I knew there was a reason . . .

. . . I don't visit Facebook.

Story in USA Today that even when a non-member visits Facebook, the company puts a tracer on their computer use.

What EVER happened to the right to privacy?

its crazy what goes on without our knowledge - the recent adverts that turned up on here were specific to each persons location and even status ie homeowner, married, single etc. i was visiting family up north recently and the adverts on facebook knew i was not in Cornwall as it was offering nights out in Newcastle and showing clubs and pubs in the city. this was on my laptop, on battery and wireless browsing ! Back home 2 days later they had all changed to double glazing, fishing tackle etc etc.

You're lucky - I get Tena Lady and wrinkle cream wherever I go.

It's not just Facebook either, Jim.

Welcome to the internet...

I'm not as up-to-date on these things as I used to be, but I believe the tracking software can be blocked and/or eliminated if you use decent "protection" programs on a regular basis. Maybe someone better versed in the intricacies of this stuff could comment.

Also, anything on your computer becomes, potentially, accessible to the world once you connect to the internet. I try to remember to not keep anything on the computer that I wouldn't want the world to see...

Chris

coh wrote:Welcome to the internet...

I'm not as up-to-date on these things as I used to be, but I believe the tracking software can be blocked and/or eliminated if you use decent "protection" programs on a regular basis. Maybe someone better versed in the intricacies of this stuff could comment.



Chris

hi chris - i run full business level Norton scans usually about 5 times a week to clear tracking cookies, browser history, tempory internet files etc - but the moment you log on again they are in !!.....what is amazing is the advert 'sellers' can tell where in England my laptop actually is when i log on - the ads actually adapt to my new location between leaving cornwall and arriving in Sunderland - my blackberry phone is similar - it told me within 16 yards where i was sat the other night ! postcode, house number (1 door away!!) everything. A few nights ago it had an bad day - told me i was within 37 yards of a house the opposite side of the road.

hi Fiona - haha, classic, you're right - nightclubs and fishing reels are better than tenalady!! - for an experiment tell your facebook profile you are a single 28yr old woman from essex the ads will change as they access your profile info and tailor the ads to what they think you may be like

marcus

Yep, I do the same thing. I'm not even sure if the antivirus programs remove all the tracking software, from what I read some of it is designed to evade detection. There is also other software that claims to allow one to block the tracking from specific sites (like facebook). I've never tried any of that...it would probably slow down my already slow, old laptop to a crawl.

Basically, I've decided that I've got nothing to hide, so I'm not going to worry about it. If facebook wants to track my visits to bonsai and sports forums, news sites, etc, what do I care?

Chris

me too chris, at the end of the day someone is making a living tracking what i do on the internet so good luck to them - at least they have a job and aren't living on benefit.

Windows users could take a look at "Spybot Search and Destroy." It's free and it seems to work.

JimLewis wrote:Windows users could take a look at "Spybot Search and Destroy." It's free and it seems to work.

You're doomed the minute you go on the www . From the 1st click it's all designed to steer you where "they" want you to go but I can live with it.

TimR

Hmmm . . . These answers make me wonder if maybe my question needs refining. So . . .

When did people stop caring about their privacy?

Oh, I do indeed care. I dont think Ive got anything to hide. But thats far from the point. I dont want anyone to know things about me, if I dont tell them.
Its not their business. And I dont feel they have the right to track me, without me saying yes. But, too bad I have to live with it. I dont know much about these things, and I way too addicted to the computer use, so I cant just stop. Saying I cant in general is a lie. I read papers, listen to music, and I can live without forums, and bladesmithingsites etc, but do its really making a decision. I choose to take the risk, to get other possibilities.

JimLewis wrote:Hmmm . . . These answers make me wonder if maybe my question needs refining. So . . .

When did people stop caring about their privacy?

Hi Jim.

About 10-15 years ago (esp. post 9/11) when it became apparent, in the UK at least, that every move, cell call (and keystroke?) you make can be on tape, film or listened to either via CCTV or a spy/ear in the sky.

Many here would have us believe that this is USA paranoia driven but I suspect UK Intelligence is just as happy with the situation especially if the USA are the major funding partner.

I've got nothing to hide these days and let's hope RAF Menwith Hill and GCHQ agree
;-)

You're starting to sound like a bleeding heart Liberal



timR

marcus watts wrote:

what is amazing is the advert 'sellers' can tell where in England my laptop actually is when i log on - the ads actually adapt to my new location between leaving cornwall and arriving in Sunderland - my blackberry phone is similar - it told me within 16 yards where i was sat the other night ! postcode, house number (1 door away!!) everything. A few nights ago it had an bad day - told me i was within 37 yards of a house the opposite side of the road.
marcus

Without teaching my Grannie to suck eggs............................................

Software won't block it or at least the stuff that we mortals can get our hands on.

You must realise that the phone people trace you back to the nearest mast you're broadcasting to and ditto, whatever server your PC logs onto by doing a reverse IP trace. Anyone can do this on www. Once you have the IP address you can trace it right back as its all just a traceable network of masts and servers.

In the case of WiFi you may actually be piggy-backing on someone else's WiFi in a nearby house if you're sat outside a pub for instance, if that provides an easier route to the airways.

My a$$ kicking sales manager was fired over 20 years ago. The mobile phone company told the directors - who were suspicious- what mast his calls were coming from. Turned out he spent most of the time sitting in his driveway on the car phone whilst supposedly travelling all over the country participating in high powered "customer interface situations".



If you have a website, even scarier potentially- all the data- even your address is available publically via a "WHO IS" enquiry

You don't have to be Penelope Garcia - it's all out there freely available.

Remember if you own a website, we know where you live!



TimR

You're starting to sound like a bleeding heart Liberal

Oh, I am, I am, in every sense of the word!

It's a lonely place in this unfriendly day and age.

The scary part is the future and where this will lead………… I can see a future where the kids of today who are hooked on the new-era gadgets….will be manipulated by the corporate empires. Isn’t this just a part of the “Occupy Wall Street Movements” message?

gman wrote:The scary part is the future and where this will lead………… I can see a future where the kids of today who are hooked on the new-era gadgets….will be manipulated by the corporate empires.

I think they call it "marketing."



TimR

A better definition: brain washing.

gman wrote:The scary part is the future and where this will lead………… I can see a future where the kids of today who are hooked on the new-era gadgets….will be manipulated by the corporate empires. Isn’t this just a part of the “Occupy Wall Street Movements” message?

Lol you mean the one where they post, tweet, and send out messages on their iphones, ipad, i-techno crap. How ironic.

Personally I prefer living out in the sticks, living off the land and being happy. But with walmarts, publix, krogers, and every other kind of big-box store out there, who needs nature? We can go to walmart and buy nature!!! lol

Just my two-cents