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Facebook Knows How to Track You Using the Dust on Your Camera Lens

gizmodo.com

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Re: Facebook Knows How to Track You Using the Dust on Your Camera Lens

#91

Post by miguelrochefort »

a-dub wrote: post #9

I'm not really sure if that's a scary facebook thing or merely just an inconvenient reality of the world we live in now. There's quite a few papers out on fingerprinting/identifying cameras from images taken with them using intrinsics (dust, scratches, slight offset of image sensor with respect to lens).

Scary? I think that's pretty cool actually.

The more ways we have to implicitly correlate/extract data using these techniques, the more accurate model of the world we can build.

It reminds me of this pretty cool research about extracting audio from silent videos:

http://news.mit.edu/2014/algorithm-recovers-speech-from-vibr...

Re: Facebook Knows How to Track You Using the Dust on Your Camera Lens

#92

Post by AlexandrB »

ralusek wrote: post #39
rhizome wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm not really sure if that's a scary facebook thing or merely just an inconvenient reality of the world we live in now. These aren't mutually exclusive. The reality of the world may just be acquiring more scary things, and ones that are created for profit.

Is something being created for profit scarier/worse? I'm personally far more concerned about government surveillance programs that I have no option but to participate in.

I'm always confused by comments like this. Not only is corporate surveillance always one NSL away from being used by the government, but corporations aren't democracies. As a user I can't vote on what data Facebook choses to collect. Facebook's shadow profiles also put to rest the idea that you get to choose whether or not to participate in corporate surveillance.

Re: Facebook Knows How to Track You Using the Dust on Your Camera Lens

#93

Post by skizm »

anonytrary wrote: post #18

Jokes on them, I have electrical tape on my camera lens. Something I learned from Facebook's CEO, ironically.

FYI: If you cover it with scotch tape some light gets through and the phone/laptop can still use the auto-brighten feature.

Re: Facebook Knows How to Track You Using the Dust on Your Camera Lens

#94

Post by miguelrochefort »

api wrote: post #7

I've come to believe that privacy "by design" is impossible in the hyper-connected age. There are too many vectors for tracking, linking, and de-anonymization and software in general is too insecure. The only solution to the privacy problem is legislation. My favorite idea is HIPAA type regulations for intimate personal data like audio, location, etc. Leak location data? That will be $10,000 per incident where an inc…

I agree with you that privacy is impossible by design.

You're free to take the precautions you deem necessary to prevent others from accessing information you want to keep to yourself. I will defend your right to not be coerced into producing information against you will, but I can't help you once the information is out.

I don't think it's reasonable to expect to be able to stop the collection, analysis, and distribution of data. I don't think you can reliably track the source of all data either, which makes the fine you suggest very difficult to implement. What if an individual collects and distributes the private information of thousands of people (which I don't think should be very difficult)? Are they expected to be able to afford such a fine? Who does the fine help?

I think the best approach for most people is to try to act as if they're always being watched.

Re: Facebook Knows How to Track You Using the Dust on Your Camera Lens

#95

Post by JumpCrisscross »

mc32 wrote: post #36
JumpCrisscross wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I’d go so far as declare them “near utilities” Plastic surgeons are bound by HIPAA. They do not provide essential services. Similarly, we can regulate social networks without ensconcing them into our society’s fabric as utilities.

Interestingly, though I’m loath to insinuate they are an authority on anything, the UN has declared Internet access and access to information and dissemination a basic human right. “[The UN] condemns unequivocally measures to intentionally prevent or disrupt access to or dissemination of information online”. It appears they believe it’s close to being a utility, and I’d argue in a way it has become close enough to ne…

> the UN has declared Internet access and access to information and dissemination a basic human right

ISPs are a utility. Facebook is not.

Re: Facebook Knows How to Track You Using the Dust on Your Camera Lens

#97

Post by gdulli »

kraftman wrote: post #62
gdulli wrote: post #47

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I've always been floored that people leave their location services turned on by default. I have mine on for no more than a few minutes a month. I only turn it on when I'm in an unfamiliar location, don't have my bearings, and looking at the map alone isn't enough to help without GPS.

What are you gaining in exchange for making your life harder?

I don't know what you mean about making my life harder. I don't see what I have to gain by using location services outside the rare moments I need it. I'm gaining privacy by not keeping it on.

Re: Facebook Knows How to Track You Using the Dust on Your Camera Lens

#98

Post by Inconel »

gdulli wrote: post #97
kraftman wrote: post #62

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What are you gaining in exchange for making your life harder?

I don't know what you mean about making my life harder. I don't see what I have to gain by using location services outside the rare moments I need it. I'm gaining privacy by not keeping it on.

You're probably gaining significant battery life as well.

Re: Facebook Knows How to Track You Using the Dust on Your Camera Lens

#99

Post by crb002 »

gdulli wrote: post #47
pxeboot wrote: post #6

by comparing the accelerometer and gyroscope readings of each phone, the data could identify when people were facing each other or walking together. More evidence we need far more privacy controls in mobile operating systems.

I've always been floored that people leave their location services turned on by default. I have mine on for no more than a few minutes a month. I only turn it on when I'm in an unfamiliar location, don't have my bearings, and looking at the map alone isn't enough to help without GPS.

Some people see the glass half full as they have evidence of their movements as an alibi should they need it.

Re: Facebook Knows How to Track You Using the Dust on Your Camera Lens

#100

Post by kuhhk »

gdulli wrote: post #97
kraftman wrote: post #62

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What are you gaining in exchange for making your life harder?

I don't know what you mean about making my life harder. I don't see what I have to gain by using location services outside the rare moments I need it. I'm gaining privacy by not keeping it on.

I think you’re fortunate to not need it, but I lived in an unfamiliar place for a few months and I used my map apps to identify the best routes (public transit, biking, should I walk, or should I Uber?) nearly 3-4 times a day.

Turning it off/on would be difficult, but I do set most apps to only allow location services during use... but the maps I have set to always. I also don’t have the Facebook app installed

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