Facebook

[RygarR]

Evening Chaps,

Hopefully, not everyone has decided to leave the hobby! Personally, I've been trying to level-up, or something.

Seriously, the forums are great, but I came to the conclusion that I'd been missing out on a lot by steadfastly refusing to sign up to Facebook. I was actually an early adopter, but dropped out getting on for 10 years back after getting tired of the always-on banality, intrusion and sniping.

Recently, however, I decided to get back into it on a limited basis, to keep abreast of retro gaming stuff. So, I got a new account, and signed up for Vectrex Users Unite. Woohoo! Then a day or two later, I had a quick look on another device through a VPN, leading to Facebook suspecting I'm someone else and locking my account!

To make things even more interesting, they're now saying that to regain access, it's not just a case of changing the password, or answering security questions. They reckon I need to upload photo ID (acceptable ID includes membership card for a religious society!). This seems weird to me. I didn't have to provide any ID to sign up in the first place. And they have no photo of me anyway. So how would they know if the uploaded photo was actually me? I'm not sure I want Facebook to have this info. Might have to Jack it in again.

Anyone else had this?

 

[big10p]

I tried to sign up a few years back and they wanted me to upload a photo. No chance of me doing that, so I canned the idea of joining. I caved a few weeks ago and signed up, purely to get access to certain groups. Wasn't asked for a photo this time.

 

[RygarR]

Yeah that's the strange thing. I didn't need a photo to sign up either. But then they locked the account and want a photo to unlock it. Can't see how a photo will help them check it's me. Unless they're remotely accessing phone cameras now, and can use them to check in real time?!

 

[_Matt_]

Yeah me too. I signed up years ago but I've never really liked the idea of it so I never went on until maybe the last few months, as like you I didnt want to miss out and there are some people who only use Facebook. I've still only ever posted around 3 times though.

If they ask for photo id or anything like that though they can feck off!

 

[_Matt_]

Unless they're remotely accessing phone cameras now, and can use them to check in real time?!

Yeah we've probably agreed to that without knowing

 

[RygarR]

Unless they're remotely accessing phone cameras now, and can use them to check in real time?!

Yeah we've probably agreed to that without knowing

No doubt

 

[lix]

They're really knuckling down on their data harvesting now I've noticed. I've always known since setting up an account back in 2007 that it's all for their benefit but now I think they're taking the Michael.

I tried removing my home town the other day, changing it to something random, Facebook wouldn't allow me to type anything I wanted like a fictional place or whatever, it had to be an existing and recognised location. The text box basically refused to take any text until you entered something legit. After I tried entering several different things it eventually autocompleted to Edinburgh.

Next day I'm getting adverts on websites related to services in Edinburgh, so I changed my home town to a far away place and suddenly a message pops up asking me if I'm sure this is my current location, because I guess they know otherwise by IP address and GPS.

It's starting to get a bit too 'in your face' and big brother now, so I've cut down my use to basically just reading the UKVAC page. To be honest though, I'm considering dropping that too. I think facebook is far past peak now.

 

[agent4125]

I hate facebook. I have to use it (and ONLY use it) for all the groups like ukvac, williams unite, vector xy, arcade repros, coinopwarehouse, vectrex etc... but I have all my friends and family hidden on my feed LOL. When I signed up I put random data in like I live in New Zealand and I am the CEO of NASA etc.

Seems I started getting ads for things I've mentioned in conversation but never searched for. It's listening to me through my phone I swear it!!! My other half has had the same!

 

[Bensonrad]

I do detest Facebook, but sadly a lot of my hobby info or groups are very active on there, so a lot of it is about me keeping up to date, so have to use it, thankfully virtually nothing in my profile is me though, haha, its just a data mining platform, I refuse to sign up to things like Alexa, Siri, Echo or use Skype, facetime etc, I won't be profiled!! I much prefer forums, kinda wish things like Vectrex fans unite! was a forum itself.

 

[strykr]

They're really knuckling down on their data harvesting now I've noticed. I've always known since setting up an account back in 2007 that it's all for their benefit but now I think they're taking the Michael.

I tried removing my home town the other day, changing it to something random, Facebook wouldn't allow me to type anything I wanted like a fictional place or whatever, it had to be an existing and recognised location. The text box basically refused to take any text until you entered something legit. After I tried entering several different things it eventually autocompleted to Edinburgh.

Next day I'm getting adverts on websites related to services in Edinburgh, so I changed my home town to a far away place and suddenly a message pops up asking me if I'm sure this is my current location, because I guess they know otherwise by IP address and GPS.

It's starting to get a bit too 'in your face' and big brother now, so I've cut down my use to basically just reading the UKVAC page. To be honest though, I'm considering dropping that too. I think facebook is far past peak now.

That can be applied to google too tho. Its all a big advertising push.

 

[thesharkfactor]

I don’t use it, need it or miss it. Neither do you...

 

[RygarR]

I don’t use it, need it or miss it. Neither do you...

I didn't miss it, and I don't need it for most things, but there's some retro stuff that's difficult to get hold of if you're not on it...

... however, if Facebook insist on demanding photo ID to get back on, I guess I won't be going back.

 

[RygarR]

I hate facebook. I have to use it (and ONLY use it) for all the groups like ukvac, williams unite, vector xy, arcade repros, coinopwarehouse, vectrex etc... but I have all my friends and family hidden on my feed LOL. When I signed up I put random data in like I live in New Zealand and I am the CEO of NASA etc.

Seems I started getting ads for things I've mentioned in conversation but never searched for. It's listening to me through my phone I swear it!!! My other half has had the same!

About a year ago, I met up with a friend of mine for a coffee and a chat. This guy's a social media nut. First thing he did was tell me about ads popping up on his Facebook feed for things he'd never searched but had talked about with his missus. We did an experiment. He switched his phone on and I said a random word a few time. It was 'slipper'. One coffee and chat later, we had another look at his facebook feed, and lo-and-behold, adverts for slippers. True story.

I'm wondering if my account got locked because I accessed it on a phone, but not through the app. I'd be surprised if some of the app permissions don't include 'always listening', and probably 'always watching', as well as always regular data harvesting...

 

[andyman]

That can be applied to google too tho. Its all a big advertising push.

Is it not Alphabet now...

I too am not myself on FB, along with a friend we both got the prove your identity with a photo BS...I sent back a pic of my middle finger...it was accepted

 

[ZedEx48K]

They have been doing the photo thing for a while now on a few platforms they own, tried to force me to do it on Instagram, they locked the account as soon as I had joined, then on digging found this.

Funny part is I said no and forced them to delete my info, created an account with no hassle then.....

 

[dj_yt]

I fully deleted my entire FB account over 2 years ago. Bizarrely I found not having FB made me sociable, as I started reaching out to people more!

I found the signal to noise ratio on FB really bad.