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Facebook Is Giving Advertisers Access To Your Shadow Contact Information

gizmodo.com

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Re: Facebook Is Giving Advertisers Access To Your Shadow Contact Information

#241

Post by dwighttk »

css wrote: post #234

> A spokesman also told us that users can opt out of this ad-based repurposing of their security digits by not using phone number based 2FA. That's one way to encourage people to use 2FA App, I guess.

can you actually "opt out" of that number being used or is the spokesperson just saying "we don't get your number via this method if you never give it to us via this method"

I.e. if you switch from using a 2FA phone number to using the app do they stop using that phone number in your facebook profile? And your shadow profile?

Re: Facebook Is Giving Advertisers Access To Your Shadow Contact Information

#242

Post by css »

jandrese wrote: post #237
css wrote: post #234

> A spokesman also told us that users can opt out of this ad-based repurposing of their security digits by not using phone number based 2FA. That's one way to encourage people to use 2FA App, I guess.

Note however that to enable any other type of 2FA you first have to give them your phone number. You can delete your phone number afterward, but it's too late, they have seen everything.

Interesting, thanks for letting me know. I don't have an account. I understand _why_ they require you to verify a phone number though, for the exact reason this article explains.

Re: Facebook Is Giving Advertisers Access To Your Shadow Contact Information

#243

Post by epicide »

Loughla wrote: post #231
Spearchucker wrote: post #34

All my personal details on Facebook are (and have always been) false. My phone number is the number of a hotel in Monte Carlo. When Facebook nagged me to give them my mobile number for 2fa I ignored them. My friends thought I was crazy. I know it's not exactly gracious of me but feeling very self righteous right about now.

So you're stuffing it full of false data, but still connected to people who aren't stuffing it full of false data? That seems like a lot of effort for no real payoff.

This is basically the only reason I don't "delete" my Facebook account. I have so many family members and friends that I cannot realistically prevent putting pictures and the like about me on Facebook.

At least I can see some of what Facebook has about me instead of none.

Re: Facebook Is Giving Advertisers Access To Your Shadow Contact Information

#244

Post by Mankrik »

jandrese wrote: post #237
css wrote: post #234

> A spokesman also told us that users can opt out of this ad-based repurposing of their security digits by not using phone number based 2FA. That's one way to encourage people to use 2FA App, I guess.

Note however that to enable any other type of 2FA you first have to give them your phone number. You can delete your phone number afterward, but it's too late, they have seen everything.

Well it won't matter once you change your number, but nobody should have to consciously think about doing that because the company you gave it to is using it for non-user account security purposes.

Re: Facebook Is Giving Advertisers Access To Your Shadow Contact Information

#245

Post by fosco »

jzl wrote: post #224
fosco wrote: post #220

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What can we do about it? I realize this is probably not answerable in this thread but I find myself asking this question more frequently lately and I still cannot answer it. would be happy to see this discussion split into an Ask HN: or other, I think this topic should be debated quite a bit more than it is with the goal of attaining real results on fixing these issues.

Simple: delete your Facebook account. Many of us already have. Nothing will send a stronger message than people doing this en masse. Even if they don't get the message or don't care, it's the only way to protect yourself from their never-ending privacy violations.

I deleted facebook in 2008, this article discusses shadow profiles.... I suspect that more people deleting facebook and moving to facebook owned subsidiaries, or anything that is centrally owned and not federated will not solve the problem. even then there will be new mining techniques with their own set of challenges.

unfortunately I do not think that more people doing that will solve the root of the problem... only try to treat a symptom.

Re: Facebook Is Giving Advertisers Access To Your Shadow Contact Information

#246

Post by megaman8 »

I think it's much worse when HTC places ads on your phone via bloatware apps that can't be uninstalled. That's absolutely vicious and hardly ever gets any press time. But, oh, facebook makes a minor little slip up and they even FIX the problem and everyone looses their heads over it.

Re: Facebook Is Giving Advertisers Access To Your Shadow Contact Information

#247

Post by secfirstmd »

adpirz wrote: post #239

What's facebook's boiling point? My guess is they'll respond, they'll no longer use 2FA #'s for ads, the damage will have been done, and 99% of the population won't know any of it occurred. We'll repeat this cycle when a fresh revelation occurs months from now, as facebook continues to test how much they can leverage for more ad revenue. But none of it is actually slowing FB down. Its biggest dip in value came from d…

As someone who has occasionally runs experiments with FB adverts for various types of business. I feel it's boiling point will be when people and organisations advertising on the platform really start to look deeply into the value for money they are getting on it. I can't tell you the amount of times I've seen organisations throw money at it in return for dubious clicks from markets they never targeted, bot like users and poor really ROI after advertising with it.

Re: Facebook Is Giving Advertisers Access To Your Shadow Contact Information

#248

Post by epicide »

everdev wrote: post #14
unquietcode wrote: post #5

Facebook gonna Facebook. It's long past time to consider regulation of an ethically bankrupt corporation.

Why have costly government regulation when users can just quit? Plenty of other online and offline ways to connect with the people in your life.

Why have costly government regulation when people can just not breathe polluted air?

There are some things users/people did not sign up for and cannot (reasonably) opt out of that still harm them. This is what regulations are for.

Re: Facebook Is Giving Advertisers Access To Your Shadow Contact Information

#249

Post by pishpash »

baybal2 wrote: post #130
dvfjsdhgfv wrote: post #100

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> All of this happens without email verification This has very interesting consequences...

Whoa... so it was around in the open since around 2013, and still not fixed? 0_0

Almost every shop does this, no verification before use. ffs, at least provide a "report not mine" function.

Re: Facebook Is Giving Advertisers Access To Your Shadow Contact Information

#250

Post by puppetmaster »

It should be already well understood that free services aren't free. To me the moral issue of the story is how Facebook isn't upfront about "the cost" of the services they provide.

You want to use facebook to get in touch with friends? We all now know that you will be targeted by ads customized with every piece of information that you reveal (and some bits that you are not even aware you are revealing...)

Assume that an extra layer of security is also costing you some privacy. Interesting dilemma...

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