Facebook Scans the Photos and Links You Send on Messenger

GURPS

INGSOC
PREMO Member
Facebook said Wednesday that it believes most of its users who had a specific search function enabled have had their profile data scraped by third parties.

"We've seen some scraping," CEO Mark Zuckerberg said on a call with reporters. "I would assume if you had that setting turned on that someone at some point has access to your public information in some way," he said.

The setting Zuckerberg referred to is one where users let other users search for them by e-mail address or phone number instead of by name.

Zuckerberg says most Facebook users should assume they have had their public info scraped


:cds:

OMG Horrors ... run for the hills, #deleteFacebook


Facebook Scans the Photos and Links You Send on Messenger


The company told Bloomberg that while Messenger conversations are private, Facebook scans them and uses the same tools to prevent abuse there that it does on the social network more generally. All content must abide by the same "community standards." People can report posts or messages for violating those standards, which would prompt a review by the company’s “community operations” team. Automated tools can also do the work.

“For example, on Messenger, when you send a photo, our automated systems scan it using photo matching technology to detect known child exploitation imagery or when you send a link, we scan it for malware or viruses,” a Facebook Messenger spokeswoman said in a statement. “Facebook designed these automated tools so we can rapidly stop abusive behavior on our platform.”

Messenger used to be part of Facebook’s main service, before it was spun off into a separate application in 2014. Facebook’s other major chat app, WhatsApp, encrypts both ends of its users’ communications, so that not even WhatsApp can see it -- a fact that’s made it more secure for users, and more difficult for lawmakers wanting information in investigations. Messenger also has an encrypted option, but users have to turn it on.

The company updated its data policy and proposed new terms of service on Wednesday to clarify that Messenger and Instagram use the same rules as Facebook. “We better explain how we combat abuse and investigate suspicious activity, including by analyzing the content people share,” Facebook said in a blog post.
 

vraiblonde

Board Mommy
PREMO Member
Patron
I typically presume that any information I post in public is...public. I also presume that when you use a company's free messenger service, a lack of privacy goes along with the territory.

I am totally okay with FB or any other social media service taking steps so as not to be used to facilitate commission of a crime. You only think they care about you sexting your neighbor lady - they don't. What they are looking for is terrorist activity and other criminal enterprises. You can't hardly blame FB for not wanting their service used by pedos exchanging pics and practices.

But the OP is talking about two different things: one is third parties scraping your profile, friends list, etc; the other is FB monitoring its system and users. Neither of those are alarming to me.
 

shawnyadav

New Member
At present, the only way to protect to truly protect your privacy online is to switch to a dumb phone. I don't see no other way for the moment you come online is when everyone will start to "scrap" your data so just get used to it.
 
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