Hacker News Reader

Comment by jimmaswell | Hacker News Reader

Why should you "own" data that happens to be about you? If someone writes on a piece of paper that they saw you on a street at some time, should the paper now be your property? Going further, if we had the technology to selectively erase memories, do you think someone should have the right to have other people's memories erased pertaining to them?

I just can't get behind this premise at all. Nothing is being taken from you when Facebook makes a shadow profile and you don't have any copyright or other intellectual property rights over your name, the fact that you went to x high school, the fact that you lived in town y, etc.

View on HN

> Why should you "own" data that happens to be about you?

We are on a rock hurling through space at millions(?) of miles per hour, depending on your frame of reference. We literally write our own laws, in order to shape our destiny as we see fit. Or, we used to anyways.

An entity like Facebook having so much data on such a large portion of the population (not just US citizens, but citizens of the entire planet) merged with the increasing power of big data algorithms and understanding of human psychology is a very dangerous tool of persuasion.

Personally, I happen to believe that the reason this risk is suddenly getting so much "public support" is because politicians have come to a bi-partisan realization that having an independent entity with this much propaganda power is dangerous - the bi-partisan aspect is interesting as I think it's fair to say silicon valley "leans left" and would tend to be more favorable to democrats, but the last election demonstrated the risk inherent in that stance. Hence, a "spontaneous" flood of newspaper and TV articles with the subsequent (in my opinion, would be interested to hear disagreements on the chicken and egg aspect of it) awakening of "public outrage".

> Nothing is being taken from you when Facebook makes a shadow profile

Something is clearly being taken. The fact that it's being assembled without my consent is disturbing, the fact that FB has repeatedly been reckless with securing that data is even more worrisome.

Your privacy (and possibly safety) is being taken. If a burglar can use exfiltrated FB data to know when I'm vacationing, it's information that makes me less secure.

If insurance companies think I'm at a higher risk for expensive treatments, I may be denied or forced to pay a higher premium (perhaps without knowing why).

Let's try a different tack than ownership: it can be seen as stalking.

So you are ok with me having a picture of your children naked on my CDN ? Or you having sex with your wife ? I shadowed it by using the camera on your phone, you gave permissions without reading.

Appeal to Extremes? In a society where we interact with other people we are okay with some information about us being 'out there'. I am okay with you knowing my school, but not that I am uncircumcised.

Edit: Not that I am with OP on shadow profiles or what Facebook is doing. I think it is okay to use people's data for advertisements and other monetary benefit but you should tell that clearly to people and it should be a big opt-in decision point with lots of information provided. I just wanted to point out that your argument is a fallacious argument.

Yes but where do you draw the line ? Fb would cross mine, and it's why i never had an account.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com