Smart Phones N Social Media

As I understand it (wild horses would not get me on social media) this is EXACTLY the issue with FB. It monitors activity through 3rd party applications to target content and advertising at your professed interests. I watched Mr Nerdy Sugarhill on Capitol Hill squirming away as he evaded addressing some of FBs revenue streams without actually saying they sold data to others. Advertisers know they need to target if they are to expect a return on investment.
You probably only noticed it because it was exceptional rather than about bikes!

 

Deffo will not do Face ache! I.E. this is billy having a dump etc. Who wants to know most of the crap that's on there not me.
P.S. My mates all use it which is how I get told things.

 

Its like spying on people

 

I don't use and have no intention of using facebook. Closes I get to social media is this forum.....
Wessa

 

I spent the last 23 years of my professional career working with geographic information systems (GIS) both in and representing a government agencies. I won't go into any more detail due to the very problem that you are raising. Unfortunately, my organization made me set up Twitter and Linked-In accounts which I can't 'kill' in spite of repeated efforts, but I did refuse to setup a FB account. I think most government agencies use their various information feeds for the right purposes and to protect their citizens, but there will certainly be abuses. In the UK, you have a very strong network of cameras to monitor citizens and activities. With facial recognition, Big Brother can know where you've been and who you've been with. China has established unbelievable capabilities in this area. All voice and written communications can be monitored for key words and for associations between parties. All financial transactions (bank and credit cards) can be monitored and related to each other in real time. Governments are looking for 'bad' guys, but they have to step all over our privacy to find them - so be it until someone in government figures that they can sell some information or the wrong people come into power.

The private sector is a different story. There is intense competition to 'mine' and sell information of all types as we have seen with Cambridge Analytica meddling with our US Elections. If they don't charge you a membership fee, how do you think they become multi-billion dollar companies. You may have seen that certain web connected TV's in your home can monitor your activities. You've already noted the potential issues with cell phones which are the perfect platform to give away your private information without your knowledge. Even with the best commercial software to protect yourself, there is no assurance that your devices are really secure. Security agencies don't even let their computers connect to the Internet. They have separate systems to interface with Internet.

If you are really 'bothered' by being tracked, you need to stay off of social media, unplug your TV and Internet access when not being used, be careful about some of the words you use in communications, and actually take the battery out of your cell phone until you need to use it. Sorry to be such a 'downer' but this is something I've always been very passionate about.

Now where is that foil cap