The Dudeism Forum

Facebook reveals details of data requests

Facebook received 9,000-10,000 requests for user data from US government entities in the second half of 2012. The social-networking site said the requests, relating to between 18,000 and 19,000 accounts, covered issues from local crime to national security.

Microsoft meanwhile said it received 6,000 and 7,000 requests for data from between 31,000 and 32,000 accounts.

We know our privacy rights, man!! - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-22916329

Quote from: The BBC"These requests run the gamut - from things like a local sheriff trying to find a missing child, to a federal marshal tracking a fugitive, to a police department investigating an assault, to a national security official investigating a terrorist threat," Mr Ullyot said.

I'm pretty sure some of these requests are totally genuine and justifiable, like if you're investigating a murder, you want to look at the interactions between the victim and the suspect. This stuff happened in the public domain, so I don't have a problem with the authorities accessing that at all.

But quis custodiet ipsos custodes, man? Who watches the watchmen? (And was Juvenal a Dude? I don't know, man.) I don't mind Facebook handing over data if they are requested to by the authorities (let's face it, they sell that self same information to advertisers. If you don't like it, don't use Facebook), but I object to the fact that the requests are secret, the reasons not given, and the process is not accountable or transparent.

If it comes to 'fishing expeditions', where the government, the NSA, whoever is fishing for bad guys and they have a cosy relationship with Facebook, Google (who parse everything in your Gmail account to feed you advertising), or anyone else you trust with your data, then it is a problem. I don't want Facebook giving the NSA or MI6 or whoever a network feed, or a corner office to look at my data. I am aware that if the service is free then I am the product and not the customer, but still that does not mean I want The Man surveilling my life.

But looking at the numbers involved, 18 - 19k of users' data requested, against the total of Facebook users, 1.11Bn (as of March 2013), it is less than one in 60k users that has had a sniff from the authorities. That's a tiny amount. I'm not sure that what is happening here really is a problem right now, but could it be in the future?

Quote from: roystonoboogie on June 15, 2013, 06:43:43 PM

Quote from: The BBC"These requests run the gamut - from things like a local sheriff trying to find a missing child, to a federal marshal tracking a fugitive, to a police department investigating an assault, to a national security official investigating a terrorist threat," Mr Ullyot said.

I'm pretty sure some of these requests are totally genuine and justifiable, like if you're investigating a murder, you want to look at the interactions between the victim and the suspect. This stuff happened in the public domain, so I don't have a problem with the authorities accessing that at all.

But quis custodiet ipsos custodes, man? Who watches the watchmen? (And was Juvenal a Dude? I don't know, man.) I don't mind Facebook handing over data if they are requested to by the authorities (let's face it, they sell that self same information to advertisers. If you don't like it, don't use Facebook), but I object to the fact that the requests are secret, the reasons not given, and the process is not accountable or transparent.

If it comes to 'fishing expeditions', where the government, the NSA, whoever is fishing for bad guys and they have a cosy relationship with Facebook, Google (who parse everything in your Gmail account to feed you advertising), or anyone else you trust with your data, then it is a problem. I don't want Facebook giving the NSA or MI6 or whoever a network feed, or a corner office to look at my data. I am aware that if the service is free then I am the product and not the customer, but still that does not mean I want The Man surveilling my life.

But looking at the numbers involved, 18 - 19k of users' data requested, against the total of Facebook users, 1.11Bn (as of March 2013), it is less than one in 60k users that has had a sniff from the authorities. That's a tiny amount. I'm not sure that what is happening here really is a problem right now, but could it be in the future?

9,000-10,000 requests? That's a lot of murders, dude. Reminds me of the policy of the KBG..."If you're in here (arrested by the KGB), you're guilty, if you're out there, you're a suspect."

Quote from: DigitalBuddha on June 15, 2013, 06:51:48 PM9,000-10,000 requests? That's a lot of murders, dude. Reminds me of the policy of the KBG..."If you're in here (arrested by the KGB), you're guilty, if you're out there, you're a suspect."

But they are not all murders, are they? I used a hypothetical murder as an example where it would be entirely justifiable for the authorities to ask for Facebook data.

If I was to post on Facebook "Ha! Ha! I've got all of that asshole Lebowski's Creedence tapes! I stole them from his shitty-ass car!", wouldn't you feel cheated if the teams of detectives that were working on the case didn't look up Facebook and nail my ass for it?

But my point about the stats was that fewer than one in 60,000 users has been investigated. That is less than one percent of one percent of Facebook users. So I suspect that, whilst it would be easy to construct a conspiracy theory around it, the evidence does not seem to support it. The Dude doesn't wear a tinfoil hat.

Like I said in my post: the service is free, so you are not the customer who is being served, you are product that is being sold. If you don't like it that way, remove yourself from Facebook. I don't mean that facetiously nor am I trying to denigrate anyone - it is honest advice, some of the best I have to offer. Along with never try to polish wet shoes.

Quote from: roystonoboogie on June 15, 2013, 07:12:49 PM

Quote from: DigitalBuddha on June 15, 2013, 06:51:48 PM9,000-10,000 requests? That's a lot of murders, dude. Reminds me of the policy of the KBG..."If you're in here (arrested by the KGB), you're guilty, if you're out there, you're a suspect."

But they are not all murders, are they? I used a hypothetical murder as an example where it would be entirely justifiable for the authorities to ask for Facebook data.

If I was to post on Facebook "Ha! Ha! I've got all of that asshole Lebowski's Creedence tapes! I stole them from his shitty-ass car!", wouldn't you feel cheated if the teams of detectives that were working on the case didn't look up Facebook and nail my ass for it?

But my point about the stats was that fewer than one in 60,000 users has been investigated. That is less than one percent of one percent of Facebook users. So I suspect that, whilst it would be easy to construct a conspiracy theory around it, the evidence does not seem to support it. The Dude doesn't wear a tinfoil hat.

Like I said in my post: the service is free, so you are not the customer who is being served, you are product that is being sold. If you don't like it that way, remove yourself from Facebook. I don't mean that facetiously nor am I trying to denigrate anyone - it is honest advice, some of the best I have to offer. Along with never try to polish wet shoes.

I think its important to take note of what Facebook has reported in the light of all the other snooping around the feds have been doing like this...



The US government, with assistance from major telecommunications carriers including AT&T, has engaged in a massive program of illegal dragnet surveillance of domestic communications and communications records of millions of ordinary Americans since at least 2001.

Check out - https://www.eff.org/nsa-spying

This dude seems to have an answer to the problem. I've heard of this being recommended before like when someone called for flooding the channels with the 50 key words. Maybe this is something to be considered.
I posted this link before in here, don't recollect where exactly.

http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/ba0cc80eec/nsa-wiretapping-public-service-announcement