permanently, even when someone we know agrees to share their entire address book.
Well worth sharing David.
I use Facebook (in a rather limited way) but have been extremely diligent in checking all of my settings.
They make understanding their settings incredibly complicated in a deliberate and flagrant attempt to ensure that people don't understand them and, therefore, don't change anything.
It's also worth checking the settings on a regular basis as they alter them from time to time.
It's also worth checking your advertisement settings. I get no adverts now but again you need to keep on top of the settings on a regular basis otherwise they creep back in.
Facebook is, in my opinion, a useful tool but one to be regarded with deep suspicion and mistrust.
Quote from: port perran on November 08, 2022, 08:54:48 AM
They make understanding their settings incredibly complicated in a deliberate and flagrant attempt to ensure that people don't understand them
The following is another snippet from the email I received -
"According to Business Insider, Meta quietly rolled out this tool sometime in May 2022, but the company didn't say anything about it. The link to the tool appears to be pretty much tucked away in an obscure page in Facebook's help section where no user typically ventures".
Quote from: dannyboy on November 08, 2022, 08:59:45 AM
Quote from: port perran on November 08, 2022, 08:54:48 AM
They make understanding their settings incredibly complicated in a deliberate and flagrant attempt to ensure that people don't understand them
The following is another snippet from the email I received -
"According to Business Insider, Meta quietly rolled out this tool sometime in May 2022, but the company didn't say anything about it. The link to the tool appears to be pretty much tucked away in an obscure page in Facebook's help section where no user typically ventures".
It is certainly worth scrolling through ALL of their incredibly convoluted settings. And Google any that are not obvious.
Hi
Exactly the reason I don't do any of the social media platforms and use throw away email addresses for forums such as this.
Cheers
Paul
I'm actually on facebook, but I never go there. I don't even have anything to do with the forum facebook.
Sorry, boss!
Quote from: PaulCheffus on November 08, 2022, 09:15:24 AM
Hi
Exactly the reason I don't do any of the social media platforms and use throw away email addresses for forums such as this.
Cheers
Paul
The point is Paul, you don't need to do any of the social media platforms. If
anybody you know, (it could even be an acquaintance from years ago), has uplooaded their contract list to Facebook etc., and you are on that list, you are in the system, whether it is a throw away email address or not - and your contact number(s) are there!
Quote from: Bealman on November 08, 2022, 09:18:06 AM
I'm actually on facebook, but I never go there. I don't even have anything to do with the forum facebook.
Sorry, boss!
I joined nearly 18 months ago so I could read reviews of a company I intended to use. I've never been on since and wouldn't even know my password if I tried. I gave them the bare minimum to get on so no contacts were added and I've heard nothing from Facebook ever, unless they messaged me on their own platform which I'm blissfully unaware of.
Quote from: dannyboy on November 08, 2022, 08:39:25 AM
Apparently when someone joins 'Facebook', (or any 'Meta' company), they have the option to upload their contact list. If they opt for this, any contact they have listed is stored by Meta, unknown to the person whose details have been stored. :o. A way to check if Meta have your details, without your permission, is to use
https://www.facebook.com/contacts/removal (https://www.facebook.com/contacts/removal)
I've just had a look at this. The problem is, of course, that you need to give them your phone number, and they will also get your email address, so even if they didn't have them before, they will now!
:hmmm:
Cheers,
Chris
Quote from: Papyrus on November 08, 2022, 09:54:33 AM
The problem is, of course, that you need to give them your phone number, and they will also get your email address, so even if they didn't have them before, they will now!
:hmmm:
Cheers,
Chris
My thoughts exactly. If they didn't have it before, they do now :(
It's a bit like sending 'unsubscribe' emails to companies. They send millions of spam emails to people and if you send an unsubscribe request all you have done is to confirm that your email address is active so guess what? You get more! Not necessarily from the same place but your details are passed on to others. Not all companies do this but those offering Thai brides and certain other questionable services are at it all the time.
I block all spam emails immediately. I only use 'unsubscribe' for genuine sites that I have used before but no longer want correspondence from.
Cheers,
Chris
Quote from: dannyboy on November 08, 2022, 09:43:30 AM
Quote from: PaulCheffus on November 08, 2022, 09:15:24 AM
Hi
Exactly the reason I don't do any of the social media platforms and use throw away email addresses for forums such as this.
Cheers
Paul
The point is Paul, you don't need to do any of the social media platforms. If anybody you know, (it could even be an acquaintance from years ago), has uplooaded their contract list to Facebook etc., and you are on that list, you are in the system, whether it is a throw away email address or not - and your contact number(s) are there!
Hi
Makes no difference as my details are not available to be uploaded so how are they going to get them?
Cheers
Paul
From someone else who does have your contact details and have inadvertently uploaded them.
Quote from: Trainfish on November 08, 2022, 12:33:17 PM
From someone else who does have your contact details and have inadvertently uploaded them.
Hi
That's the point though they only have throw away email addresses. I don't own a phone so there wouldn't be a phone number to add.
Cheers
Paul
One of many reasons I refer to it as Faeces book; never used it, never likely to either.
Does anyone really believe that Facebook was invented by a spotty student ?
For me the CIA have been behind it since day one.
Having said that, I use it to keep up with my family scattered across Ireland, England and France.
I too use Facebook to keep in touch with my family but I have also found it very useful for keeping up with local news.
Want to know if a road is blocked due to flooding? Are the trains running? Have the busses been diverted? Etc. All the information comes up on our local page, along with lots of information about local events, there's even a group that lets you know when Spitfires are flying in the area.
There is also a lot of grumbling about the local council too but that's to be expected.
I am also a member of several railway groups, model and real and there's N'porium too.
Facebook is obviously a bit confused by me if its suggestions for groups for me to join are anything to go by. They seem to have some information about me but not enough to be to dangerous, I think.
For me this is a "so what?".
We live in the information age, your basic details will be out there. It's like being in the phone book: ok you get the occasional spam call which you just ignore and/or block. I've never understood this paranoia about keeping even basic contact info secret (but of course you must protect passwords, credit cards, account numbers etc.)
The important thing to remember when dealing with Facebook, or Google, or Amazon (if Alexa's not listening to every word, how can she obey commands?, Apple (SIRI ditto) and the rest of them is that you are not the customer, you are the product.
When you interact with their $multi-billion IT systems and networks, and charge you nothing for it, they make fantabulous amounts of money from selling information about you and your actions.
It's important to use these things (including this thing) with eyes open. Is what you get out of the deal worth what you give them? Personally, I feel it is. Facebook groups were vital to people keeping in touch with each other (not 1:1, but belonging socially) in areas like mine during Covid. I publicise our charity-fundraising choir using social media. There'd be no Zoom, Skype or Messenger without the Faustian deals we all make when we click [I AGREE].
Mike
Quote from: ntpntpntp on November 09, 2022, 04:16:09 PM
For me this is a "so what?".
We live in the information age, your basic details will be out there. It's like being in the phone book: ok you get the occasional spam call which you just ignore and/or block. I've never understood this paranoia about keeping even basic contact info secret (but of course you must protect passwords, credit cards, account numbers etc.)
Depends what you do for a living. When we lived in the UK my wife worked with the criminally insane, the ones who weren't in Broadmoor or Rampton.
Back then you went ex directory and lived some way from your patients. Bumping into them at Tesco wouldn't be the best thing!
Regards,
John P
I discontinued using FB a couple of years ago; it had served the purpose of keeping in regular touch with family and friends in the UK and I was tired of all the "targeted" posts and ads, let alone Zuckerberg's political affiliations.
As far as I'm concerned, I treat my email address and phone number as easily-discoverable data which is pretty much in the public domain whether I like it or not. I just ignore spam robocalls and make judicious use of the junk folder and "block" features of my email provider.
I soon learnt to keep myself off the electoral roll, and suspect it has avoided a lot of unwanted junk mail.
However, several years ago dear old BT put me in their damned phone directory (who wants these paper things anyway?). I called them straight away and was told it was a mistake and I'd be removed for the next edition but, there I was, still in ::). I've given up telling them.
I do have caller ID on my phone so if I don't recognise the number I leave it in the belief if it's important they'll leave a message. Then again, my mate Rob says he called me but there was no answer. When I asked why he didn't leave a short message so I could call him back he replied "I don't speak to machines" ???
I don't do TwitFace, but am getting into WhatsApp in a small way. I get a few junk mails per week on my e mail account and do wonder what kicks someone gets from sending a message to say my McCaffee protection has expired when I've never actually had it :confused1: Sad :censored:
Quote from: jpendle on November 09, 2022, 05:43:59 PM
Quote from: ntpntpntp on November 09, 2022, 04:16:09 PM
For me this is a "so what?".
We live in the information age, your basic details will be out there. It's like being in the phone book: ok you get the occasional spam call which you just ignore and/or block. I've never understood this paranoia about keeping even basic contact info secret (but of course you must protect passwords, credit cards, account numbers etc.)
Depends what you do for a living. When we lived in the UK my wife worked with the criminally insane, the ones who weren't in Broadmoor or Rampton.
Back then you went ex directory and lived some way from your patients. Bumping into them at Tesco wouldn't be the best thing!
Not sure I get the relevance of that. I do know a lot of people with 'sensitive' jobs (by which i mean police, teachers etc) use pseudonyms on Facebook to make it harder for people to find them. But I do share Nick's opinion that the information is out there, obviously if the criminally insane were getting hold of the contact details and harassing your wife then it may be an issue, but if it's not through FB (and the odds of it being so are vanishingly small) then there are data breaches all over the place.
That said I do find it pretty mad when someone has an open FB profile though, and posts readily about their family, their birthdates, posts photos outside their house, comments like "three more sleeps until hollibobs", pictures of their nice new expensive bike etc, that feels a bit like inviting ne'erdowells.
My wife is an educator and never created any personal social media accounts, whether or not under a pseudonym. When she was in the classroom her school was in the middle of an area with a lot of gang activity and a number of her kids were likely to end up in Juvenile Hall, therefore she liked to keep a low profile. The kids knew her only as "Miss Jill", and not by her last name.
Totally agree about the Muppets who like to humblebrag about their new shiny toys. I know a guy who posted a photo of his new, very expensive Harley outside his house in Clapham. I'm sure it was a pure coincidence (not!) but the very same night it disappeared.