Comment by drewmol | Hacker News Reader

Comment by drewmol | Hacker News Reader

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>what more is there to ask?

(1) Make an ernest attempt to use ML, algorithms to identify their customers who are using those leaked datasets Facebook negligently exposed and help devalue the data, instead of eagerly selling them targeted advertising services? I don't know if they did this, but it sure seems doubtful.

(2) Quickly and openly disclose the extent of the leaked data

(3) Stop using manipulative and deliberately opaque TOS to enable ever more data collection

I'm not being sarcastic or insincere, this is my honest opinion of that they could have done. I am continually surprised at how many people making $$$ in ad-tech/PII data mining and brokering seem niave to the fact that this type of behavior would inevitably result in exponential growth of user outrage

> (1) Make an ernest attempt to use ML, algorithms to identify their customers who are using those leaked datasets Facebook negligently exposed and help devalue the data, instead of eagerly selling them targeted advertising services? I don't know if they did this, but it sure seems doubtful.

How could they do that? The cat is out of the bag and FB aren't going to have any knowledge about where that data is now. Have there been reports of it getting out from CA?

> (2) Quickly and openly disclose the extent of the leaked data

I think some caution is a good idea, they don't want to get the numbers wrong - although they are making steps in the right direction with the message to 87 million on their news feeds.

True, it's not easy to do, and maybe it's not feasable to determine who is using the data. I don't know, maybe someone from Facebook will chime in on the issue, or leak some more info about company behavior.

>I think some caution is a good idea, they don't want to get the numbers wrong - although they are making steps in the right direction with the message to 87 million on their news feeds.

Totally agree with the second part, but ~4 years (only divulging the info when forced to during PR damage control mode) is well past being cautious. It's being cautious with the amount of damage the disclosure does to your profits, Equifax doesn't even wait that long.

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