Hacker News Reader

Comment by a1a | Hacker News Reader

Firstly, it is not possible to opt out of facebook. [1] And they do indeed collect private data that we didn't choose to share (shadow accounts, third party website trackers, etc).

Facebook have broken "actual laws". There are so many cases were facebook have broken the law. [2] [3]

Also, please read up on Fallacy of relative privation ("not as bad as").

[1] https://boingboing.net/2017/11/08/involuntary-profiling.html

[2] https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/feb/12/facebook-...

[3] https://techcrunch.com/2018/02/19/facebooks-tracking-of-non-...

View on HN

I have read these and many more such articles, and apart from using catchy terms like "shadow profile" none of them have been able to describe how it affects me at all if I don't have a Facebook account. Facebook scanned my friend's contact book which happened to have my name and email on it -- what then?

Regarding [1], it is possible to opt out of facebook: don't visit websites with Facebook like/share buttons. (This website, for example). When you access a website with facebook tracking installed, you are consenting to being tracked.

I did not consent to being tracked by facebook.

Yet websites try again and again to load the facebook like button.

As per GDPR, which is in effect but not enforced until May, tracking me without explicitly and clearly asking me if that is okay is not allowed and anything else, like withdrawing service until I agree to be tracked, does not construct consent.

When I visit a new website I do not know if they have facebook like buttons. I have to load the page to check that and without a script or ad blocker I will also load the like button and facebook will track that.

At which point in that process did I consent to any and all scripts on that webpage leeching of my personal data?

> Yet websites try again and again to load the facebook like button.

Take that up with the websites, not Facebook.

Vast numbers of websites use Google Web Fonts which enables Google to track users. I didn't opt in to that so I just block it.

Yes but technically less inclined users won't block and don't consent to it either.

Visiting a website is not consent for tracking.

>don't VISIT websites with Facebook like/share buttons.

So people should know a site uses Facebook share buttons before opening it through Google search. Then, they should keep closing pages until they find the one that don't have share buttons. Then, memorize a list of "safe sites?"

I know this isn't the best solution but uBlock has a list that blocks all social buttons for you. Very easy to install and use.

The Fanboy Social list is mostly cosmetic filtering, it won't prevent connection to Facebook servers.

For this I suggest dynamic filtering[1], as this guarantees there will be no connection to sites with block rules, and block rules can be easily locally overridden in case it is needed for a specific site.

[1] https://github.com/gorhill/uBlock/wiki/Dynamic-filtering:-to...

I use uBlock, Nanodefender, Adguard and HOST blocks.

  When you access a website with facebook tracking installed, you are consenting to being tracked.

Sorry, but that's just silly. That's about as if I advise you that when you don't like to be tracked by Facebook then don't use the internet.

Besides, the GDPR is clearly not allowing things like that. It has to be consent given and I have to be aware that I gave consent. It is not ok to use implicit consent. Checkbox or it didn't happen.

Bury it in long legalese isn't accepted either.

Or just install any of the hundred ad and tracking blockers out there.

How would you know a site has those buttons or not unless you visit it first?

Reply on news.ycombinator.com