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Comment by shmerl | Hacker News Reader

So why should anyone trust him? People should use open source social networks that can be audited.

The most fascinating thing about human behavior is that in spite of what people know, they still trust Facebook.

Hell, I've been a Facebook app developer. I'm deeply familiar with the breadth and depth of information Facebook allowed an app to harvest ca. 2008 or so.

I still use FB multiple times a day because I don't care about my privacy vis-a-vis the things I post there and that my friends post there.

I do care, that's why I don't use FB. Problem in using it is the network effect itself multiplied by the untrustworthy, closed and centralized foundation. I.e. you don't just harm yourself by using it, you are harming others by proliferating its use, because by using it, you are encouraging others to use it too.

That's if you're already approaching it from the point of view that it's a bad thing. I believe that question is unsettled.

It's pretty much settled that exploiting lack of privacy is a bad thing. Potential of such practice misuse was clearly demonstrated in the recent history.

Can you give us the specific case in history that you are referring to? You can get back to met later if you don't have that information with you right now.

Brexit / Trump's campaign designers pretty much admitted manipulating the masses using Facebook feedback loop paired with big data analysis. Putting it more bluntly, it's a massive scale brainwashing. It's hard not to see the potential of pretty shady usage of such power.

I've never used it. For some reason this makes some people extremely curious as to my reasons and then very angry with me after I state them.

Why angry? In my experience most understand the problem well, but feel too dependent on FB to ditch it for good.

There are lots of things people"should" do. But in general, the more indispensable a thing becomes, the more governments try to help people decide better or even try to decide for people, as people will do whatever is convenient to them.

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