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Comment by nnd | Hacker News Reader

Even though Facebook by itself doesn't seem to provide much value anymore, it's incredible how much of a platform lock-in the have. For example, Facebook login becoming essentially a universal identity provider. The worst thing is even when you create a new account under a different name they still manage to track you down, and start suggesting adding friends from the old account. I wonder how they do this, by tracking cookies and fingerprinting your browser?

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It's interesting how identifiable you are just by compounding information provided by the browser: https://amiunique.org/fp

Browser fingerprint plus IP and/or geo location and I'd think you could get a fairly accurate guess of who you are.

Interesting link. You can go even deeper with more data like resolution of your screen etc... And almost be able to track someone. It's kind of crazy.

There is a JS project based on that and that gives you an ID based on the fingerprint. [1]

[1] https://github.com/Valve/fingerprintjs2

Edit: I just saw that the link provide even more data like this. Just my list of font is a > 99.9% of uniqueness. Multiplied by all the other likelihood, it's getting close to having the signature of every person on internet.

I've wondered this too. I have friend suggestions for my work colleagues, even though my Facebook email is my own private address and I've never emailed them from that address. It's amazing and bothersome

Have you used it on mobile and shared your contacts? Might they have had access to your location(GPS or maybe to which wifi you're connected).

Interesting article: http://fusion.net/story/339018/facebook-psychiatrist-privacy...

Or they just suggest people based on common locations that you and they visit and where they spend their time.

The mobile app's contacts seems very likely. I didn't realize it would spy on those, but not surprising.

You've probably shared an IP address (work).

That one is highly unlikely, as I work remotely

The people who were recommended to you might have looked at your profile.

Can't use Tinder after you disable your FB account.

>For example, Facebook login becoming essentially a universal identity provider.

Yep, this is the #1 reason I still have a FB account. Until recently, I needed it so I could use Tinder. I have a great gf now, but just in case that fails, I'll want to be able to reactivate my Tinder account, and I need my FB login for that.

The only other reason I have a FB account is so I can be "friends" with some family members and some other people, because they use it. In practice, however, I never actually look at anything on there unless someone tells me "I sent you a FB message about such-and-such!".

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