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Facebook is the worst thing that's ever happened to the internet

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Re: Facebook is the worst thing that's ever happened to the internet

#71

Post by jasode »

czardoz wrote: post #63
jasode wrote: post #60

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>, but Google is invaluable because of its utility and amazing results? It's able to provide those results because it steals your data What data from me does Google steal? I don't have a Google account. I can be anonymous at a Starbucks coffee shop and search google for "Paul Graham" and get back useful results. If they coalesce search queries on my home ip address, that's unavoidable and a tradeoff I knowingly make.…

> I can be anonymous at Starbucks coffee shop and search google The "Google WiFi"? > I assume they are developing more unethical uses of personal data Why not make the same assumption about Google? They could jot down the MAC address of your device, and track you all over the place (not that they need to, since you already use Google maps).

>They could jot down the MAC address of your device, and track you

Yes but a wifi MAC address is not my real name. I'd be more concerned if Google bought a telecom company like AT&T/Verizon and linked phones' IMEI/ESN hardware numbers to search queries. The IMEI is absolutely linked to a real identity because it's the billing address of the person paying for the phone.

The MAC address correlation seems more useful for targeted ads rather than abusing personal real names data like Equifax & Facebook.

Re: Facebook is the worst thing that's ever happened to the internet

#72

Post by trobertson »

mAEStro-paNDa wrote: post #59
jasode wrote: post #48

The websites I constantly use every single day: google.com maps.google.com youtube.com wikipedia.org weather.gov stackoverflow.com For almost 20 years, I've been using Google for dozens of random searches every single day. Its utility to help me find information is unmatched. And Youtube -- even with the ads -- adds value to my life because of all the helpful tutorials and DIY content I can view for free. On the othe…

I sympathize much with your stance on Facebook. However, I'm curious, what keeps Google from being an adversary in your perspective?

Google products and services tend to provide immediate and obvious value. Unlike the "connections" businesses where "value" is poorly defined and prone to change.

Re: Facebook is the worst thing that's ever happened to the internet

#74

Post by rock_hard »

unique-template wrote: post #33

The worst thing to have ever happened is the monetization of clicks. It's killed journalism. And by proxy it's created echo chambers where people only seek validation of their existing beliefs.

This was a issue way before clicks got invented though...it’s basic human nature

Re: Facebook is the worst thing that's ever happened to the internet

#75

Post by kanox »

sephoric wrote: post #53
jasode wrote: post #48

The websites I constantly use every single day: google.com maps.google.com youtube.com wikipedia.org weather.gov stackoverflow.com For almost 20 years, I've been using Google for dozens of random searches every single day. Its utility to help me find information is unmatched. And Youtube -- even with the ads -- adds value to my life because of all the helpful tutorials and DIY content I can view for free. On the othe…

Facebook is harmful because it's reckless with your personal data, but Google is invaluable because of its utility and amazing results? It's able to provide those results because it steals your data, which it also abuses and sells. And as an alternative to YouTube, there are free public libraries with similar DIY books complete with pictures and drawings, but without stealing and selling your data.

> Google is invaluable because of its utility and amazing results? It's able to provide those results because it steals your data, which it also abuses and sells.

I've been using DuckDuckGo lately and haven't noticed a drop in search quality.

But I've always maxed out Google privacy settings so maybe I don't know what I'm missing.

Re: Facebook is the worst thing that's ever happened to the internet

#76

Post by mda »

czardoz wrote: post #63
jasode wrote: post #60

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>, but Google is invaluable because of its utility and amazing results? It's able to provide those results because it steals your data What data from me does Google steal? I don't have a Google account. I can be anonymous at a Starbucks coffee shop and search google for "Paul Graham" and get back useful results. If they coalesce search queries on my home ip address, that's unavoidable and a tradeoff I knowingly make.…

> I can be anonymous at Starbucks coffee shop and search google The "Google WiFi"? > I assume they are developing more unethical uses of personal data Why not make the same assumption about Google? They could jot down the MAC address of your device, and track you all over the place (not that they need to, since you already use Google maps).

Why would they do that, It makes zero sense to assume they would do that and deliberately break their privacy policies.

Re: Facebook is the worst thing that's ever happened to the internet

#77

Post by parthdesai »

mAEStro-paNDa wrote: post #59
jasode wrote: post #48

The websites I constantly use every single day: google.com maps.google.com youtube.com wikipedia.org weather.gov stackoverflow.com For almost 20 years, I've been using Google for dozens of random searches every single day. Its utility to help me find information is unmatched. And Youtube -- even with the ads -- adds value to my life because of all the helpful tutorials and DIY content I can view for free. On the othe…

I sympathize much with your stance on Facebook. However, I'm curious, what keeps Google from being an adversary in your perspective?

>what keeps Google from being an adversary in your perspective?

If you visit a country where you don't speak the native language, Google maps will help navigate through the country or city. Even help with public transport. Youtube helps with DIY videos or programming talks. I wouldn't have discovered Khan academy without google. And before you say DuckDuckGo is an alternative, i have DuckDuckGo installed and i prefix my query with "!g" around 90% of the time.

Re: Facebook is the worst thing that's ever happened to the internet

#78

Post by awb »

kodablah wrote: post #68
everdev wrote: post #66

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Unfortunately, humans are susceptible to the desire for short term gains that produce long term problems (ex. from your comment: cars). Products can have both utility and be a danger. It's possible to criticise something and still understand it's utility but simply feel that the danger is worse. When the internal combustion engine was criticised as the worst invention of all time, it wasn't because people thought it…

> It's possible to criticise something and still understand it's utility but simply feel that the danger is worse. Sure so long as it's OK to come to a different conclusion. Since utility of these things are basically unquantifiable, an objectively correct answer cannot happen. All I ask is that those closest to the tech and the current anti-big-web-tech narrative recognize that the benefits differ by user group. Too…

Right, I think DHH's comment could better be prefaced with "For me..."

Someone appearing to speak on my behalf with a position I don't agree with always bugs me too.

Re: Facebook is the worst thing that's ever happened to the internet

#79

Post by czardoz »

mda wrote: post #76
czardoz wrote: post #63

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I can be anonymous at Starbucks coffee shop and search google The "Google WiFi"? > I assume they are developing more unethical uses of personal data Why not make the same assumption about Google? They could jot down the MAC address of your device, and track you all over the place (not that they need to, since you already use Google maps).

Why would they do that, It makes zero sense to assume they would do that and deliberately break their privacy policies.

Oh, but it somehow makes sense to assume the other way for Facebook?
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