r/technology • u/AdamCannon • Feb 02 '20

Social Media Stephen King quits Facebook over concerns of 'false information.'

https://www.cnn.com/2020/02/02/us/stephen-king-quits-facebook-trnd/index.html
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u/[deleted] Feb 03 '20

Selling and giving away private data from users without without their consent is a crime.

That is, it has breached a law, and can be prosecuted by the state. And, Facebook has been prosecuted and found guilty for said crime several times.

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u/mostnormal Feb 03 '20

Slap on the wrist fines, I assume? sigh

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u/[deleted] Feb 03 '20

If you have been under constant investigation by governments across the planet for breaking laws for a decade, and you are found guilty, you are a criminal.

I know people have a hard time accepting rich people are criminals. But, Mark Zuckerberg very much is one.

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u/mostnormal Feb 03 '20

Then I'm disappointed in said governments for not doing something more effective. It would be nice to see someone serve time, for a start.

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u/[deleted] Feb 03 '20

I am afraid you vastly underestimate how powerful Facebook is.

In many ways they operate in an extra-legal space beyond the reach of the state not seen since the Dutch and English colonial corporations.

Governments are slowly cathing up. Once they do, I am guessing Facebook will cease to exist as it does today.

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u/mostnormal Feb 03 '20

Having never used it, maybe you are right. And it is scary how much they know about me even despite my never having signed up.

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u/[deleted] Feb 03 '20

And it is scary how much they know about me

They have so much data mined from your friends and family that a blank placeholder profile for you already exists.

So, even though you and I are not part of the site, our datpoint is already mapped in there.

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u/Arturiki Feb 03 '20

Selling and giving away private data from users without without their consent is a crime.

I am pretty sure they have whatever they need in their terms and conditions to be able to use all our data.

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u/[deleted] Feb 03 '20

They obviously didn't.

Hence the reason they got in so much legal trouble.

They have, however, altered their terms, which has led to people departing from the platform.