Aren't Google, Facebook and its like nothing but scams?

[Anonymous]

These businesses are based on nothing more than collecting as much info as possible on me and then trying to turn that info into money for them. I can honestly say that I have never bought anything based on an email ad or intentionally clicked through a web ad. I have never and never intend to. These business lure you in based on free services and then market the hell of out of you. Frankly, I would prefer to pay $10 a month or something to be left alone. The US should follow Europe's example on these privacy issues. The US, of course, will not because Congress has been bought by the ad companies and because we all are under the illusion that our entire enterpreteunerial culture would be damages if we did. That is simply BS.

[Anonymous]

Yes, anyone who gives you something free is going to market the hell out of you. They aren't charities.

That said, I think they are failing to disclose how they collect information, and that is wrong and probably illegal. On top of that, they are making technical blunders which are compromising privacy.

Europe has more stringent rules, but they are all google and facebook users too, and their population is no more protected right now.

Lastly, if you want to pay for services you can. You can buy a replacement for gmail, you can pay for a private place to put up photos of the kids, etc. You can't pay for a social network because there are none. A paid social network would not get enough users to be useful.

[Anonymous]

Here you see how all your info is spread on the internet.
http://www.ghostery.com/faq
Ghostery is a browser tool available for Firefox, Chrome, Safari, Opera and Internet Explorer. It scans the page for scripts, pixels, and other elements and notifies the user of the companies whose code is present on the page. These page elements aren't otherwise visible to the user, and often not detailed in the page source code. Ghostery allows users to learn more about these companies and their practices, and block the page elements from loading if the user chooses.

[Anonymous]

Trust facebook the least

[Anonymous]

Wait a second. Who is holding a gun to your head and demanding you use Facebook or Google?

You have a choice. Don't whine about it.

[Anonymous]

At least Google did an IPO Dutch Auctions. You think Facebook would do the same. Their product is the people who use Facebook. Why not cut them in on the action?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wait a second. Who is holding a gun to your head and demanding you use Facebook or Google?

You have a choice. Don't whine about it.

You obviously are right, but the vast (and I mean vast) majority of users have no idea how these businesses use the collected info. The idea that we all read the terms and conditions on these sites and the privacy policies is silly. Moreover, these businesses consistently change these terms and policies. The idea that I am going to review the terms and policies every time I use google is even more silly. Further, as we are witnessing now, these businesses are frequently not upfront about their intentions (and that is generous). Finally, they all rest on targeted advertising. I can only speak for myself, but I pay no attention to web ads. As with a PP, I never click on web ads. Never have, never plan to. Whoever is paying for these ads is simply wasting money, at least as it concerns me. This is the basic scam. They give you free stuff, they collect info on you (without telling you how much, how often, what they plan to do with it, etc), and they sell that info for money. That is a scam. If we Americans ever realized how much info and privacy we give up with these businesses, a rebellion would take place. And these businesses know that, which is why they have a financial interest in being sleazy in their disclosure, collection, and marketing practices. And the bizzare part is that some Americans are worried about the Government collecting info; the government is not the problem.

For me, as a PP suggested, I do not use G or FB for anything and I use ghostery to block what ghostery can block. But then what will happen is that G and FB will figure out a way around ghostery, ghostery will update its technlogy, and the rat race will continue. If I say NO to G and FB, I should have to say only once, and should assume that G and FB are not trying to get around my NO. If they do, I should be able to sue them, or G or FB personnel should go to jail. Sorry, I have no sympathy for these sleazy businesses.

[Anonymous]

For all those people on their phones 24/7, some thing to think about.

[Anonymous]

Much of what is called tech advances on the web are nothing more than some new means to collect more info on me. FB does not represent any real advance in technology.

[Anonymous]

There's even an ad here on DCUM. I see one for a diaper bag as I write this.

[Anonymous]

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0312/73976.html

So, what does "DO NOT TRACK" mean? No, it actually means "DO NOT TARGET? And that is probably generous. To this P, this simply represents the fundamental dishonesty of google, facebook, and their like. In the English language, "DO NOT TRACK" means exactly that. As a PP noted, what I find amazing is why anybody thinks online ads work. What a waste of money?

[Anonymous]

As a tip to increase security of your web-browsers, I would disable 3rd party cookies on explorer, firefox, etc.

3rd party cookies simply track your website browsing and report that to advertising companies that put ads on your screen- look to the left and right side of this thread--- see that! even DCUM uses google ads and AdChoice- both which take input from 3rd party cookies.