Ask HN: Invited by Facebook for privacy roundtable. What questions should I ask? • Hacker News Board

Re: Ask HN: Invited by Facebook for privacy roundtable. What questions should I ask?

#71

Post by danShumway » Tue, Jul 09, 2019, 2:06 PM UTC

jasonhansel wrote: post #27

"Why have you argued in court that your users have no 'reasonable expectation of privacy'?"

I'm not sure how to phrase this in a non-combative, constructive way, but I do think it's a really good question.

Facebook's PR team and legal team are arguing two completely separate things right now, and I'd like management to explain how they reconcile those views.

I'd like to know whether their lawyers are right that users have no expectation of privacy, or whether Zuckerburg is right that privacy is the future of Facebook. If Facebook's lawyers aren't misrepresenting the company, then I'd like to know why Zuckerburg and management are so hesitant to make the same arguments in public press releases.

Re: Ask HN: Invited by Facebook for privacy roundtable. What questions should I ask?

#72

Post by bashinator » Tue, Jul 09, 2019, 2:08 PM UTC

“Given Facebook’s ability to track the amount of time a user spends on any given item in their newsfeed, do you also track how long users spend reading terms and conditions, privacy policies, and so forth? If not, why not?”

Re: Ask HN: Invited by Facebook for privacy roundtable. What questions should I ask?

#73

Post by WA » Tue, Jul 09, 2019, 2:08 PM UTC

mehrdadn wrote: post #19

rahuldottech wrote: post #11

1. How can one find out about their shadow profiles that have been created by FB? 2. How can they delete the data associated with the above? 3. Info on how they group personal data from WhatsApp, FB and Instagram 4. Who do they share such data with? 5. Who within FB is responsible for privacy policies, etc.?

> 1. How can one find out about their shadow profiles that have been created by FB? I feel like this is a misguided notion. Facebook doesn't need to create "shadow profiles" for anybody to achieve the same effect: they can just pull together the data on-demand (e.g. say when you create an account, they could scan others' contact lists for a match for your name), without aggregating them together into a 'profile' befo…

For some data, this might be true. But, for example, where is my browsing history stored, which is undoubtedly collected by FB through their social sharing buttons even if I don't have an account? Or any other drive-by data that is collected through third-party apps, websites or whatever and send back to FB. It wouldn't make any sense to store my browsing history somewhere else than in a shadow profile.

Re: Ask HN: Invited by Facebook for privacy roundtable. What questions should I ask?

#74

Post by ZitchDog » Tue, Jul 09, 2019, 2:17 PM UTC

dangerface wrote: post #61

AndyMcConachie wrote: post #56

You should go. But be aware that they're likely using you to look like they legitimately care about their user's privacy. So just don't let yourself be used in that way unless you want to be. The question I've always wanted to ask Facebook is how much is their data worth? No discussion of privacy at Facebook is interesting unless the discussion concerns money and their bottom line. They undoubtably have people inside…

80% of their money will come from big advertisers like Unilever and Coke who target everyone and anyone. It's only the small advertisers who want their adverts targeted at people in their country and topic, thats it. That sort of targeting can be done simply by what country is their ip from whats the topic of the content Im sending them. The whole targeted advertising thing is 100% a gimmick that advertisers don't ca…

Nonsense. Big advertisers have sub-brands that they love to target. It's not like Coca-Cola corporation is selling a single product. Personal data is a gold mine when it comes time to market individual SKUs.

Re: Ask HN: Invited by Facebook for privacy roundtable. What questions should I ask?

#75

Post by WA » Tue, Jul 09, 2019, 2:19 PM UTC

Assuming you won't get actual answers to any of the critical questions, maybe take the opportunity to make the employees more self-conscious about their jobs at FB through questions. Maybe something like: If you decide on a privacy policy as a team here in Amsterdam, does it have any effect on the overall way how FB handles privacy? Do you, as a team and individuals, feel empowered enough to have actual influence over privacy questions and concerns? Especially in the light of FB saying one thing and then doing things completely different.

Re: Ask HN: Invited by Facebook for privacy roundtable. What questions should I ask?

#76

Post by School-Cotton » Tue, Jul 09, 2019, 2:24 PM UTC

ratel wrote: post #17

Well, The big one would be nice: Facebook makes her money from harvesting and selling privacy sensitive data, or at least that is the perception shared by nation states, the EU and the wider audience. For any claim Facebook makes about respecting privacy to have at least face validity she need to show how she is going to make money without violating her users privacy. So how is Facebook going to make money if they ne…

It is not true that Facebook makes its money by selling private data, as you can verify by reading its publicly available earnings reports. It makes its money by selling ads, which it uses private data to target — a completely different thing.

Re: Ask HN: Invited by Facebook for privacy roundtable. What questions should I ask?

#77

Post by TimTheTinker » Tue, Jul 09, 2019, 2:24 PM UTC

Ask them if (and how) they intend to change their ad platform to sell ads to ethics and privacy conscious owners of small businesses.

I’m a small business entrepreneur and I’m frustrated that to compete well in my sector I would have to advertise on Facebook. Their ad system currently seems intractably unethical because they know and actively use so much user data that users have not knowingly given away for the purpose of advertising. I don’t want to be asked in the Final Judgment why I paid into such a scheme of abuse — which is what it currently seems to be.

Re: Ask HN: Invited by Facebook for privacy roundtable. What questions should I ask?

#78

Post by TACIXAT » Tue, Jul 09, 2019, 2:29 PM UTC

I have had quite a bit of trouble registering an insta account via Tor. I get that the IPs are likely blacklisted for abuse, but I do not see a path to privacy on that platform. Would they be interested in supporting an onion url for insta?

Re: Ask HN: Invited by Facebook for privacy roundtable. What questions should I ask?

#79

Post by jjmorrison » Tue, Jul 09, 2019, 2:30 PM UTC

> Some people advised me not to go there because it would only do harm to my name and brand, but I think I should

We need more people who are willing to try and solve problems, not just be critical. Thanks for being willing to have a conversation with them. You're making the right call whether you are able to have an impact or not.

Re: Ask HN: Invited by Facebook for privacy roundtable. What questions should I ask?

#80

Post by rock_hard » Tue, Jul 09, 2019, 2:31 PM UTC

mehrdadn wrote: post #60

Ask them why the exposed moderators who now live in constant fear for their lives in their own countries were not offered serious compensation that could last them a significant chunk of their lifetimes (which would be on the order of hundreds of thousands of dollars). [1] Facebook will most likely respond that their threat assessments didn't warrant it. To which you'd ideally respond by asking them why a reasonable…

Source?