i might be a Facebook conspiracy nut (facebook note i wrote)

If you don’t know what Foursquare is, it’s a social networking program where you post your location by "checking in." You can connect this to twitter and Facebook so everyone knows where you are. At first it seemed like an innocent facebook thing that I wasn't into. It was just stupid, but now a lot of people use it and it’s kind of worrying. Some people are against social networking due to Big Brother conspiracy theories. I could see their point but it really didn’t bother me, I always thought "if the Gov. wants to keep tabs on you, they don’t need facebook." Now I’m more like "maybe they don’t need facebook but it’s there, why not?" Foursquare became the line for me where I thought “wait, hold on. Is this right?” Some small, corporation found a fun, interactive and voluntary way to potentially chip away at our civil liberties, I guess were cool with it.

You can unlock badges and points with every post or some BS like that. If your with friends you can check in them even in their not apart of Foursquare. If you check into a particular establishment, such as Chick Fill-A more than anyone else you are crowned mayor of that Chik Fil-A. You are given notifications of how many more times you need to check in to become a pretend mayor. You don’t get free food, you can’t fire anyone and you don’t get a sash… These Foursquare people are recording where you go, when and how often. On top of that they’re trying to influence you to go back. Really, how far are we from being ok with computer chips in our skulls? Does the Gov. just need to dangle an imaginary point system in front of our faces? Similar to how people purchase Warcraft characters with actual, hard earned money? Would I trade the 2nd amendment for a new Angry Bird that comes with a samurai sword? I don’t like guns, but I fucking love Angry Birds.

“I can envision your perfect nation. You plan to sedate, Intellectual pacification” -Against Me!


Ever notice how if you 'like' something, for example Star Wars, there are Star Wars ads on your profile. Some guy in an office….

"knows everything about you, what you eat, how you dress, Your hobbies, your turn-ons, your email address." -The King Blues

There was a time when you just wrote what you liked to do, now there's some deeper connection so someone can sell you hiking boots from Outdoor World. Think of all the things you can like, Star Wars is harmless but what about Socialism, Islam, smokin’ fat L’s wit cho boyzzz, one night stands, pro death penalty, Mel Gibson... What if you like the Galactic Empire? I could see voters wanting answers from a candidate who likes an evil empire over the good, rebel alliance.

I don’t really think people who run these social networking sites are necessarily evil; it’s just alarming what people are willing to give up for trivial fun. What’s stopping someone with a more sinister agenda from creating something similar? With all this being said I don’t plan on deleting my facebook, it’s still the best tool to keep in touch with people. If I was that worried I may as well burn my phone, credit cards, and move to the woods. On the practical side you should be more aware about what you say and post, or 'like'. I went through and deleted all my likes, accept for some joke ones I made up, and a couple of bands because they say funny things. The world of V for Vendetta and complete, public submission isn’t here yet but that possible Angry Bird trade is looking mighty tempting.

Finally, don’t delete your facebook when looking for a job. It’s your personal space. If employers can’t look at your emails and texts, they shouldn’t look at your profile. If a potential employer insists on seeing your Facebook before hiring, you stand up, shake his/her hand and say “Thank you for the interview, but I don’t work for fascists.” Give somebody an inch and they'll take a mile.

Its the same thing with Google ads. They harvest your searches and show you ads that they believe would be relevant enough to your interests that you'll click on them. We are giving up intimate details about our person opinions and likes, and that information is being recorded and used. Similar to what you said, its not to a 1984-esqe situation right now, but there has definitely been a big surge in the lack of personal security through the majority of our generations' lifetime. Our interests, thoughts and location is being tracked in some way, shape or form, and its only a matter of time until someone starts using that to their advantage on a much larger scale.

I have been sketched out for the last couple days, since my driver's license now has an RFID chip it in. Thats the shit I used to joke about being "the next step". I guess it was. I got it since I need a way to get into Canada asap (no time to wait for a passport), and I was able to get my enhanced license in a day. They even gave me these little foil pouches to keep it in... so that nobody could scan the card through my wallet. I don't bite at the "THEY CAN TRACK YOU NOW!" bullshit, but it still bothers me a bit that this thing now has so much power to it. I mean, people are already being tracked with their smartphones, and half of them are checking-in on Facebook everywhere they go already. Its just the next wave of control.

so whats this chip? like an E-Z pass sort of deal. Over here between Baltimore and how ever far north there are toll roads. You can wait in line and pay or install this device that allows you to drive through certain lanes. Of course this is also a controversial issue because its keeping track of you.

I haven't used it to cross the border yet, but I think you just have to scan it somewhere and you can bypass the border stops or something. We don't have those toll things in this area (as far as I know) but I did see some when I was down in the Bay Area last summer.

I just got it to use it in the place of a passport, so I don't know all of the details on the process once you are up there.

pintsogin wrote:

so whats this chip? like an E-Z pass sort of deal. Over here between Baltimore and how ever far north there are toll roads. You can wait in line and pay or install this device that allows you to drive through certain lanes. Of course this is also a controversial issue because its keeping track of you.

but it works so fast!

I love that you took the time to write about this, because I've been too lazy too.

I'm have worked in for 2 years and am going to college for a degree in marketing. I feel there are some genuine people in the world that do things for fun on their own time, but am a firm believer in the "Nothing in life is free" or "There is no such thing a free lunch." That being said, they (basically) exploit a free service to try and redirect you to a potential way for them to make money (Ads).

I personally don't have a problem with Ads. Some honest people with mom and pop shops make most of their living off of their Ads. How they find what they are advertising to you also doesn't surprise me, but seems fairly easy to do. Why not? Fuck Walmart.

What worries me the most is the "'Big Brother' employer" thing. Not even that, but schools are also monitoring students Facebook accounts. Yes, some people should be held responsible for what they say and do, but on the other hand, It's the internet. I do get pissed when I see idiots posting pictures of their weed, bongs, them smoking, etc. Shame on them.

Most people don't realize how much they whoring themselves on a daily basis. I am a prime example for the ones that try to be vulgar on Facebook. I like to make people cringe, think wtf? and etc. But I am typically very careful, and if I think something has gone overboard, I delete it.

The Facebook check in feature creeps me out a little bit. I see people checking into places with no sort of significance. Like random dime-a-dozen fast food places, etc. A lot of those people that are constantly whoring themselves, also have a 1000+ friends. It's not MySpace anymore. Your friend count doesn't make you cool.

These people I know like that, most of them can only count their actual friends on one hand. What's my problem with this? Do you think they ACTUALLY know that many people personally? It's not hard to lose track, but how many of those profiles are fake, with people trying to track where you are and etc. They just might be very close to where they actually are, they check into a McDonalds and boom, someone they don't even know could be watching or waiting for them.

I know there are cell phone apps that can see how drunk you are, or what your BAC is. These phones also have GPS tracking devices that are easily accessible by Law Enforcement and etc. Same with Facebook. Never post "I'm too drunk to be driving" etc.

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If you didn't read anything I said, just know that I feel that just BECAUSE we have the technology to do it, doesn't mean we should. It is only a matter of time until it gets out of hand and turns into a bad idea.

Fuck, look at Jurassic Park.

I hope what I said made sense because I'm not going to re-read it.

I agree that facebook is getting ridiculous with how much information it allows you to give. Anyone ever get those stories where burglars would call your house or ring your doorbell to see if anyone was home, and if no one was home, they'd go and rob you?

Well, with facebook, they'd really just have to see that you've just taken a weeklong vacation half way across the world....

I think people really don't understand how much information they give up on facebook... hell, I bet I have more info then I would feel comfortable with on facebook. I've blocked all 3rd part apps and turned off locations...

my friends are really into the punk scene, much like everyone here, but their the apathetic kind of punks. They don't give a shit about any of this. Its sad to see some of their comments, essentially ignorance is bliss kind of sentiments. As long as they have a show to go to that week and beer their good.

I don't have Facebook. Never did, never will. As much as it connects us with the distant relatives and long lost friends of the past, it still is continually driving a wedge between each and every one of us. We are becoming more and more distant and isolated from each other.





Facebook is expected to be valued at well over 100 billion dollars by next year. That's frightening.

anymore frightening then any other giant corporation?

Knate wrote:

What worries me the most is the "'Big Brother' employer" thing. Not even that, but schools are also monitoring students Facebook accounts. Yes, some people should be held responsible for what they say and do, but on the other hand, It's the internet. I do get pissed when I see idiots posting pictures of their weed, bongs, them smoking, etc. Shame on them.

how would they monitor students?

pintsogin wrote:

anymore frightening then any other giant corporation?

Quite a bit more than any other giant corporation, especially considering how much of our lives and personal information is pumped into it daily.

I doubt they do in college, I'm mainly talking about in High School. I know a group of girls that got in a lot of trouble over pictures from a party in high school that were put up on MySpace. I know in that case, usually all that it takes a jealous student to tell the principal.

Side note:
http://www.themoralliberal.com/2011/06/14/in-third-circuit-landmark-victories-for-student-speech-limit-schools-ability-to-censor-students-online/

A college punishing a student for FB comments:
http://thefire.org/case/864

thats awesome about the fake, principal myspaces

i remember a teacher getting fired over a facebook status. she thought her privacy settings were on, they weren't. Then again whos scoping out her profile? If i were a teacher i would never friend any students or faculty, even if the students graduated. They could still have friends in lower grades.

http://www2.nbc4i.com/news/2010/aug/18/teacher-fired-after-candid-facebook-comments-ar-197999/