Own your data!
Steemians,
Check out this cnbc video: Former Cambridge Analytica Brittany Kaiser, and Jeffrey Wernick (early Airbnb and Uber investor) discuss data collection practices, lack of transparency in data gathering, use, ownership and monetization.
I posted a few months ago about Europe and their take on data & privacy; then a week week ago, when the Cambridge Facebook data news came out. If you remember, it was about the use of a feature that Facebook provided to developers which enabled them to collect data on the users when users "use facebook to log in" onto the developers apps. Facebook is only the tip of the iceberg as Google collects far more.
I wanted to make this post about the ripple effect this Cambridge/Facebook matter is having. In other words, the overall increase in public attention to the topics of 1- lack data literacy on behalf of users, 2- viewing personal data as property similar to what a car, or a house, is finally at play. Think about personal data as a digital asset you won.
Just a quick note, companies like Facebook and Google are harvesting user data by taking advantage of users who sign their terms and conditions. There is nothing illegal. The point is the need for a regulatory framework around the treatment and collection and monetization of user data. Or... all users move to Steem.
Hashtag to push #OwnYourData! Neddless to say, Steem is well positioned to capitalize on this trend.
Let me know your thoughts,
Lio
I found this chart on twitter (from firstparty.com) which is a good explanation of how things work with your data at FB.
Both informative and disturbing. Thanks @liotap.
Thanks @liotap. I recall your prior posts re privacy, FB, Google, etc., disguising data harvesting and exploitation, unbeknownst to users. There are options and their needs to be clear disclosure re terms and conditions, and anything beyond that should be appropriately protected by the platform, which is an area FB failed at miserably. Also, as you noted before, Europe appears to be the leader in tackling the issues of user data rights and ownership.
Certainly everything is legal, when the user sign the terms and conditions is accepting them. So the user is also responsible, but not the main one.
Although the problem of data and privacy is global, each person has a different approach, I know people who are aware of this news and they don't care what this companies are doing with their information because it's what they have to "sacrifice" to be connected with other people on Instagram or Facebook.
I think the important thing is to offer different alternatives for users according to how they want their information be handled. The problem is that if you leave the mainstream social networks you practically remain isolated from the rest of the people, there should be a massive migration.
A few days ago I saw this thread and I was shocked, they have too much information about us. Take a look
https://twitter.com/iamdylancurran/status/977559925680467968
thanks for adding to this topic @alejandromata. Google hein... Agreed, it is all about alternatives.
If someone understands and accepts the terms and conditions, there is no issue. In certain parts of the world, where Facebook/Google might be the only way to keep in touch with people, users will have a behavior that is different from users in Europe or US.
What's scary is Google can get each and every detail about us, heck they even know where our/parent's/ home/workplace is and can have access to camera and mic anytime. 3/4th of the people are not bothered about any of this and give access without any worries.
I think most people either do not know or decide to ignore because of convenience. We quickly give away fundamental rights that some of ancestors fought their lives to obtain. That's why we need to start with an awareness campaign. We are a small part of that.
Thanks for the post @liotap. I remember you prior posts over the past month or so regarding these related issues and how it will diminish the value of traditional social media and accrue value to Steemit.
Yo.. I'll resteem.
exactly, it will be more attention to steem to the extent that our community can get out of the shadows. we need some solid PR!
Its amazing that it has taken this many years to finally bring information recollection into the table and start talking about regulating it, after so many previous incidents, this one could have been prevented if laws weren't made in a reactionary way, because we saw this coming along time ago.
Hopefully, the people at congress manage to get a good law framework built for this so that we don't end up with shitty stuff like the internet neutrality laws but with data recollection.
Some people are oblivious to the dangers of letting these multinational companies have everything on you, even if you are not doing anything bad you should not just comply and let them have your information, i hope serious repercussions await Mr. Suckerberg after this, he can not go unpunished.... He should be the one getting judged with the 1917 espionage act and not Snowden, the dude is basically a master of domestic and foreign espionage....
To make a good law in the congress will take time, besides that the majority vote in favor will be complicated, this theme is quite complex and although there are citizens beginning to become aware there are still no well defined ideas
Public awareness is where it starts. Then, it is up to us. None of the big companies are doing anything illegal. We cannot blame them.
Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg said in a conference call with reporters that Facebook had not seen “any meaningful impact” on usage or ad sales since the scandal, although he added, “it’s not good” if people are unhappy with the company.
Zuckerberg told reporters that he accepted blame for the data leak, which has angered users, advertisers and lawmakers, while also saying he was still the right person to head the company he founded.
Please note that the issue was not a data leak.
1-None of what I just described involves ‘hacking’ Facebook or exploiting a bug. Instead, it all revolves around the use of a feature that Facebook provided to all developers and (at least) tens of thousands took advantage off.
2-The data collected was not internal Facebook data. It was data that developers accessed from the profiles of people who downloaded their apps (and their friends). Facebook has a lot more data on users than is publicly available and it has it for everyone who uses their platform. No-one but Facebook has access to that data. This is a point that almost all the journalists involved seem unable to grasp, instead they repeatedly equate ‘Facebook’s internal data’ to ‘data accessed from Facebook profiles using a third party app’. But these are VERY different things.
Source and to read a lot more:
https://medium.com/@CKava/why-almost-everything-reported-about-the-cambridge-analytica-facebook-hacking-controversy-is-db7f8af2d042
this is totally unfair of these corporations. we spend a lot having to be there and they never seem to appreciate it. so what now? they're even skinning us dry by even making more profit off our privacy? in my opinion, it is totally unfair and uncool. i took time to delete my pictures off facebook.
Facebook sucks, steals data from the individuals to check their preferences , harvesting data of people, what is their problem? , well I would say people too are responsible for it, they used to allow third party apps to seek and steal their data, I agree upon her saying that google has collected more data than Facebook from individuals.Individuals should first go though the terms and conditions in detail before signing any application if they want to protect their privacy. We don't dig deep into the terms and conditions and then we blame them. After agreeing on the terms and conditions they can use our data for whatever purpose they like.
It has been Facebook's business model from the start, more or less. No one would have imagined the overall quality of the data. consider the difference between collecting and monetizing. Perhaps there is a solution for users to share in the later...
just delete facebook and join steemit whre you are safe and your datea is safe so join steemit and sfae yourself safe and sound
Well how about the others, your email, phone, etc... The privacy debate needs to keep going to find a more suitable solution than just stop using certain services. it is a public policy issue, we all have a responsibility as members of society, communities and as users.