I have a Facebook account that I originally registered when I was in high school a little over a decade ago. The reason I've kept it is because I use Facebook Messenger to talk to some people, and because a lot of events use Facebook.
The main Facebook app I have not installed, because I don't need it.
The Facebook Messenger app I have installed because I use it. I trust iOS to limit this app from being able to do anything too nasty.
I never use "log in with Facebook". I clear my cookies regularly, and I often use a different browser for logging into Facebook from the browser I use for most stuff.
I try my hardest to be vigilant of my privacy, even though it is a losing battle.
The fact that someone has a Facebook account should not be taken as a sign that they think that any of the privacy violation stuff that businesses engage in is ok.
As for Zoom, I made a conscious decision to not install the Zoom software on my MacBook Air because of the previous shenanigans that Zoom had been engaging in. When a client expressed desire that we use Zoom for our meetings, I therefore chose to install the Zoom app on iOS rather than on my MacBook Air, because iOS limits apps from being able to do anything too bad, and after we were done with the job I uninstalled the Zoom app from iOS as well.
>The reason I've kept it is because I use Facebook Messenger to talk to some people, and because a lot of events use Facebook.
The events thing I can see because Facebook has become the de facto way to organize events and has become the de facto websites for a lot of small businesses and organizations. But the thing about not being able to give up Messenger always confuses me when it comes up. (Please note that I'm not specifically picking on you, I just see this same sentiment a lot and this was a convenient comment to reply to).
Presumably anyone that has a Facebook account has an email address or a phone number, since it's not possible to create an account without one, so anyone on Facebook should be available via email or text message (since 'phone number' nowadays almost always means 'cell phone number').
But maybe the people that you're talking to don't want to give you their email address or phone number for whatever reason. That seems weird that someone who is ostensibly my friend would withhold that information, but I'm sure that there are valid reasons for that to happen.
Then you can give them your preferred alternate contact method: Jitsi, IRC, email semaphore, smoke signals, USPS mail, whatever. Then the rebuttal is usually something along the lines of, "Well, I can't force them to use the communication method I want to use", which is also weird because that's exactly what they're doing to you by refusing to use anything but Messenger.
And, yes, I understand that a problem can arise where one friend is only available via ICQ, one via IRC, one via Skype, one via Signal, etc., and you don't want dozens of apps clogging up your phone/computer/whatever, which is why I recommend my friends email or text or even call me whenever they want to chat.
There is also the case that is brought up that the person that has to use Messenger to talk to people because they're literally not reachable any other way, which I understand is possible in certain countries where Internet access is severely restricted or nonexistent and the only reliable access to the outside world is via Facebook/Messenger on a cell phone. I get that, too, and that actually does make some sense. But for everyone else, I don't get it.
I think the point is that the extent of their privacy violation is using google analytics... Which is fairly benign compared to the bombastic headlines over the last few days.
I'm concerned about all violations of privacy relevant to me, and yet I have a Facebook account.
Wanting to be informed about privacy concerns is a world apart from being so single-mindedly concerned that you'll refuse to engage with a company who's bad in that regard, whatever the cost.
There's a difference between not having a FB account, and having one but not using it to sign in to 3rd party sites. Using FB/Google accounts to sign into anything other than FB/Google has been "Danger Will Robinson" since the first day I saw it. Too bad those warnings are not not normal to 99% of internet users.
codetrotter|6 years ago
I have a Facebook account that I originally registered when I was in high school a little over a decade ago. The reason I've kept it is because I use Facebook Messenger to talk to some people, and because a lot of events use Facebook.
The main Facebook app I have not installed, because I don't need it.
The Facebook Messenger app I have installed because I use it. I trust iOS to limit this app from being able to do anything too nasty.
I never use "log in with Facebook". I clear my cookies regularly, and I often use a different browser for logging into Facebook from the browser I use for most stuff.
I try my hardest to be vigilant of my privacy, even though it is a losing battle.
The fact that someone has a Facebook account should not be taken as a sign that they think that any of the privacy violation stuff that businesses engage in is ok.
As for Zoom, I made a conscious decision to not install the Zoom software on my MacBook Air because of the previous shenanigans that Zoom had been engaging in. When a client expressed desire that we use Zoom for our meetings, I therefore chose to install the Zoom app on iOS rather than on my MacBook Air, because iOS limits apps from being able to do anything too bad, and after we were done with the job I uninstalled the Zoom app from iOS as well.
roganartu|6 years ago
The events part is unfortunate, but just in case you didn't know you can deactivate your Facebook account and still retain access to Messenger.
If you go through the process to deactivate your Facebook account, the last question in the process is "do you want to keep messenger".
basscomm|6 years ago
The events thing I can see because Facebook has become the de facto way to organize events and has become the de facto websites for a lot of small businesses and organizations. But the thing about not being able to give up Messenger always confuses me when it comes up. (Please note that I'm not specifically picking on you, I just see this same sentiment a lot and this was a convenient comment to reply to).
Presumably anyone that has a Facebook account has an email address or a phone number, since it's not possible to create an account without one, so anyone on Facebook should be available via email or text message (since 'phone number' nowadays almost always means 'cell phone number').
But maybe the people that you're talking to don't want to give you their email address or phone number for whatever reason. That seems weird that someone who is ostensibly my friend would withhold that information, but I'm sure that there are valid reasons for that to happen.
Then you can give them your preferred alternate contact method: Jitsi, IRC, email semaphore, smoke signals, USPS mail, whatever. Then the rebuttal is usually something along the lines of, "Well, I can't force them to use the communication method I want to use", which is also weird because that's exactly what they're doing to you by refusing to use anything but Messenger.
And, yes, I understand that a problem can arise where one friend is only available via ICQ, one via IRC, one via Skype, one via Signal, etc., and you don't want dozens of apps clogging up your phone/computer/whatever, which is why I recommend my friends email or text or even call me whenever they want to chat.
There is also the case that is brought up that the person that has to use Messenger to talk to people because they're literally not reachable any other way, which I understand is possible in certain countries where Internet access is severely restricted or nonexistent and the only reliable access to the outside world is via Facebook/Messenger on a cell phone. I get that, too, and that actually does make some sense. But for everyone else, I don't get it.
rblatz|6 years ago
catacombs|6 years ago
Nowadays, "some" people isn't worth Facebook harvesting your data. If you really want to keep in touch with those people, you can find a way.
wyattpeak|6 years ago
Wanting to be informed about privacy concerns is a world apart from being so single-mindedly concerned that you'll refuse to engage with a company who's bad in that regard, whatever the cost.
dylan604|6 years ago