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Re: What's The World Coming To?

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Wes Groleau on Facebook:
> I resisted it for a long time.  Gave in when a certain relative got 
> himself into a jam with FB the only way to communicate with him.
> 
> I've stayed on, for the sake of contact with other relatives that act as 
> if no other communications medium exists.  But it's true that constant 
> vigilance is necessary to keep it's fingers out of my hip pocket.

They let guys in solitary use FB?

Ditto-pretty much. I'm on FB because geographically distant relatives
are there, as are friends who are scattered about several different
continents. It's a great way to stay in touch without tying oneself to
a schedule such as "Let's Skype at 2100 UT."

The thing to remember about FB, Google, and other "social" sites is
that the services they provide are, in a sense, a sideline--the tools
they use to achieve their business goal, which is to collect as much
personal information about you as they possibly can and sell it to
anyone who will buy it. The key is to tell them as little as possible.
IIRC the only thing you have to tell FB is your name and e-mail
address. Even then I suppose one could lie about their name and use a
temporary e-mail address, though I don't know how one would benefit
from that. I'm not terribly concerned that they have my e-mail
address--it's at the bottom of this message as well.

Facebook has lots of ruses to get you to surrender more information
about yourself. Games, surveys, polls, and I can't remember what all.
*If* you don't want them to have more information about you, always say
no, regardless of how innocuous the request looks, and be assured that
your quality of life will not suffer by your missing out on the offered
"feature." If you click "Yes" you will usually be directed to another
page that will be pretty straightforward about the information to be
collected. "In order to participate you must submit your address, phone
number, SSN, bank account number and PIN, and automobile title to an
entity in the tribal areas of Pakistan. Click here to continue." Or
words to that effect.

Google of late has been urging me to give them my mobile phone number.
Really? When I say no, I get taken to another page that asks me if I'm
sure I don't want to give it to them because it's really, really
important for Google to have it. Really really? Google, on a scale of 1
to 144, where do you think my IQ falls?

Bottom line--these vultures are definitely clever, but you can outfox
them with a strict never-click, never-say-yes policy. That doesn't
apply to the "Like" button on content that comes *directly* from people
you know--but beware of Facebook using well-meaning friends of yours
who have themselves been suckered into something as bait to sucker you
in as well. Example: your brother Jehoshaphat posts a picture of his
toddler and writes "Little Ebenezer took his first step today." It's OK
to click "Like" or to comment because that came directly from
Jehoshaphat. But: "Your brother Jehoshaphat likes the Syrian Secret
Police. Click here to like." Bzzzzzt! That came from FB. Your genius
brother apparently did get suckered into telling his life story to the
Syrian Secret Police, but don't you click and get suckered in as well,
because you're not talking to Jehoshaphat in this instance, you're
talking to FB's info-harvesting software.

Notice: Even though I have posted a valid e-mail address below, please
do *not* use it to send me your personal information. I really, really,
*do* *not* need your mobile phone number or your credit card info.

-- 
I agree with almost everything that you have said and almost everything that
you will say in your entire life.

usenet *at* davidillig dawt cawm

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What's The World Coming To? Fred Moore <fmoore@gcfn.org> - 2012-08-15 12:48 -0400
  Re: What's The World Coming To? Tim Streater <timstreater@greenbee.net> - 2012-08-15 17:49 +0100
    Re: What's The World Coming To? Don Bruder <fake@spamdump.invalid> - 2012-08-15 11:20 -0700
      Re: What's The World Coming To? Salvatore <sal@yojimbo.hack.invalid> - 2012-08-15 18:38 +0000
        Re: What's The World Coming To? Barry Margolin <barmar@alum.mit.edu> - 2012-08-15 14:47 -0400
          Re: What's The World Coming To? Don Bruder <fake@spamdump.invalid> - 2012-08-15 14:12 -0700
      Re: What's The World Coming To? Wes Groleau <Groleau+news@FreeShell.org> - 2012-08-15 22:47 -0400
        Re: What's The World Coming To? Davoud <star@sky.net> - 2012-08-15 23:54 -0400
          Re: What's The World Coming To? Wes Groleau <Groleau+news@FreeShell.org> - 2012-08-16 00:13 -0400
            Re: What's The World Coming To? Lewis <g.kreme@gmail.com.dontsendmecopies> - 2012-08-16 04:29 +0000
          Re: What's The World Coming To? Paul Sture <paul.nospam@sture.ch> - 2012-08-16 06:49 +0200
            Re: What's The World Coming To? Lewis <g.kreme@gmail.com.dontsendmecopies> - 2012-08-16 13:08 +0000
          Re: What's The World Coming To? me@home.spamsucks.ca (Király) - 2012-08-16 17:55 +0000
            Re: What's The World Coming To? Fred Moore <fmoore@gcfn.org> - 2012-08-16 15:29 -0400
              Re: What's The World Coming To? nospam <nospam@nospam.invalid> - 2012-08-16 13:52 -0700
                Re: What's The World Coming To? gerencia@gruposemtel.com - 2012-08-16 14:36 -0700
                Re: What's The World Coming To? me@home.spamsucks.ca (Király) - 2012-08-16 22:02 +0000
              Re: What's The World Coming To? Lewis <g.kreme@gmail.com.dontsendmecopies> - 2012-08-17 05:02 +0000
            Re: What's The World Coming To? *Hemidactylus* <ecphoric@hotmail.com> - 2012-08-18 00:34 -0400
              Re: What's The World Coming To? me@home.spamsucks.ca (Király) - 2012-08-19 14:23 +0000
              Re: What's The World Coming To? Suze <replytome@thenewsgroup.com> - 2012-08-19 09:37 -0500
                Re: What's The World Coming To? Kurt Ullman <kurtullman@yahoo.com> - 2012-08-19 10:47 -0400
    Re: What's The World Coming To? Lewis <g.kreme@gmail.com.dontsendmecopies> - 2012-08-15 20:43 +0000
      Re: What's The World Coming To? *Hemidactylus* <ecphoric@hotmail.com> - 2012-08-15 21:25 -0400
        Re: What's The World Coming To? Lewis <g.kreme@gmail.com.dontsendmecopies> - 2012-08-16 03:32 +0000
    Re: What's The World Coming To? *Hemidactylus* <ecphoric@hotmail.com> - 2012-08-15 21:24 -0400
  Re: What's The World Coming To? Justin <justin@nobecauseihatespam.edu> - 2012-08-17 01:26 -0400
    Re: What's The World Coming To? *Hemidactylus* <ecphoric@hotmail.com> - 2012-08-18 00:16 -0400

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