The Even Spookier Side of Data Analytics
With the government always trying to find new ways to monitor activity they are now beginning to turn their attention to social networking websites. The agencies are beginning to fund analytical startups, "especially those using a kind of software called hardoop", to track the ideas and trends spreading on social networking sites. More specifically the article mentions the government trying to spot "persuasion campaigns" so they can begin to plan counter measures. The article made me think how social networking sites are not as private as some would like you to believe. This is just another article bringing up how social networking sites provide little, if none, privacy to its millions of users. The governments new attempts to monitor activity on social networking sites is a decision that could affect much of this countries citizens and should be passed around as a warning to all to consider before their next decision to post something online.
http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/the-even-spookier-side-of-data-analytics-09082011.html
I agree with K_Griese that social networking websites are made for you to think that they are meant to be private but realistically they are not. Like k_Griese said "This is just another article bringing up how social networking sites provide little, if none, privacy to its millions of users." I would like to think that these social networking sites are private because I myself use many of them. If companies such as Facebook and Twitter could make their sites more private I think that it would make a lot more people use their websites. I also agree with K_Griese "The governments new attempts to monitor activity on social networking sites is a decision that could affect much of this countries citizens and should be passed around as a warning to all to consider before their next decision to post something online." I want these sites to be private because whatever I put on these sites should be my business unless I say otherwise.
ReplyDeleteI also agree that social networking sites say they have a privacy policy that is just a facade. It is very easy to find the information posted on a social networking site even if the member makes their page "completely private". It doesnt take a genius to get around the privacy settings of a social networking site because there are many loopholes. Social networking sites should be private because we choose who we allow to see what we put on there. If we wanted the whole world to see everything, then we would post things on an open forum or make our own website. Overall, I believe that social networking websites will start to lose members if there are more and more cases where privacy comes into play. Most of these sites are used to reconnect with old friends or stay connected with present ones, not to allow everyone and anyone to view your personal business.
DeleteI also agree that social networking websites aren’t as private as they seem. I know for a fact that some social websites sell personal information to companies for profit. I don’t think anything on facebook is private even if you select all the secure settings. There is always a way around them. If someone you didn’t know tried getting information on you and you had all the private settings selected they could still find it if they knew someone you knew. Sometimes you can see things if there are mutual friends or someone could trick your friend into bringing up your page. This is a serious private issue in the world today. People post things all the time thinking that their information will be secure and private, but usually there is someone who can get a hold of this information and use it against them. It is best not to post things that you don’t want a lot of people to see for this reason.
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