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Thread: Your Data Is Being Collected

  1. #16
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jim Koepke View Post
    While searching through various information on this one link led to another and this one came up > http://www.offbeatoregon.com/o1109c-...-for-wife.html

    jtk
    Neat story!

  2. #17
    Quote Originally Posted by Jim Koepke View Post
    Reading today’s paper has me thinking of unplugging my computers and becoming a ‘Sofa Spud.’ It all started while reading about the hack of a web site hosting company. Following links to "related articles" got me wondering, What's Going On?

    Then there was this > https://www.washingtonpost.com/techn...rprinting-you/

    And this > https://www.washingtonpost.com/techn...s-time-switch/

    And this > https://www.washingtonpost.com/techn...is-whole-time/

    Not only that these articles have links to other articles about how “our data” is being collected and used by others to impress their will upon our lives.

    At least a few states are following California’s lead and legislating to make it possible to get out of the grip of “data collectors” and there nefarious intentions.

    jtk

    I once used my office computer to look up some things on the internet. The next day On my home computer, a list of people I might know to become "friends with" on facebook, included people I had sued for clients over the years. Mining my computer files for people's ID's was way beyond cool. I now have a new office computer and never use it to go on the internet.

  3. #18
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jeff Roltgen View Post
    So many popups on the first link, I could hardly read it! How hysterically ironic!

    I agree - seems many of us, over age 50 in my case, who grew into the internet, smart phones and all manner of new electronics quite enthusiastically for several decades are now watching the whole thing turning into a garbage hole. Seems a majority of us are not able to see past the wool of "convenience" being traded off for a very ugly invasion of privacy and flat out manipulation.

    Thank goodness there's a few places, such as Sawmill Creek, that are still used for basically what the internet was intended for in the first place:
    Connection with those who's experiences and knowledge serve to run a business or in this case, help a group of random people, for no other reason than good companionship and a general sense of decency and camaraderie.
    This is the American Spirit I embrace, and thanks to all who keep the few great places like this forum alive and well!
    Exactly... I'm in my 60's, very much a techie, and give me the days of the early wild wild west Internet, nothing censored, Usenet free with your email client, and none of this security crap-just simple passwords without having my most hated thing: two step authentication. Pain in the balls.
    Now to be honest I'm getting sick of it except this and various other forums. Takes longer to sign into sites now than it does to do your task. Except for the forums and the usual haunts looking for old radios, vintage tools, and paying bills, I don't use it like I did even a couple years ago.

  4. #19
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    Quote Originally Posted by Doug Garson View Post
    I hear lots of talk about this topic, everyone is worried about their data being collected. Other than annoying ads popping up based on their search history, has anyone actually been harmed by this data collection? Maybe big brother is watching or more likely big business, but what data are you afraid they will find?
    I'm not certain this happened - I think it did. Do you suppose that German and Polish Jews in the 19th - early 20th century thought twice when registering a newborn, declaring the religion/ethnicity? Think those records were useful to the ethnic cleansing squads that followed the German army? This to me is a reason to limit collection of personal data. At least make 'em work for it. Collected data may not be used for anything as bad as who to kill but it could be used for things like who to employ, we want people that think like us after all. Or who gets what kind of medical treatment.
    Last edited by Curt Harms; 09-28-2021 at 9:59 AM.

  5. #20
    The "what have you got to hide?" question falls on deaf ears for those of us who firmly believe in our right to privacy.*
    As this question is posed, it can be interpreted as an accusation - an attempt to hang a badge of presumed guilt on the one being questioned.

    But, in the interest of being completely thorough, I will answer that question: "absolutely nothing to hide here, I just value my dignity"



    *Read the 4th amendment to the constitution to find out where we get this idea.

  6. #21
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    If this bothers you then what the Democrats (not trying to be political) are trying to do with making banks report to the IRS any transaction over $600 should scare you. Most people make more than that a week. Once one agency has the information it's much easier for another to get it vs going to court to force a bank to turn it over. Information is power. Those who know how to use it will sooner or later abuse it.

  7. #22
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    Quote Originally Posted by Curt Harms View Post
    I'm not certain this happened - I think it did. Do you suppose that German and Polish Jews in the 19th - early 20th century thought twice when registering a newborn, declaring the religion/ethnicity? Think those records were useful to the ethnic cleansing squads that followed the German army? This to me is a reason to limit collection of personal data. At least make 'em work for it. Collected data may not be used for anything as bad as who to kill but it could be used for things like who to employ, we want people that think like us after all. Or who gets what kind of medical treatment.
    Not sure I see the link between second World war era atrocities and current day data collection. So far I haven't heard any example of someone being harmed by the data collection, just hypothetical suggestions of what might happen. I'm not suggesting it can't happen, just wondering if anyone has an example of it actually happening.

  8. #23
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    If this bothers you then what the Democrats (not trying to be political) are trying to do with making banks report to the IRS any transaction over $600 should scare you. Most people make more than that a week.
    Currently if you have earnings it is reported to the IRS for withholding purposes. In my years of employment one thing learned is bureaucracies love paperwork. The more paperwork the more people to handle it, guaranteed employment for life.

    Quote Originally Posted by Doug Garson View Post
    Not sure I see the link between second World war era atrocities and current day data collection. So far I haven't heard any example of someone being harmed by the data collection, just hypothetical suggestions of what might happen. I'm not suggesting it can't happen, just wondering if anyone has an example of it actually happening.
    Does data end where stupidity begins?

    You haven't heard of people loosing their jobs over social media accounts?

    There have been problems with facial recognition systems causing problems for people with no connection to the incident for which they were arrested and held.

    Incorrect data in one's credit report has cost some folks problems with potential employers.

    jtk
    "A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty."
    - Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965)

  9. #24
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    I'm always a bit bemused by people who expect Google to give them information for free (or at least track it down for them), and then complain when Google does something with the incidental information it gathers in the process.

    The key phrase in all of this is "expectation of privacy", and for 99.9999% of the Internet, no such thing exists.
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  10. #25
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jim Koepke View Post
    Currently if you have earnings it is reported to the IRS for withholding purposes. In my years of employment one thing learned is bureaucracies love paperwork. The more paperwork the more people to handle it, guaranteed employment for life.



    Does data end where stupidity begins?

    You haven't heard of people loosing their jobs over social media accounts?

    There have been problems with facial recognition systems causing problems for people with no connection to the incident for which they were arrested and held.

    Incorrect data in one's credit report has cost some folks problems with potential employers.

    jtk
    I have heard of people losing jobs because of what they publicly posted on social media, what's that got to do with data collection? Isn't that just making people accountable for their actions?

  11. #26
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    Quote Originally Posted by Lee DeRaud View Post
    I'm always a bit bemused by people who expect Google to give them information for free (or at least track it down for them), and then complain when Google does something with the incidental information it gathers in the process.

    The key phrase in all of this is "expectation of privacy", and for 99.9999% of the Internet, no such thing exists.
    Good point. I bet if there was a premium version of Google where you paid for the service in return for complete privacy that most of the people that complain about Google snooping on them wouldn't pay the premium.

  12. #27
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    Quote Originally Posted by Doug Garson View Post
    Not sure I see the link between second World war era atrocities and current day data collection. So far I haven't heard any example of someone being harmed by the data collection, just hypothetical suggestions of what might happen. I'm not suggesting it can't happen, just wondering if anyone has an example of it actually happening.
    Once data is in a database, there's no assurance of how it may be used in the future. Better to keep data out of databases where practical and legal.

  13. #28
    Does a VPN counter this?

  14. #29
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    Quote Originally Posted by Doug Garson View Post
    I have heard of people losing jobs because of what they publicly posted on social media, what's that got to do with data collection? Isn't that just making people accountable for their actions?
    One of the side effects of data collection is everything becomes data. A comment made in response to an article published online can end up in your data files.

    Something foolish posted online has not only led to the arrest of many people, data miners have probably included it in their individual data files.

    Those ones and zeros can paint you as one thing or another which may or may not fit into the mold of a potential employer or private club.

    The crude data mining of today often gives me a clue as to what my wife has been shopping for online via the ads displayed when reading news articles and such.

    We are living in a strange new world…

    jtk
    "A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty."
    - Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965)

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