Submitted by Rona_Gura on

Big Brother is Truly Watching

Categories
Lifestyle

Last week I was playing on my laptop and planned a cruise around Greece for my husband and I. Nothing was booked; nor did I even sign into any website. But, in my mind, I found the ideal cruise for us. I then looked at possible shore excursions using a few different websites.


When I turned off my computer, I had saved nothing from any of my searches. To me, this was just a fun time fooling around on the internet, "planning" a dream trip. A few hours later I used my tablet to sign into Facebook and I was shocked at what I saw on my newsfeed. There were numerous suggested websites for me to review all concerning cruises Greek cruises and places to visit in Greece.


If I had signed onto Facebook from the computer I was using to create my fantasy Greek cruise I do not think I would have been as surprised by my Facebook feed. But I was accessing the internet on a totally different device and onto a website-Facebook-that I did not look at while “planning” the cruise. It was very unnerving for me to see that, somehow, the websites I had glanced through had successfully accessed my Facebook page.


Is Big Brother getting closer every day?

Comments

Submitted by Liz_Saldana on Mon, 07/20/2015 - 01:29

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Liz Saldana

That happens to me all the time. I read somewhere there's some connection between Chrome and FaceBook and there's a way to turn it off; but I don't know how. I also see ads for things I've looked at on other websites. The search engines track where you've been. There are cameras popping up everywhere on streets. The apps on your phone track your location, if you enable them to do so. There are even apps where you and your loved ones can track each others' phones. Jerry and I tried one; but got rid of it because it tanked the batteries on our phones. It's actually more work to be unconnected than it is to be connected these days.

Submitted by NULL (not verified) on Mon, 07/20/2015 - 03:52

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Those of us who do advertising (law) know about this. Been around a long time. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Behavioral_targeting

Submitted by NULL (not verified) on Mon, 07/20/2015 - 03:55

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I have covered this in various Gotham presentations, conferences and blog posts.

The online ad tracking and surveillance industry is out of control.

The amount of surveillance Google, Facebook, Amazon conduct makes the Stasi blush with embarassment.

P.S. NOT A PLUG - but my new book tackles oversharing, constant surveillance and what to do about it head on.

- Raj

Submitted by RoxanneBrowning on Mon, 07/20/2015 - 03:58

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Roxanne Browning

I just noticed something similar, after a window shopping spree, not buying anything, the sites I visited are now appearing on everything else trying to sell me what I was looking at. Technology is a double edged sward.

Submitted by janetfeller on Mon, 07/20/2015 - 04:23

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Janet Orozco-Feller

It is crazy... I learned all about it when I sat through a presentation for digital advertising. There is no such thing as privacy anymore.

Submitted by VikramRajan on Mon, 07/20/2015 - 04:26

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Vik Rajan

Yes, between cookies, Google login, chrome/Firefox "re-targeting" (as its called) is both creepy & convenient for consumers... and staying top-of-mind with interested prospects (and referral relationships) is the most effective marketing. You can go "incognito" (Chrome), invisible or private in the browser setting. This avoids All/most of this (including price manipulation, which I suspect kayak & tripadvisor, etc. Does)

Submitted by NULL (not verified) on Mon, 07/20/2015 - 04:29

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Donna Levine wrote
Raj if you are posting it would be helpful if it said your name on the post especially if you are not plugging your book lol

Submitted by NULL (not verified) on Mon, 07/20/2015 - 04:51

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Rona,
You needn't be on Facebook for everything you connect to to follow you. I realized that recently when as I opened Google and was on one site and information appeared about the other item I had been researching. I am also receiving emails for programs designed for law students apparently as a result of research I was doing on behalf of my daughter. Indeed we are being watched no matter how hard we try to shield against it.

Submitted by NULL (not verified) on Mon, 07/20/2015 - 04:58

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It's not Big Brother (i.e. Big Government) but big corporate. Big Brother is data-basing us in ways you would not perceive and more insidiously. Big corporate just wants to sell you stuff. Big Brother, well that's another matter.
Corey Bearak

I try to be mindful of my browsing so I get targeting less. Safari seems to allow less of these kind of intrusions. Most ads suggested by Facebook, Amazon and google do not interest me and sometimes I share that with them. I notice google YouTube now suggests movies and other musical content unrelated to content I am opting to explore which very much ill-serves the artist(s) I choose to explore.
The Webmaster

Never heard of Conversion Pixels have ya?
Riva Schwartz

I use google to research for our criminal defense practice- I am waiting for "Big Brother" to ask me why I need to know how to make a molotoff cocktail (arson case) build a bomb (terrorism case) and various ways of killing (homicide cases)

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