DeleteFacebook: Perspective from Mastodon • Hacker News Board

Re: DeleteFacebook: Perspective from Mastodon

#171

Post by avoidit » Fri, Mar 23, 2018, 7:29 AM UTC

notahacker wrote: post #132

avoidit wrote: post #116

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>> For better or for worse Its definitely the latter. Not because there is something inherently bad about staying in touch. It is because you do so despite the knowledge that you are not doing it at zero cost to others who care about their privacy. Analogy: I wish I could just throw all my garbage over into my neighbors premises rather than walk all the way down to the recycle bin. But I don't. I am actually violatin…

I've seen some pretty stupid analogies in my time, but the idea that logging onto a web service other people use to broadcast stuff they want to broadcast to the world is "violating their personal space" in a manner akin to covering their lawn in trash is going to take some beating.

I have seen some pretty stupid replies in my time, but a reply espousing the idea that someone who doesn't get the actual analogy will have a pet list of "pretty stupid analogies" is going to take some beating.

Re: DeleteFacebook: Perspective from Mastodon

#172

Post by ralph_twl » Fri, Mar 23, 2018, 2:32 PM UTC

fluxsauce wrote: post #55

I'm using an unfederated node of Madtodon running on a Raspberry pi with Let's Encrypt certs as a private family social network. Works well and family response has been massively positive. You can disconnect while staying connected on your own terms.

well done for the DIY social network and getting your family onboard! I read the docs on how to get an instance up and running, but couldn't find details on how to "unfederate" it. Would you care to share some details?

Re: DeleteFacebook: Perspective from Mastodon

#173

Post by loup-vaillant » Sat, Mar 24, 2018, 3:14 PM UTC

notahacker wrote: post #132

avoidit wrote: post #116

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>> For better or for worse Its definitely the latter. Not because there is something inherently bad about staying in touch. It is because you do so despite the knowledge that you are not doing it at zero cost to others who care about their privacy. Analogy: I wish I could just throw all my garbage over into my neighbors premises rather than walk all the way down to the recycle bin. But I don't. I am actually violatin…

I've seen some pretty stupid analogies in my time, but the idea that logging onto a web service other people use to broadcast stuff they want to broadcast to the world is "violating their personal space" in a manner akin to covering their lawn in trash is going to take some beating.

Revealing something about you reveals something about everyone around you too. Facebook happens to have the means to correlate all this information, and use it to its advantage.

It's not just looking at what others broadcast. Facebook keeps track of your likes, your navigation patterns, and let others access that. So not only do they know what your friend broadcast, they know who is watching, when, how frequently.

Finally, there's the social pressure. I have been a victim 2 years back: forced to subscribed to Facebook because my orchestra were using it to communicate loads of important information (I have since deleted that account). By watching your friend's broadcast on Facebook, you contribute to, or at least fail to counter, that social pressure.

That said, I reckon you're probably a victim that social pressure as well. I won't throw the first stone.