Facebook Never Released Promised 'Clear History' Feature (tomsguide.com) 50
A reader tipped us off to a scathing editorial by the senior editor of Tom's Guide:
Consider the F8 conference from a year ago that began with a prolonged apology over the Cambridge Analytica scandal, where a data mining firm got a hold of the personal data of 50 million Facebook users... Zuckerberg promised a Clear History feature that would let you easily delete information about apps and websites you've interacted with, sort of like erasing your browser history. "It's not enough to build powerful tools," Zuckerberg said at last year's F8. "We have to make sure they're used for good, and we will." So what's changed in the last year? Well, the Clear History feature never launched -- it's coming later in 2019, Facebook now says...
If we sat around previewing everything that's gone wrong for Facebook since last year's F8 conference, we'd wrap up just in time for the 2020 version to begin.
Meanwhile, a Forrester Research analyst complains the ongoing stream of news stories about Facebook's issues "proves they've never prioritized privacy over their business model," and the article argues there's just one way for Facebook to regain trust: If Zuckerberg wants to prove just how serious Facebook is about guarding user privacy...he should it prove it by announcing he's quitting.... [W]ith Zuckerberg still at the helm of Facebook, it will be hard to believe that the social media company is doing more than just paying lip service to the notion that it must do a better job of respecting the privacy and personal data of its users... Incidents where Facebook was too cavalier with user data stretch back years, and while the particulars change from scandal to scandal, the one constant is the guy sitting in the CEO chair.
The article's last line?
"Expect another apology a few months later when word of yet another breach leaks out."
If we sat around previewing everything that's gone wrong for Facebook since last year's F8 conference, we'd wrap up just in time for the 2020 version to begin.
Meanwhile, a Forrester Research analyst complains the ongoing stream of news stories about Facebook's issues "proves they've never prioritized privacy over their business model," and the article argues there's just one way for Facebook to regain trust: If Zuckerberg wants to prove just how serious Facebook is about guarding user privacy...he should it prove it by announcing he's quitting.... [W]ith Zuckerberg still at the helm of Facebook, it will be hard to believe that the social media company is doing more than just paying lip service to the notion that it must do a better job of respecting the privacy and personal data of its users... Incidents where Facebook was too cavalier with user data stretch back years, and while the particulars change from scandal to scandal, the one constant is the guy sitting in the CEO chair.
The article's last line?
"Expect another apology a few months later when word of yet another breach leaks out."
Months later for another "leak" ? (Score:2)
please take a poll, start a pool on how soon the next BookFace privacy will hit.
I give it til Mid May at the latest.
Is anyone surprised? (Score:4, Insightful)
*uckerburg lied through his teeth when he was being questioned. They aren't going to cease jack or shit until they suffer real consequences. It's now or never, people - regs probably aren't forthcoming, particularly not from dems, ha, ha, ha! That's a good one). STOP UISING THE SERVICES. Insta users: do you honestly believe you aren't using Facebook? That makes you the fool.
Re: (Score:2)
*uckerburg lied through his teeth when he was being questioned. They aren't going to cease jack or shit until they suffer real consequences. It's now or never, people - regs probably aren't forthcoming, particularly not from dems, ha, ha, ha! That's a good one). STOP UISING THE SERVICES. Insta users: do you honestly believe you aren't using Facebook? That makes you the fool.
While I agree with your point (I don't use FB/TW/IG/etc), you should know that Liz Warren has promoted breaking up tech giants like Facebook (and it was well received on the left). So there is talk of consequences for FB from Dems. Much better than Trump who actively benefits from platforms that promote shitposting.
I'm waiting for a "Clear Future" feature (Score:2)
Crunchy One's Thought for Today (Score:2)
Here's the point: (Score:3)
... they've never prioritized privacy over their business model ...
That IS their business model.
You already have that feature. (Score:2)
That feature exists. It's called "Delete Account". It works great, I promise.
Re:You already have that feature. (Score:4, Informative)
Deleting your account just stops your access and creation of new records. It doesn't stop their use of the data you chose to archive.
Re:You already have that feature. (Score:5, Insightful)
Rather than deleting your account, submit a GDPR subject data removal request. In fact you don't even have to have an account to submit one.
Then they have a legal obligation to delete it. Of course they might lie, but will get caught eventually.
Re: (Score:1)
Are there any penalties for submitting one if your are stateside?
Re:You already have that feature. (Score:5, Insightful)
All that does is shift your regular profile over to a shadow profile.
It’s still worth doing, though, if only because it could lead to change if enough people ever decided to join in.
Re: (Score:2)
But it doesn't. They maintain shadow [theverge.com] profiles [theconversation.com] even for people who have never had a Facebook account.
Anyone surprised? (Score:2)
I submit that anyone using Facebook at this point should expect to have no rights, no protection, and no hope of privacy.
Re: (Score:2)
And how about people who choose NOT to use Facebook, ever?
Re: (Score:2)
Well, it's just criminal---just like those credit rating companies.
Zuck’s still worth many billions (Score:2)
Obviously his business model is working out just fine, at least for him. Yeah, he occasionally has to wear a suit and sit in front of Congress, telling lies and half-truths... and yeah, he has to semi-regularly fake some remorse and pretend things are going to change... but I’m sure he views it as all in a day’s work.
Re: (Score:2)
Half-truths? He must have had a "truthiness upgrade", I never figured them as any more than one-eighth truths.
That's useless! (Score:2)
Facebook will still have copies of your datas! :(
Clear History (Score:1)
Facebook has so much money with so many talented programmers. So how is it that difficult to program a "Clear History" feature into Facebook that it would take more than one year to come out?
Facebook is evil. Do not believe a word that Facebook/Zuckerberg says.
People still have a Facebook account? (Score:1)
Delete your social media accounts. It's all cancer.
Zuck Needs to Build An Apology Bot (Score:2)
Zuck issues so many apologies that he should have a team develop an apology AI for him. The apologies would be just as sincere, and as likely to lead to policy and operations changes as they are now.