My Take on the latest Facebook Mess (The one where it tracks you even if you're logged out)

I posted a variant of this post earlier on Website666.com. Check it out if you want more context, but my commentary is more meaty here.

So, even if you log out, Facebook can still track you through the magic of cookies--those little "bread crumbs" that websites leave on your computer with info about your behavior on that site or other sites.

Well, this doesn't surprise me too much.  After all, every one of us should be aware that we're not Facebook's customers. Facebook's customers are advertisers.  We are Soylent Green fed to the advertisers--aka, what advertisers pay Facebook for is made of people. Our eyes, our traffic, our behavior patterns are what Facebook customers pay for.  This is how big brother really works.  It follows you where ever you go and knows whatever you do (online).  But it's not government watching your every move, trying to control you and manipulate you, it's big business.

If you don't mind having your every move tracked and exploited by Facebook, they'll be happy to provide you with a place to connect with friends and family and a place to post links, pictures and video that you can share with said friends and family and play really stupid, time-wasting games.

I hate to sound jaded, but I don't know if Facebook being all KGB on our asses is that big of a deal.  I mean, so what? We're being exploited.  So?  I mean, it's lame we don't get a bigger piece of Zuckerdouche's financial pie (we just get the services Facebook offers, which are easily found elsewhere), but in the end, what are we losing?

I'm not saying we're not losing anything, it's just that I'm honestly not sure what it is.

I know I don't like the feeling of being exploited, but capitalism already does that to us.  When we buy a $3 cup of coffee at Starbucks, we're not just paying a mark-up, we're paying a HUGE mark-up that has allowed Starbucks to expand around the world and its executives to get very rich.  I don't blame vendors for mark-ups to cover costs and salaries, but Starbucks (and many other companies) don't charge what they need to, they charge MUCH more.  How do you think Apple ended up with so much cash laying around?  Because they only charged you for what that iPhone in your pocket cost to make?  Hell no.

We're all being exploited every day.  Personally, I don't like it.  But what can I do? Capitalism is everywhere.

Ha! I almost typed "capitulationism" just then.  Well, I guess that sort of fits. :

Speaking of business, buy my book, wouldja? Thanks!

Facebook is tracking your online activities at all times even when you log out.

Facebook is tracking your online activities at all times even when you log out.

podcaster:

The most ridiculous brand of human being, in my opinion, is the one who responds to online privacy concerns with “Everything on Facebook is public. I don’t have anything to hide.” I’m interested in what these people say when they realize that Facebook automatically sends certain purchases to your profile without your permission, and that its cookies track and record every Web site you visit on your browser even when you’re logged out of Facebook. But hey, it’s all public, right?

That’s it. Game over. Just deleted my Facebook account.

Check this out - Yes Facebook tracks you even when you’ve logged out ? http://nikcub-static.appspot.com/logging-out-of-facebook-is-not-enough

youngmanhattanite:

moorehn:

Seriously?

Well, this doesn’t surprise me too much.  After all, every one of us should be aware that we’re not Facebook’s customers. Facebook’s customers are advertisers.  We are Soylent Green fed to the advertisers—aka, what advertisers pay Facebook for is made of people. Our eyes, our traffic, our behavior patterns.  This is how big brother really works.  It follows you where ever you go and knows whatever you do. If you don’t mind having your every move tracked and exploited by Facebook, they’ll be happy to provide you with a place to connect with friends and family and a place to post links, pictures and video that you can share with said friends and family.

I hate to sound jaded, but I don’t know if Facebook being all KGB on us is that big of a deal.  I mean, so what? We’re being exploited.  So?  I mean, it’s lame we don’t get a bigger piece of Zuckerdouche’s financial pie (we just get the services Facebook offers), but in the end, what are we losing?  

I’m not saying we’re not losing anything, it’s just that I’m honestly not sure what it is.

Earliest form of 911 Exploitation by the Media Came Just Days After

I won't go on about this too much, but I remember right after 911 seeing the "911" issue of People Magazine.  I know it's a rag, but I was really surprised and shocked at what I saw inside of it.  I scanned in the parts that offended me the most and set up a web page detailing everything, including a pissed off email I sent to the editor at the time.  Check out this page here: http://thepete.com/disgustingpeople/

Please forgive the crappy design and layout--it was a time long before Flickr, blogging or even Web 2.0.

 

 

thetechpete:You’ve heard of “blood diamonds,” now learn what “blood minerals” are :(Found via newsweek.tumblr.comThe sad truth :(Still, it’s not the consumer’s fault that Apple and friends get use “blood minerals” in the gadgets we lust for. Big electronics companies could try finding alternative sources or alternatives, charge a little more and make a big deal about why the price is higher. Guilt the public into being OK with spending more money.OR, electronics companies could make less money and still do the right thing… ;)Nah, I doubt they’ll do that.This speaks to the greater exploitative character of capitalism. Essentially, there’s only one moral way for you to get rich using the capitalist system. You must be able to produce a product or provide service that allows it’s source (or your employees) to make a decent living and still allow you to hike the price up enough so that you’re making a profit while not ripping off your customers.Unfortunately, that’s not how it’s done these days. The “smart” business person finds a person who is willing to work for as little pay as possible—even if the business person knows it’s a pittance. Then, the he does his or her best (usually, his best) to spend as little as possible in the process of making the product or providing the service. Then, he hikes up the price as high as it will go without charging so much that no one is willing to buy it—he doesn’t want everyone to buy it right away—he wants to be able to expand sales over time. Charge too little now and you cannibalize future sales. ALSO: he makes sure some features are left out of the product/service (even if they are cheap or inexpensive to implement) so that when they are added, more sales and even upgrades can occur.The goal is NOT to create a perfect product or service, but to create the illusion of approaching perfection—if he creates a perfect product or service, people would buy it and then sales would level out—the “smart” business person can’t let that happen!With modern capitalism, everyone gets exploited—some more than others, of course. Isn’t that great?>_

Think you don't help pay for violence, rape and murder? You do, so does anyone with a mobile phone or computer.

Congo is a classic victim of the resource curse. Its bountiful deposits—in everything from copper to diamonds—are brazenly plundered by corrupt governments and regional warlords while the population goes without basic services. Today, most violence—including mass rape, slavery, mutilation, and possibly even forced cannibalism—is concentrated in the war-ravaged eastern Kivu provinces, where the Congolese Army and ethnic militias bludgeon each other over the right to trade in mineral ore. One study estimates 5.4 million people have been killed since 1998;

via newsweek.com

That’s just an excerpt. Hit that Newsweek link for more depressing realities about where our tech comes from or just watch the fun parody video from RaiseHopeForCongo.org:

via raisehopeforcongo.org

I’m not giving up my tech, but reblog/retweet/repost this story, or just talk about it so we can raise awareness and pressure tech companies to build their products without minerals minded under the threat of violence. You can also check out the RaiseHopeForCongo.org website to see if there’s more that you can do.

Sadly, this is just one example of violence paid for by we in the developed world—I could go on and talk about how every time we buy a Chiquita banana a terrorist smiles, but I won’t. :)