Gerowen Posted January 25, 2015 Share Posted January 25, 2015 There is a way to prevent this from happening. It also makes your internets a lot cleaner in effect and you will be happy because it will also free up some of your time. You will need to add this to your hosts file: # Zuckerberg 127.0.0.1 www.facebook.com 127.0.0.1 facebook.com 127.0.0.1 static.ak.fbcdn.net 127.0.0.1 www.static.ak.fbcdn.net 127.0.0.1 login.facebook.com 127.0.0.1 www.login.facebook.com 127.0.0.1 fbcdn.net 127.0.0.1 www.fbcdn.net 127.0.0.1 fbcdn.com 127.0.0.1 www.fbcdn.com 127.0.0.1 static.ak.connect.facebook.com 127.0.0.1 www.static.ak.connect.facebook.com In other words, don't go to Facebook, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dragontology Posted January 25, 2015 Share Posted January 25, 2015 What on earth is this nonsense and why is it posted here? Got you worried, did it? It's actually not nonsense; though, since it was a decade ago, the information might be outdated, and thus incorrect now. But it was wholly true then, when it happened. As for why it's posted here, it's relevant because it's another (sort of) social network that is fully capable of reading private conversations. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
n_K Posted January 25, 2015 Share Posted January 25, 2015 Got you worried, did it? It's actually not nonsense; though, since it was a decade ago, the information might be outdated, and thus incorrect now. But it was wholly true then, when it happened. As for why it's posted here, it's relevant because it's another (sort of) social network that is fully capable of reading private conversations. It didn't though. Not to mention that invision was distributed in clear PHP form - if there was a remote access for them not only would everyone remove it, but anyone would be able to exploit it. What you posted was mostly nonsense. Invision is under absolutely no legal binding to remove content from any websites that use it's software, it's against the law. That's like a stationary shop selling paper being allowed to break your door down and trash your house looking a piece of paper you wrote on saying 'I hate <insert something here> because <insert something here>'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LUTZIFER Posted January 25, 2015 Share Posted January 25, 2015 No. Don't be so paranoid. You can take off your tinfoil hat now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gerowen Posted January 25, 2015 Share Posted January 25, 2015 No. Don't be so paranoid. You can take off your tinfoil hat now. It's generally not a good idea to make fun of people for being a little bit paranoid. The actions of our very own governments, let alone private corporations, have proven throughout history that a certain level of paranoia is a good thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dragontology Posted January 25, 2015 Share Posted January 25, 2015 It didn't though. Not to mention that invision was distributed in clear PHP form - if there was a remote access for them not only would everyone remove it, but anyone would be able to exploit it. What you posted was mostly nonsense. Invision is under absolutely no legal binding to remove content from any websites that use it's software, it's against the law. That's like a stationary shop selling paper being allowed to break your door down and trash your house looking a piece of paper you wrote on saying 'I hate <insert something here> because <insert something here>'. Okay, it just seemed like you were. Or trolling, but I wanted to give you the benefit of the doubt. But it did happen, regardless of what the law says. Maybe the owner could have taken some action, maybe not, but they did seize control of this guy's board for that reason given. This drama played out on Invision's company forums, and as for clear PHP, I remember at one point they were talking about some kind of compiled, encrypted format that customers couldn't see the code to, and thus couldn't use mods. This guy got his before that happened, and they probably stopped doing that. Anyway, you may be right, but it doesn't change what actually happened, so it's foolish at best to try to rewrite history a decade later. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
n_K Posted January 25, 2015 Share Posted January 25, 2015 Okay, it just seemed like you were. Or trolling, but I wanted to give you the benefit of the doubt. But it did happen, regardless of what the law says. Maybe the owner could have taken some action, maybe not, but they did seize control of this guy's board for that reason given. This drama played out on Invision's company forums, and as for clear PHP, I remember at one point they were talking about some kind of compiled, encrypted format that customers couldn't see the code to, and thus couldn't use mods. This guy got his before that happened, and they probably stopped doing that. Anyway, you may be right, but it doesn't change what actually happened, so it's foolish at best to try to rewrite history a decade later. I've just spent 5 minutes searching for any shred of evidence to suggest this - there is none. Absolutely none. The encrypted form was with trial releases to stop people patching the time limited trial versions to full versions - paying customers got the (and still get) the full source code. Ian W 1 Share Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dragontology Posted January 26, 2015 Share Posted January 26, 2015 Well, it happened... it played out in their company forum, and they weren't too happy about it playing out in public. I wouldn't be surprised if the thread was deleted after the matter was resolved. The guy agreed to remove the thread, and they returned access to him as administrator. Who knows. Maybe it didn't happen very often. Just because you can't find something that happened a decade ago, doesn't mean it didn't happen. And yet it's funny, young people are being told that anything they put online is there permanently. But that isn't the case, is it? The potential for permanent record is there, but not the certainty. Especially when things put on the Internet aren't carved in stone, and delete and edit buttons exist... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
n_K Posted January 26, 2015 Share Posted January 26, 2015 Well, it happened... it played out in their company forum, and they weren't too happy about it playing out in public. I wouldn't be surprised if the thread was deleted after the matter was resolved. The guy agreed to remove the thread, and they returned access to him as administrator. Who knows. Maybe it didn't happen very often. Just because you can't find something that happened a decade ago, doesn't mean it didn't happen. And yet it's funny, young people are being told that anything they put online is there permanently. But that isn't the case, is it? The potential for permanent record is there, but not the certainty. Especially when things put on the Internet aren't carved in stone, and delete and edit buttons exist... Can a moderator lock this thread? I'm getting tired of seeing the same repetitive rubbish being posted saying it's fact without a single shred of evidence to back it up. I'll put it in bold for you: it did not happen, invision did not 'hack' into a forum that used it's software to disable it MikeChipshop 1 Share Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeChipshop Member Posted January 26, 2015 Member Share Posted January 26, 2015 I've said it once, and i'll say it again. Facebook can scan any text entered to target adverts correctly, this is an automatic scan done by a bot, same as 99% of advertising on the web. They can not scan your voice to target ads, no, nope, not at all. Yes, but it's automated. A lot of people think private conversations on the Internet are private. I don't know what all Facebook has got going on on the back end, but I can tell you about forums, like the one we're using here on Neowin. Neowin is using Invision software, but it's much newer than what I used. I used Invision 2.something. The front end is PHP, I believe... I've never been big on programming, but I added all optional and fan/customer made modules my members asked for, so I learned a little bit... but it's been 10 years. Anyway, the database contains all the profiles, all the posts, and all the private messages, and the admin can see it all in plaintext. There is no direct module to read users' private messages, but remember what I said about fan/customer made modules? PM readers definitely exist, and when installed, the admin can supposedly read all the private messages. It shows up as a hidden, admin-only forum, with all the PMs as topics. I never installed this, but if I had a database reader, I could have done it that way. I can also tell you that the people who make Invision have several back doors that, if they decide to, they can come in and completely take over a forum. It's because their software is a commercial product, if you don't have a license, they can shut you down if they ask nice and you tell them to pound sand. But they have also been known to do it if they don't like what you're talking about. If they feel it reflects poorly on their business. I heard about a guy who ran a forum, and a member asked him where to get an out-of-print video game. The admin told him about some old P2P site, and Invision took his forum for it (apparently the game's publisher saw, and complained, but for some reason, not to the forum admin, or the forum admin told them to pound sand, so they went to Invision). a) You don;t need an active license. b) I know plenty of people who run and have always run, unlicensed forums. should they pay? Yes they should. Can Invision shut them down remotely, christ no. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cork1958 Posted January 26, 2015 Share Posted January 26, 2015 I would simply have to ask as to why you're even seeing ads on todays internet? Everybody in the world has an adblocker!! Then, you actually clicked on one of the ads and purchased something? Gads!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
game_over Posted January 26, 2015 Author Share Posted January 26, 2015 I would simply have to ask as to why you're even seeing ads on todays internet? Everybody in the world has an adblocker!! Then, you actually clicked on one of the ads and purchased something? Gads!! I like ads, especially if they are targeted, not only am i supporting websites I visit but I regularly find out about products or deals i wouldn't have otherwise known about. Intrusive ads are a different story and they will promptly be blocked via AdBlock. I have purchased lots of things served to me via targeted ads. If everyone shared your views them some sites simply wouldn't survive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dragontology Posted February 1, 2015 Share Posted February 1, 2015 b) I know plenty of people who run and have always run, unlicensed forums. should they pay? Yes they should. Can Invision shut them down remotely, christ no. They may not be able to now, but they were able to and did so at least once that I saw ~10 years ago. If I had known it would be so upsetting, I might have left that part out, but being upset that something happened doesn't change the fact that it did. A lot more tears were shed about a lot bigger (and smaller) issues, but they weren't enough to change the past. Though generally, people learn from their mistakes. We move forward. So, maybe they stopped doing that in later versions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
game_over Posted February 13, 2015 Author Share Posted February 13, 2015 I am no longer convinced it was coincidence... So yesterday I was in a meeting with BT to discuss the installation of a new telephony system, throughout the entire meeting my phone was sat on the desk in front of me. Just so we're clear, the was a face to face meeting, no technology involved. Less than 24 hours later, this morning I was flicking through Facebook, look at the sponsored advertisement: Why would I get sponsored advertisement about a phone system? We know Facebook targets ads so if this was a coincidence it would be rubbish targeting system since I have no real personal intention of buying a phone system. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rippleman Posted February 13, 2015 Share Posted February 13, 2015 I am no longer convinced it was coincidence... They also go on past searches, I get those 3CX ads all the time because of my previous searchs on the subject and I have NOT vocally talked about it, unless you are saying they are possibly reading my brain waves. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Draconian Guppy Posted February 13, 2015 Share Posted February 13, 2015 Here's an example of what I was talking about earlier. I was browsing various radio related products on Amazon about 20 minutes ago, and saw this one listed so I clicked it just out of curiosity. Lo and behold, look at what is now being advertised on my Facebook page, If they're willing to collect data from cookies that were generated by some completely different website (Amazon in this case, and not Facebook), then having an automated process to screen your "private" chats for key words is not beyond the realm of possibilities I think. Selection_003.png This is basically it, cookie data. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monkeys4me Posted February 13, 2015 Share Posted February 13, 2015 I wouldn't be surprised if they have a system to monitor for keywords from conversations... their apps have been requesting the right to use the microphones of mobile devices since last May (at least). They claim they're only 'listening in' during status updates, but I wouldn't put it past them to expand their reach, or what they classify as a status update. Here are a couple of articles on this: http://www.geek.com/mobile/facebook-app-now-listens-and-records-audio-when-you-post-updates-from-your-phone-1595873/ http://www.forbes.com/sites/kashmirhill/2014/05/22/facebook-wants-to-listen-in-on-what-youre-doing/ http://www.news.com.au/technology/facebook/users-slam-creepy-new-feature-that-allows-facebook-to-listen-in/story-fnjwvn4n-1226940183022 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rippleman Posted February 14, 2015 Share Posted February 14, 2015 I wouldn't be surprised if they have a system to monitor for keywords from conversations... their apps have been requesting the right to use the microphones of mobile devices since last May (at least). They claim they're only 'listening in' during status updates, but I wouldn't put it past them to expand their reach, or what they classify as a status update. Here are a couple of articles on this: http://www.geek.com/mobile/facebook-app-now-listens-and-records-audio-when-you-post-updates-from-your-phone-1595873/ http://www.forbes.com/sites/kashmirhill/2014/05/22/facebook-wants-to-listen-in-on-what-youre-doing/ http://www.news.com.au/technology/facebook/users-slam-creepy-new-feature-that-allows-facebook-to-listen-in/story-fnjwvn4n-1226940183022 prove it (simply prove the microphone is on without your permission) and you have a multi billion dollar lawsuit where you become rich. Sounds easy enough, why haven't you done this yet? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
game_over Posted February 14, 2015 Author Share Posted February 14, 2015 prove it (simply prove the microphone is on without your permission) and you have a multi billion dollar lawsuit where you become rich. Sounds easy enough, why haven't you done this yet? Your earlier comment going a long way to confirming my suspicions. You are saying you have had those ads because of previous searches, this is you saying beyond all reasonable doubt that Facebook has targeted you. This is common knowledge and widely accepted. The difference with me is that I have never EVER searched for anything to do with the subject. So, we both got the same sponsored advertisement, you searched it, I talked about it... are you saying mine is a coincidence? If Facebook absolutely did not listen to my conversation then we can go ahead and assume the sponsored ad was random... Now why would an ad campaign setup to target specific people (i.e. those who have searched on the subject - and we know it's a targeted campaign because it reached you) show up on my news feed? .. if this was the case then Facebook's matching algorithm is at fault, which I highly doubt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Torolol Posted February 14, 2015 Share Posted February 14, 2015 i'm more inclined to believes that facebook apps looks for your stuff in calendar/agenda thingy, its more programmatically feasible. Draconian Guppy 1 Share Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rippleman Posted February 14, 2015 Share Posted February 14, 2015 Your earlier comment going a long way to confirming my suspicions. You are saying you have had those ads because of previous searches, this is you saying beyond all reasonable doubt that Facebook has targeted you. This is common knowledge and widely accepted. The difference with me is that I have never EVER searched for anything to do with the subject. So, we both got the same sponsored advertisement, you searched it, I talked about it... are you saying mine is a coincidence? If Facebook absolutely did not listen to my conversation then we can go ahead and assume the sponsored ad was random... Now why would an ad campaign setup to target specific people (i.e. those who have searched on the subject - and we know it's a targeted campaign because it reached you) show up on my news feed? .. if this was the case then Facebook's matching algorithm is at fault, which I highly doubt. Just saying its a extremely popular ad. ads are also pushed based on websites you visit. You coming to neowin alone puts you on the target list for certain ads to be pushed to you. Example: If you go to noewin, then techspot, and/or another other site that's signed up for google ad revenue, you computer is seen "hitting" tech sites and then relevant ads are pushed to you based on visiting usage. 3cx paid the ad agency that feeds all these sites to push their ad IF certain criteria are met such as "if a visitor has hit site A, B, C, and D, show them my ad across all the networks available to them". the only way you could ever NOT have this conisncedce is if you deleted tracking cookies each and every time you went from one website to another. You would still get ads, just not ads you could be interested in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Draconian Guppy Posted February 16, 2015 Share Posted February 16, 2015 i'm more inclined to believes that facebook apps looks for your stuff in calendar/agenda thingy, its more programmatically feasible. Or any other app for that matter that generates per user ID content that generates cookies, twitter, instagram, etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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