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‘People You May Know’ helped Facebook grow exponentially

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Re: ‘People You May Know’ helped Facebook grow exponentially

#61

Post by rhizome »

ciil wrote: post #46
Seenso wrote: post #39

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> This attitude of "we know what's good for you" is apparent in more and more modern tech products. I find it pretty gross... It's even grosser than that. The attitude here is really "we did what was good for us, but we think you're dumb enough to be convinced we did it because it was good for you."

I think at least some engineers genuinely believe they're doing what's best for the users and that it just so happens to also be either the best for their personal bottom line or the easiest route to go with their product.

In my experience engineers don't care a whit about users except as a means of revenue, or more specifically as gasoline for the company engine.

Re: ‘People You May Know’ helped Facebook grow exponentially

#62

Post by uoaei »

interlocutor wrote: post #60

In the early days, Facebook logged into user's email accounts and stole contact information without users' knowledge or authorization. This was possible because people used the same password for their email and Facebook, a practice common especially back in those days. This is one of their sources for PYMK. In fact Facebook has used this technique very recently too: A security researcher noticed the tech giant was pr…

"Unintentionally uploaded"

Because you just happened to accidentally interact with the API in just the right way and downloaded the information to just the right database and deployed a service to production which just happens to access that data...

I don't understand how that statement right there isn't literally incriminating evidence. They admitted to uploading the data explicitly, and "unintentional" is a straight up lie based on how software works.

Re: ‘People You May Know’ helped Facebook grow exponentially

#64

Post by r0m4n0 »

cosmotron wrote: post #44
smacktoward wrote: post #36

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The one that got me to delete the app was when I went out one night on a first date with a woman, and then both the woman and I immediately started showing up in each other's "do you know" prompts. There is probably an explanation for this that doesn't boil down to "FB watched our GPS and noticed our phones sat next to each other at the same location for several hours," but it still felt sufficiently creepy to make m…

If one person searched for the other by name (you know, just to see if they're on FB and what stuff is publicly shared), then they may appear in PYMK.

Yea this I believe to be true as well. A few people I’ve matched with on tinder repeatedly showed up on PYMK soon after. Leading up to a date would only make sense that they would search by name on Facebook. More likely that than the information between the services

Re: ‘People You May Know’ helped Facebook grow exponentially

#65

Post by jariel »

Kaze404 wrote: post #23
AlexandrB wrote: post #9

This quote from Zuckerberg is something else: > “We don’t view your experience with the product as a single-player game,” he says. Yes, in the short run, some users might benefit more than others from PYMK friending. But, he contends, all users will benefit if everyone they know winds up on Facebook. We should think of PYMK as kind of a “community tax policy,” he says. Or a redistribution of wealth. “If you’re ramped…

I know this might be off topic but a billionaire making a comparison to wealth redistribution almost reads like a parody to me.

That's bad, but the worst part to me is the total confluence of both the legitimacy and wellbeing he makes with his own product.

'Using Facebook Is A Kind Of Wealth' is what he says basically.

'The whole world benefits so much when they use my product'

This is Trumpian level of delusion.

'It's important that every American gets a chance to stay at home of my resorts. They're so nice! So I'm going to offer a government-backed tax rebate so that everyone can come and stay. Studies have shown people who stay at resorts are in better health, more relaxed. These tax rebates are Good For America'.

Re: ‘People You May Know’ helped Facebook grow exponentially

#66

Post by choward »

AlexandrB wrote: post #9

This quote from Zuckerberg is something else: > “We don’t view your experience with the product as a single-player game,” he says. Yes, in the short run, some users might benefit more than others from PYMK friending. But, he contends, all users will benefit if everyone they know winds up on Facebook. We should think of PYMK as kind of a “community tax policy,” he says. Or a redistribution of wealth. “If you’re ramped…

> “If you’re ramped up and having a good life, then you’re going to pay a little bit more in order to make sure that everyone else in the community can get ramped up

> This attitude of "we know what's good for you" is apparent in more and more modern tech products.

The attitude that this also demonstrates is "our loyal customers are locked in, so it's time to screw them over to try to make more money".

Re: ‘People You May Know’ helped Facebook grow exponentially

#67

Post by titzer »

paxys wrote: post #52
titzer wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The geo thing is really happening.

As one of the factors probably, but they don't recommend random people who are nearby. There has to be some actual connection (friend-of-friend, address book, in the same group etc.)

> but they don't recommend random people who are nearby

I think that's probably true. You need to spend sufficient time near someone--like within a few feet or so.

I had an interesting experience where Facebook recommended me as a friend to someone I sat next to on an airplane, with whom I had a conversation with. My phone was in airplane mode. Not sure how that happened, TBH!

Re: ‘People You May Know’ helped Facebook grow exponentially

#68

Post by choward »

ciil wrote: post #46
Seenso wrote: post #39

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> This attitude of "we know what's good for you" is apparent in more and more modern tech products. I find it pretty gross... It's even grosser than that. The attitude here is really "we did what was good for us, but we think you're dumb enough to be convinced we did it because it was good for you."

I think at least some engineers genuinely believe they're doing what's best for the users and that it just so happens to also be either the best for their personal bottom line or the easiest route to go with their product.

If you pay people enough they can easily be brainwashed into believing what they are doing is right.

Re: ‘People You May Know’ helped Facebook grow exponentially

#69

Post by brlewis »

mc32 wrote: post #35
AlexandrB wrote: post #9

This quote from Zuckerberg is something else: > “We don’t view your experience with the product as a single-player game,” he says. Yes, in the short run, some users might benefit more than others from PYMK friending. But, he contends, all users will benefit if everyone they know winds up on Facebook. We should think of PYMK as kind of a “community tax policy,” he says. Or a redistribution of wealth. “If you’re ramped…

I’m not sure id hi as far as qualifying PYMK as an invasion of privacy, but there are common situations where you DO NOT want to connect with others or others you know/knew connect with you. Exes, Stalkers, People who can’t let go, Friends who are bad influences, etc...

Suppose A has contacts B and C. If A chooses to share contacts with Facebook, and Facebook suggests B and C to A, I can see why you'd say that's not an invasion of privacy. If Facebook suggests A to C, that's arguably an invasion of privacy. If Facebook suggests B and C to each other, that's unarguably an invasion of privacy.

Re: ‘People You May Know’ helped Facebook grow exponentially

#70

Post by ignoramous »

interlocutor wrote: post #60

In the early days, Facebook logged into user's email accounts and stole contact information without users' knowledge or authorization. This was possible because people used the same password for their email and Facebook, a practice common especially back in those days. This is one of their sources for PYMK. In fact Facebook has used this technique very recently too: A security researcher noticed the tech giant was pr…

We desperately need a Edward Snowden of Facebook to show up with treasure trove of docs at the steps of The Guardian. Surely, it is relatively safer than going up against the NSA? A $500B enterprise that's toying with the very social fabric that they claim to help build is beyond hypocritical and borderline cancerous.
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