Something's up with my Facebook

I use Facebook for my school friends, nothing else. Quite often I'll log in and suggestions for adding friends will show up, usually because we went to the same school, or friend of a friend..etc. Well, tonight when I logged in.. I was shocked..
people I know from here on ATS were suggested as friends. These are people never been on my facebook, and not on my email list at all. I have not searched these people on facebook either, yet there they were.
So facebook is spying on my other activities online or what?
I'm freaked out.
I already changed my email and account name once before..perhaps it's time to close up shop there. I hate losing contact with all my friends though. I guess that is the bait on the hook.

Well I know first hand that Facebook keeps track of what sites you visit and can even update you as POP UPS on some sites.

My girlfriend is on facebook and we were looking on a completely different website. We were looking at pictures then when we clicked to go to the next page an ad was embedded on the website saying "HEY DO YOU WANT TO BE POPULAR LIKE ANNIE!?" With a picture of my girlfriend on it!!

I swear, I wouldn't even risk signing up to facebook. Theres so much stuff being said about it..

I dont know if I can answer that....but I dont have facebook or myspace. I hate thinking all my personal info is out there for anyone and everyone to have.

I would think these people found out your name (from someone who knows you) and that is how they found you.

Amazingly..I tried to click on one of the suggested profiles of an ATS member and it popped up saying " You don't have permission to do that"
WTF!!!!

reply to post by greeneyedleo

I do not go by any name on facebook that is known to anyone but my family.
And quite odd if those people were searching for me.
Regardless..I changed my name on the account, my profile is protected, any more bs, and I'm gone.

I'm not a computer whiz but there are things called "Tacking Cookies" that are attached to all websites, and will attach to your computer when you visit the site. I think that this is for sale opportunities. You can download Ad-Aware for free from the interenet and it will remove the cookies after a scan, but a good antivirus program should do the same thing.

I noticed something like this probably about two weeks ago myself. Suggested Friends always seemed to be someone I went to school with or we had a mutual friend and nothing more. About two weeks ago it caught my eye that suggested friend was an old roommate of mine that I haven't talked to since me and her ended on well...not the greatest terms.

The thing is, I checked and we have 0 Mutual friends, she's not in any email address books for me or IM clients(she had a new email like every other month anyways). Ever since I've been left kinda stumped as to how she was showing up on there when after looking through anything I can think of facebook was drawing info from had no links to her that I could find.

I like facebook simply because I use it as pretty much another email service except that a lot of my friends check it so I get to keep in touch since I've moved across the country last year, but this has kinda had me a little on edge about it.

I have a great antivirus that scans and updates daily..AVG.

The answer is because it is querying your e-mail address book.

I remember I was opening a new franchise and was at headquarters in Alberta training. A co-worker started corresponding with me via e-mail, and then one day she was suddenly a facebook friend. I said to her, wow you found me quick! She said, no you found me, FB used your e-mail.

Now I don't think this is something that FB does on its own, rather you have either intentionally or without knowing instructed FB to search your address book for potential friends.

This was a couple years ago, so I think back then it was my doing, if you can't recall ever instructing FB to do this, they must be doing it on their own now.

Originally posted by Zieg7410
I noticed something like this probably about two weeks ago myself. Suggested Friends always seemed to be someone I went to school with or we had a mutual friend and nothing more. About two weeks ago it caught my eye that suggested friend was an old roommate of mine that I haven't talked to since me and her ended on well...not the greatest terms.

The thing is, I checked and we have 0 Mutual friends, she's not in any email address books for me or IM clients(she had a new email like every other month anyways). Ever since I've been left kinda stumped as to how she was showing up on there when after looking through anything I can think of facebook was drawing info from had no links to her that I could find.

I like facebook simply because I use it as pretty much another email service except that a lot of my friends check it so I get to keep in touch since I've moved across the country last year, but this has kinda had me a little on edge about it.

yep, exactly my point, now here is the biggest kicker, the one member, i only knew by their first name...i had this persons email over a year ago, but deleted it not long after.... the profile name popped up just as the email was listed in my contacts over a year ago..(-----) Secret.
So facebook is pulling old contacts long deleted off my email list? Yes..!!!!
All three were at one time on my email list, but deleted about 18 months ago..WTF.

I signed up for Facebook to reunite with old high school friends.
Then I realized I didn't like it. So, I went to the delete profile thingy...
When you say you want to unsubscribe, or whatever term they have for it, a bunch of your friends pictures pop up and they have a remark like,
' If you leave, you will not be able to talk to ... ' and all this crap to make you re-think your decision.

I know my decision, and I don't need Facebook to let me know. I think it's far more devious that it's made out to be.




edited cuz I still can't spell

[edit on 10-6-2009 by blujay]

reply to post by king9072


I no longer have these contacts via email..haven't for a year and a half.
regardless..i changed my email on my account.

reply to post by king9072


See, the problem is my email books were the 2nd thing I checked right after Mutual friends. The email account my facebook is hooked up to is one I've had around for over 15yr's now and its only used for IM'n on msn and facebook, I haven't added anyone to that in several years now. She was never added to it or my primary email account and like I said, she was one that was constantly changing her email anyways due to an ex-husband she divorced.

There are so many ways for sites like facebook to piece together information in which they can use for a variety of ways.

One way they use this information is to suggest friends.

The more information and connections you make to such sites makes it easier to draw the lines between the dots so to speak. Plus you will get the connection drawn even beyond your immediate circle.

Behold the six degrees of separation.
Six Degrees

There are a few ATS groups at facebook and if you belong to them you will be cast into those groups. The more information you have out there, the more connections can be made.

If you haven't noticed even ads at ATS maybe relative to you locally.

It is the nature of the beast we call the internet now.




[edit on 10-6-2009 by The Utopian Penguin]

The CEO of facebook attended the last Bilderberg meeting. Also there is a new thread today about the Feds getting a Subpoena to collect names, birthdays, address, etc from web posters. The thread is here on ATS.
www.abovetopsecret.com...

Originally posted by wonderworld
The CEO of facebook attended the last Bilderberg meeting. Also there is a new thread today about the Feds getting a Subpoena to collect names, birthdays, address, etc from web posters. The thread is here on ATS.
www.abovetopsecret.com...

Well I live in Canada, take a bit longer to start that here....but now that Iam wise to it..

I've had a couple of people unknown to me show up on fb too. One identity who called himself barak obama wanted me confirm him as a friend. I know something was weird then, I live in australia and have no connections to that name - president or otherwise.

Reply to post by skyeyes

I like spybot Search and destroy. It's freeware that is updated almost weekly. Supported by a donations page on the site.
kills trojans, worms, adware, spyware and the like. plus has registry cleaner and a few other nifty tweaks under advanced mode.
www.safer-networking.org

I look at alot of asian porn so its a nice weapon. lol


Posted Via ATS Mobile: m.abovetopsecret.com

reply to post by AccessDenied


Canada is already in the G20, Bilderbergs, etc. but I truly hope the best for Canada!

Originally posted by blujay
I singed up for Facebook to reunite with old high school friends.
Then I realized I didn't like it. So, I went to the delete profile thingy...
When you say you want to unsubscribe, or whatever term they have for it, a bunch of your friends pictures pop up and they have a remark like,
' If you leave, you will not be able to talk to ... ' and all this crap to make you re-think your decision.

I know my decision, and I don't need Facebook to let me know. I think it's far more devious that it's made out to be.

But you do know even when you delete your profile, Facebook still keeps all your info a pictures. It states it in the terms and conditions. Also, if you "re-join" months later, your profile will come back as you left it, with all your pictures and friends still there.

Mikey