Ok...so I know it's easy to seem a bit paranoid but there is more than sufficient reason to worry about Facebook and Google+...
A recent article reveals that social media are regularly used by law enforcement to target individuals in the name of homeland security and emergency relief details here.
...and recently installed face recognition software on Facebook (where if I remember right I was asked if I would include permission to apply this ability to photos of friends) will eventually lead to anyone being able to access a whole load of personal information, including your social security number from a simple photo of you taken in the street... details here..
This leads to a heightened ability to steal identities (not to mention stalkers) again, details here.
Now... it is totally stupid to say, as some have recently, 'I have nothing to hide'... duh!! .. your address? credit rating? your bank account? whether you live alone or not? details of you health? past relationships? where you buy your underwear? .... there is a limit as to how much information any of us want available online.
This is not a scare story, this is today, now. As Google+ insist on real names now, the time will come when real photos will be insisted on too... because? Because the information is worth money.
Forget advertising revenue... that may pale in comparison as Google+ may have, as it's main income source, the law enforcement agencies..... maybe not today, but soon.
:((
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ReplyDeleteIndeed! Just because I'm paranoid, doesn't mean that they are not out to get me. I refuse to mix my online existence with my off-line one.I am the of the only persons in the world with my name and I have a right to use another name in order to keep a private personal life. Last night my kid overheard me talking about Google+ and said, that even she knew enough not to give out her real name on the internet. Out of the mouth of babes.
ReplyDeleteDAMN! In that case, I'm in big trouble Bebe :)
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteIs it ok to take off my tin-foil hat and "Scarlet Letter of Paranoia" now? I'd like that.
ReplyDeleteRead Alvin Toffler's Powershift: Knowledge, Wealth and Violence at the Edge of the 21st Century, published in 1991.
Toffler makes it very clear: the biggest customer for business is... government. Think about it; it's a pretty simple observation.
You don't have to be paranoid to follow the money.
Call me paranoid, but at least you won't be able to call me stupid when the ship hits the land. :)
ReplyDeleteI've had enough and have begun moving away from Google services where possible. This is painful work for me but at least I will be able to sleep at night and not be making it so easy for them.
I've moved my blog to http://tarber.net/ (with or without 'jim' or 'blog' subdomains) and also will be deleting my Google+ account as well as some others, as soon as the nym crowd stops finding it useful.
That's it, I've had enough. Google, I'm putting you in timeout in the corner.
Nothing to hide huh? How's about Bank a/c details, Credit Card details, Cloning your identity using your data. How's about knowing how many kids you have, what school they go to, what you eat or wear. where you hang out. What you spend etc etc etc. All these are available once you join the sellers of marketing data i.e FB + G+.
ReplyDeleteWhat if this data is used to frame you or allows someone to commit fraud using your info? Still got nothing to hide? Do you trust your governments?
Great post again. This subject is extremely important and needs a lot of space in (social)media.
ReplyDeleteAgree Jim, rather paranoid than stupid.... Remember there is nothing like a free lunch. When something is for "free" we are the product, not the costumer.
//Mera
you are so right! which is why i've started wearing a bag over my head, except on stage, of course :-)) xoxo
ReplyDeleteheheheee.... bag is a great idea, that would fool the face recognition software...
ReplyDelete