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Comment by londons_explore | Hacker News Reader

They generally believe that nearly everyone living in a western nation will already be in their user database. Ie. your friends will have already uploaded your phone number to them, or you'll already have an account on one of their other products (Whatsapp, Facebook, Instagram).

If you are an adult and they don't have any record of you, then you're probably a fraudster, bot, scammer, or someone else they don't want, so they ban you.

The way to get unbanned is to make sure at least 30 or so friends have your phone number in their contacts list synced to facebook, all with similar names, and then sign up to instagram with that phone number.

I'm guessing you signed up with a burner phone and email address... Well thats not what they want...

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> The way to get unbanned is to make sure at least 30 or so friends have your phone number in their contacts list synced to facebook, all with similar names, and then sign up to instagram with that phone number.

That requires someone with a whole lot more motivation than me. I'll pass.

From their perspective, you're not worth advertising to unless you're "social"

Based on GP, sounds like you had a lucky escape!

I signed up with my primary email address and phone number (non-VOIP, belongs to a carrier). I even have a WhatsApp account (also under Meta's purview) with this phone number.

How 1984 is that ?

Not at all. (Unless you count all distopian scenarios as "1984".)

Seems more "Brazil" to me.

There are many examples floating about of Threads being very paternalistic regarding what opinions are allowed. This instance, however, is just "bad automated system fails basic scenario".

OP never even had a chance to engage in thought crimes.

He's just not worth the ad dollars vs spammer equation

On a scale of what Orwell imagined in the 1940s about the year 1984, 74 years ago?

a 1 out of 10

I can't believe that's true. I have friends who make new accounts all the time for jokes or memes. I don't think they're putting a huge amount of effort into it.

thak you for this explanation (it explains my similar experience with instagram)

"Friends" is a funny word for people who give your contact information to Facebook.

Is that a realistically reasonable thing to judge someone by?

one of my friends? yes.

I cant come up with an explanation why it wouldnt be. On the moral side, its clearly a no go to sell your friends stuff/data. On the practical side, its really hard to argue that you are not aware this is happening. Can you elaborate?

One of them probably installed WhatsApp and added everyone in their contacts to WhatsApp.

When these companies are actively trying to trick their users, can you really blame the users?

They still did not have to click that button. This isnt a get out of jail free card, intention only gets you so far. There is a reason stupidity doesnt protect against punishment. You are expected to pay attention when effecting on other people.

edit: This is a lot like getting signed up for some multilevel marketing scam by a friend. They better be really sorry and you better reevaluate the spare key you gave that stupid person with low self control. Which you should have realized earlier.

Not everyone is as savvy as us and knows of all the consequences. Facebook is exceptional at tricking people. It's their entire business model basically.

I warned everyone in my circles about that before removing WhatsApp prior to their privacy policy changes post FB takeover.

Yes, it's entirely on the people who decided it's OK to share my data with FB.

There are so many people that could have your number.

That one plumber you called that one time, who added your number to their phone could have added everyone in their contact list to WhatsApp.

Maybe you did a favour for someone and helped out their cousin and you gave the cousin your number and never talked to them again.

Maybe you had a friend you lost touch with and their number changed but they kept their address book.

You told absolutely everyone? Are you sure? Absolutely everyone and stressed to them how important this was to them?

Worse, are these replies which completely lack empathy. Such a lack of imagination as to how your number could leak. And a tone as if no one has anything else going on in their lives or more important things to do.

You do realize this is pure diffusion of responsibility? Something you can paraphrase as "It could have been anyone" is not an argument for this not to be wrong. I also believe the lack of empathy comment to be uncalled for. You not valuing your personal data doesnt give you the right to disregard mine. Especially with a friend, those dont profit off each other because of a personal disregard for the cost.

Its something worth considering, seeing as it has been two days and unsurprisingly nobody could come up with an actual justification for such behavior.

Facebook reifying “friends” into a consumer product they own and control is for sure one of the more socially alienating and consumer controlling behavior one can expect a giant monopolistic company like this would do in the age of late stage capitalism.

It wasn’t the over controlling socialist government of Ingsoc in a one party state which managed to change our thought by makinging 2+2=5, but rather a social media company Bourgeoisie in a highly corporatocratic government which fulfilled this newspeak.

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