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Facebook is a CIA Databank

November 12, 2011


facebook-big-brother.jpg

Remember when Mark Zuckerberg called his users ''dumb f****''?





by Sandeep Parwaga
(henrymakow.com)


In my Feb. 16 article ''Facebook & Google are CIA Fronts,'' I argued  that Facebook and Google data mine information about you. This is now public knowledge.

 

The Associated Press reported November 4 that the CIA has an entire center dedicated to monitoring Facebook and Twitter.  They also monitor TV stations and print newspapers [2] and [3].

"The Open Source Center," established in 2005 by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence [4], has been operating since the 9/11 Commission's  call for foreign counterintelligence.

Though the CIA claims it only monitors foreign activity, I am skeptical. Not only been the CIA been using proxies, but has devoted an entire center for that operation.

Facebook A Privacy-Eroding Network, Not Social Network

Remember when Mark Zuckerberg called his users ''dumb f****''? [5] If that is not a clear sign of the disdain for the Facebook users, consider these new disturbing facts.

Nik Cubrilovic, an entrepreneur, hacker and writer, revealed that Facebook tracked and stored the Internet browsing of its 750 million users even after they had left the site.  [7]

This blog story gained mainstream attention and Facebook conceded it had  happened, but denied it was intentional and used for tracking.

In my last article, I mentioned that you should avoid clicking on trivial buttons on Facebook, for example the ''Likes'', because I assumed there was something shady about it.

I discovered recently that when you click on any Like button, you are opening yourself up to being tracked by Facebook. [8]

When Zuckerberg announced the ''Like system'' during a conference (called F8) in 2010 promoting it to make the web more ''social'' and ''smarter'', cnet.com reported '' What Zuckerberg didn't point out is that widespread use of the Like button allows Facebook to track people as they switch from CNN.com to Yelp.com to ESPN.com, all of which are sites that have said they will implement the feature.'' [8] 

According to the article, ''Even if someone is not a Facebook user or is not logged in, Facebook's social plug-ins collect the address of the Web page being visited and the Internet address of the visitor as soon as the page is loaded--clicking on the Like button is not required. If enough sites participate, that permits Facebook to assemble a vast amount of data about Internet users' browsing habits.'' [8]

So for example, if you visit CNN.com, ''the Like system'' is able to track your move on that site simply because CNN.com is part of that system. If you then go to ESPN.com you are still being tracked by the Facebook plug-ins, so you don't really need to be a user of Facebook.

Another interesting issue I have discovered was the so called ''cloud computing''. Cloud computing refers to '' the delivery of computing as a service rather than a product, whereby shared resources, software, and information are provided to computers and other devices as a utility (like the electricity grid) over a network (typically the Internet).'' [9]

In an article from the Wall Street Journal, Bruce Schneier reports that cloud computing ''Is one of the fastest growing IT market segments -- 69% of Americans now use some sort of cloud computing services - '' [10] Facebook also uses this cloud computing system. [11]

Mr. Schneier links articles that outline the fact that the cloud computing system is anything but secure and private. According to Mr. Schneier, Google's Terms of Service ''explicitly disavow any warranty or any liability for harm that might result from Google's negligence, recklessness, malevolent intent, or even purposeful disregard of existing legal obligations to protect the privacy and security of user data.'' [10]

Facebook does exactly the same through its Statement of Principles and Statement of Rights and Responsibilities. Apple has also launched the cloud computing system recently.

If you thought that was enough, check this out. Facebook has started a system that can recognize faces so it makes it easier for ''friends'' to tag you. There is not much to say about this, except that it is a very creepy technology. This system has gained funding from the government to track so called ''terrorists''. Now Facebook does that for the government as well. [12]
 
CONCLUSION

If we think about it, Facebook is nothing but a big Orwellian spy grid. All Facebook's offerings ultimately lead to being tracked. A few months ago I decided to ''delete'' my Facebook account for good. Besides all the Orwellian reasons I ''deleted'' my account, I also considered Mark Dice's Youtube clip ''Defriend Day''. [13]

Dice aays that people's homes got robbed when they post a vacation status or kids got busted for underage drinking. [14] and [15]

The Open Source Center director admits that overseas individuals are being monitored [3] which I suspect is only half the truth. Let's not forget the tremendous amount of lies that have come from the establishment in the past years regarding monitoring and privacy.

For example, it was well known that the FISA law (Foreign Intelligence Service Act) not only spied on foreigners, but on domestic citizens as well. [16]

If you have any concern for your privacy, I would recommend what I recommended before:  1) Try to keep a low profile. 2) Don't reveal anything personal or don't click on trivial buttons, for example the ''Likes'' 3) Use alternatives to make contact if you can, e.g. email or other messengers. 4) Get rid off it for good.

----
 
[1] http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2010/07/exclusive-google-cia/
[2] http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory/ap-exclusive-cia-twitter-facebook-14878904#.TrdNCtRfauI
[3] http://idealab.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/11/the-cia-is-following-twitter-facebook.php
[4] https://www.cia.gov/news-information/press-releases-statements/press-release-archive-2005/pr11082005.html
[5] http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2010/09/20/100920fa_fact_vargas?currentPage=all
[6] http://nikcub.appspot.com/logging-out-of-facebook-is-not-enough
[7] http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2042573/Facebook-privacy-row-Social-network-giant-admits-bugs.html
[8] http://news.cnet.com/8301-13578_3-20006532-38.html
[9] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cloud_computing
[10] http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123997522418329223.html
[11] http://gigaom.com/cloud/facebook-data-growth-data-center/
[12] http://threatpost.com/en_us/blogs/how-facebook-and-facial-recognition-are-creating-minority-report-style-privacy-meltdown-080511
[13] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NBrfgSiJew4
[14] http://privacy.org/archives/003873.html
[15] http://www.switched.com/2009/11/21/facebook-photos-lead-to-underage-drinking-fines/
[16] http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/16/us/16nsa.html?pagewanted=all



 
Sandeep Parwaga is 23 yr old Indian who studies in the UK



Scruples - the game of moral dillemas

Comments for "Facebook is a CIA Databank "

Ellen said (November 13, 2011):

I think the author missed a really obvious precaution: When you sign out of Facebook, or other social sites, run something like CCleaner, and clean out all the cookies and junk that they deposit into your computer. They cannot track you, if their cookies are gone.

Also, keep pictures and mentions of your family to a minimum. If someone wants to discuss those topics, ask them to e-mail you, and keep the information totally off FB.


RICHARD said (November 13, 2011):

Sandeep, I too share your thoughts on FaceBook and similar applicaions.

Reports having being leaking out for years to backup the claim that the major networks want full access to all data -phone , web, im, tweet, etc.

This case below is from 2003 , whereby a technician was asked to route ALL data to was being funneled to a " Y" switch ; of which one end of went into what was described as a 'secret ' room . The company (AT&T) was receiving a copy of all the data - and was free to data-mine , spy , etc. All that data but what to do with it ...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x882205

While fB it masquerades as a sort of cyber concierge, in 'putting old friends together and sharing one's "status" and pictures, political viewpoints, favorite music.

On the obverse -it serves as a means of locating 'alpha' types right at your fingertips. Or you could shop for a nice 'patsy' . Better fB provides connectivity between people and causes , or people and groups, the lone wolf who hates the government/ corporation

Facebook and similar applications are ready made research templates, which can be used cleverly by the malevolent to wreak havoc


Dan said (November 13, 2011):

"Zuckerberg Says The Age of Privacy is Over".
Who cares what Zuckerberg says? People shouldn't be 'Zuckered' into submitting 'social networking'.

CIA front corporations are run by front men. Zuckerberg was tapped at Harvard to play the role of the latest wunderkind who became an overnight sensation and multimillionaire. It's Hollywood, not reality. Hollywood was tapped to complete the illusion that 'Social Networking' is a natural grass roots cultural phenomenon rather than the Globalist's military intelligence operation it is.

Two top Hollywood culture creation magicians were tapped to make the Zuckerberg myth realer than real. David Fincher and Aaron Sorkin's movie The Social Network portrays Zuckerberg as a genius who used code to "bridge the gap between his party and personal life with his business life."

'Gap' between party and personal life and business life?' Smart grownups call that 'setting boundaries'.

I'm less concerned about Facebooks CIA data collection than the social engineering of public perception of privacy. We are being acculturated to the Chinese mindset.

Here's a review of that rubbish movie,
The Social Network, Or Why I Quit Facebook
By Karina Longworth Thu., Dec. 23 2010
http://blogs.laweekly.com/stylecouncil/2010/12/the_social_network_or_why_i_qu_1.php

Don't bother watching or paying for Hollywood's Facebook brainwashing. This is better.
Facebook Fever! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KV4PNwpqsCc

In real life, Zuckerberg calls Facebook users ''dumb f****'' - suckers - because the people who own and run media and communications know the obvious -- business and pleasure don't mix well.

HARVARD BUSINESS REVIEW
http://hbr.org/tip?date=061011
June 10, 2011
BUSINESS AND PLEASURE DON'T MIX



Cliff Shack said (November 12, 2011):

There aren't enough judges, courts and prisons to accommodate a successful dragnet using Facebook and Google. At best the very notion only serves to spread some healthy paranoia among the would-be creeps of the world.


Henry Makow received his Ph.D. in English Literature from the University of Toronto in 1982. He welcomes your comments at