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Big brother is here, and his name is Facebook

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Re: Big brother is here, and his name is Facebook

#41

Post by Deimorz »

newscracker wrote: post #28
Deimorz wrote: post #9

Personally, I think Google is just as terrifying, possibly more. As an example, just take a fairly normal life situation like going out for dinner with some friends, and think about how much of it goes "through" Google: --- One of your friends sends an email to 6 others, to ask if everyone's free for dinner on Friday. 5 of the 7 people involved use gmail or a google apps address. You've never heard of the restaurant…

You have listed all the reasons that make Android very valuable for Google. At the same time, do you believe Google can be as evil as Facebook? I personally believe it isn't and won't be (so it's just the lesser evil). I wouldn't trust Facebook to not be evil, based on its poor track record on privacy and treating users badly as well as its highly ambitious and callous founder/CEO. I'm also sure that Facebook has bee…

Sure, Google's probably (hopefully) not doing anything "evil" with all this data right now, but are you absolutely certain that they never will in the future? That they'll never be forced to give access to the data to others? That they'll never get hacked?

Because you don't get the option to take your data back, ever. So you can't only consider the present state.

Re: Big brother is here, and his name is Facebook

#43

Post by abootstrapper »

wonder_er wrote: post #8

I can't quite believe the argument that Facebook is Big Brother, because the first suggestion the author suggests is "stop using Facebook". In 1984, I believe the most compelling attribute of "Big Brother" was that he/it could not be willfully turned off. So, for this to be an appropriate analogy, Facebook would need to be able to legally compel you to have the app on your phone, and if you illegally removed the app/…

Comparing to Big Brother is a bit of an embellishment, but due to network effects and some game theory designed to addict, it's not so easy for many people to just "stop using facebook."

Re: Big brother is here, and his name is Facebook

#45

Post by seasonalgrit »

smokeyj wrote: post #12

Didn't Zuck assist Pakistan in enforcing blasphemy laws resulting in a mans death sentence? Here's a prediction. Zuck will be the face of the Democratic party in the next 12 years.

Backgound:

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=14559267

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-39300270

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-40246754

Re: Big brother is here, and his name is Facebook

#46

Post by tempodox »

aphextron wrote: post #30
Deimorz wrote: post #9

Personally, I think Google is just as terrifying, possibly more. As an example, just take a fairly normal life situation like going out for dinner with some friends, and think about how much of it goes "through" Google: --- One of your friends sends an email to 6 others, to ask if everyone's free for dinner on Friday. 5 of the 7 people involved use gmail or a google apps address. You've never heard of the restaurant…

The conclusion I've come to regarding Google is that you just have to accept it for now. The services that they provide are so above and beyond anything from any other provider that to not use them puts you at a great disadvantage. Google search is an order of magnitude above the competition. There is no serious alternative to Google maps. The level of integration that Google Calendar has with practically everything…

Google uses the information they collect on you to target their ads (and who knows what else), just as Facebook does. They happen to have a bit more window dressing that is of actual utility. All that makes them is a bit smarter but not fundamentally better than FB.

Re: Big brother is here, and his name is Facebook

#48

Post by cisanti »

abootstrapper wrote: post #39
cisanti wrote: post #4

The authoritarian regimes' secret police would be delighted at something like this. People actually (well, not all of us) give them information themselves, and those who don't, sure do get tracked across the web. "Thoughts control" is very much a real problem, as the Google Memo scandal showed us. People dug out the irrelevant donation of Brendan Eich. Think about the power FB has, they know exactly who is the enemy…

People on the right dangerously remind me the fanatic pioneers, who only think one way is right and preach false tolerance. Some are even so stupid that they hold a bible in one hand and a rebel flag in another. Knowing the possibility of the power and the capabilities these people would have if in power. I would say we live in dangerous times.

I'm not from the United States, it's ignorant to think labeling everyone who doesn't agree with you having a rebel flag in their hand. It has nothing to do with me. Outside of the land of free, there are more possibilities than just being liberal or conservative. It's not a binary system.

I tend to lean left according to your politics, but the stunts American left is lately pulling are disgusting, especially the labeling, hypocrisy, and anti-freedom.

Re: Big brother is here, and his name is Facebook

#49

Post by binthere »

Deimorz wrote: post #9

Personally, I think Google is just as terrifying, possibly more. As an example, just take a fairly normal life situation like going out for dinner with some friends, and think about how much of it goes "through" Google: --- One of your friends sends an email to 6 others, to ask if everyone's free for dinner on Friday. 5 of the 7 people involved use gmail or a google apps address. You've never heard of the restaurant…

In the end it's your/our choice to choose Google for every single decision you've described. It's not like we can't do it without Google, we used to do fine doing the same things before Google. I think it's unsettling how many people choose to do almost everything using Google, Facebook, Amazon.
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