WASHINGTON — Members of the House and Senate committees that will
question Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg about user privacy protection next week are also some of the biggest recipients of campaign contributions from Facebook employees directly and the political action committee funded by employees.
Facebook a big contributor to the committees in Congress that will question Mark Zuckerberg
Members of the House and Senate committees that will
question Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg about user privacy protection
It is not possible to protect one's privacy when one willfully chooses to put one's "sh*t" on a public platform. If one makes the information available, it's nobody's fault but one's own that one's "sh*t" gets used by folks who want to use it and purchase the right to use it. Nobody made anyone agree to terms of service that FB very clearly disclosed.
There are those who will make the argument that because online/wireless technology is so pervasive, because it would be impossible to function as a productive, engaged member of 21st Century society, that government should be compelled to regulate all that is online and digital as a public utility in the interest of the common good – that ‘opting out’ is simply not an option.
And the primary regulatory goal would be to safeguard citizens’ privacy and personal information.
the primary regulatory goal would be to safeguard citizens’ privacy and personal information.
I'm sure you're correct in asserting that there are folks who'd assert that. The thing is this: citizens don't need help protecting the privacy of their data. All they have to do is not put it on the Internet, or in other people's hands, and it'll be kept more than adequately private.
The data being used in this FB matter isn't like one's physiological data that a doctor collects because s/he examines one. It's stuff one willfully makes available.
Frankly, too, I think most folks haven't actually thought about what
types of data are at issue here. It's stuff like:
- One's "like" clicks.
- One's postings in response to "this or that" extant content.
- One's web surfing habits.
Essentially, it's the data that informs analysts about one's emotionalism and emotional triggers. What makes that sort of data and data analysis valuable to marketers? Mainly that one is a predominantly emotionally driven person rather than a rationally driven person who predominantly arrives at conclusions and approbations based on one's gut rather than predominantly on the sound and rigorous use of one's "gray matter."
People have been using their phones and PCs to "carry on" on the Internet, FB, etc. and observing computing power increase, all the while putting their info on the Internet via the various platforms they use.
Have you read the USMB TOS? If you have you'll have noticed that it says, "You are granting us with a non-exclusive, permanent, irrevocable, unlimited license to use, publish, or re-publish your Content in connection with the Service. You retain copyright over the Content....
If you do not agree with these terms, please do not register or use this Service."
It's really just that simple. Don't give folks your info and it won't be used, but giving it to them is the "price" of getting to use the service/platform they offer. Nothing's free, even if the currency of payment isn't money. If folks are too dense to realize that, well, that's on them.
