ATS Is On Facebook

My first thought on this was that the ATS front page currently looks really really badly designed, like ATS and facebook have 'got it on' and spawned some sort of devil child home page.

It's pretty shocking looking to be honest - surely with the COINTELPRO money someone could pay a decent designer? (I'M JOKING about the COINTELPRO! My tongues so far into my cheek you could see it from Mars with the naked eye).

That aside...

Facebook is a sociologists wet dream - everything from linguistic analysis of an individuals posts, right the way through to the more obvious mapping of connections between individuals would be trivial exercises with access to 'the database.' I'd do it just out of morbid curiosity and I'm one of the most liberal minded people I know.

Add in some decent data visualisation software and the possibilities for investigating human interactions are epic and unprecedented. Myspace/bebo etc come close, but facebook is just a big relational database with a decent front-end. It's designed to be data mined, and I'm sure that's immediately clear to anyone who's used it and studied computer science to even a basic level.

It's clearly constructed to force individuals to categorise themselves - 'drop down lists' for political views, religious views etc, and the connections between like minded people are made automatically. 'Like' buttons about every subject known to man etc etc etc.

I've had it suggest I 'friend' people I know but without any clear link between my page and theirs - clearly the site data mines and then uses the info gleaned to increase the number of connections in it's network. It must have some seriously clever algorithms.

Basically, what I'm trying to say is that Facebook is creepy at best.

Sadly, I won't be 'liking' the ATS page. Obviously, as pointed out by SO, there's no privacy threat to members of ATS (no more than there was before - google custom search and ad syndication could easily link my ATS account to my googlemail account & IP address, then in turn to pretty much everything I do online).

However, it does say something about the mentality of the ATS PTB. Clearly there was some serious thinking done about this, but I'd argue they've come down on the wrong side of the coin. To 'like' the ATS page is madness to me, it's like putting a big flashing 'I'm slightly slightly subversive' sign on your head.

Just my 2p, I hope you don't mind the gentle criticism.




[edit on 24-8-2010 by eightfold]

Originally posted by CHA0S
Ooops, sorry, I meant use FB to share ATS topics.

Why is that bad? Up until yesterday, we were seeing an increasing number of links into ATS from Facebook... as much as 300 a day. So people were already naturally interested in sharing ATS topics on Facebook.

And the defending of FB is seen constantly throughout this thread. Even though it has been known in the past to not be trustworthy, ATS has still chosen to trust FB on the basis of its popularity

Can you point out where we are demonstrating "trust" or defending Facebook?

There is no Facebook-hosted code on ATS, which many sites have (even some conspiracy sites), so clearly we're not choosing to trust anything other than those who already have accounts there.

Just give all your identity away on 'Facebook' why don't ya. No thanks! I'd rather keep confidential with ATS as this is one of few websites I ONLY trust on the entire web.

reply to post by SkepticOverlord


I get that it should be perfectly fine to use FB to share topics if you are already on FB, but many people are not. I guess I just think the front page is way over the top, it almost seems, as one previous poster stated, as if ATS and FB are "getting it on". Is there really no commercial agreement with Facebook, why is their such an effort to push this?

Originally posted by CHA0S
Is there really no commercial agreement with Facebook, why is their such an effort to push this?

Perhaps .... additional/increased exposure to the myriad of topics and interests bandied about on the ATS boards day in and day out. (?)

... especially to those who may not have otherwise even/ever been aware of the same.

Haters gunna hate huh?

That's what I'm getting from this whole thread. It really is as easy as not joining up on Facebook if you are against it.

Is it REALLY that big of a deal if we do get an influx of new members? HOPEFULLY the friends of people on this site will have a bit more sense to not join if they just want to troll.

A search through facebook of the word "conspiracy" doesn't bring up ATS anywhere near the first page.

A search of "Above Top Secret" brings up some "fake" ATS pages and a few members who have their screen names on Facebook followed by ATS...a few of which are posting in this very thread seemingly against ATS's Facebook page.

I'll say it one more time. It's like finding a good band and not wanting to share it with your friends or the public. Music is meant to be shared.

ATS is filled with knowledge. Knowledge is meant to be shared.

Take off your tin foil hats for a second and think that the good people running this site overall have YOUR best interest in mind. Yes they want to make money, but not at the cost of their, or your, integrity.

reply to post by iamsupermanv2


Whilst I completely agree with the sharing of knowledge, it just seems "bad" to do it via such a screwed-up medium as farcebook... and all the talk of not promoting farcebook to be well, lies - check the big banner surrounding the front page.

That is my main problem ATS saying they're not promoting it, with a MAHOOSIVE facebook advert surrounding the main page.

reply to post by SkepticOverlord


after a good nights sleep i have come to these conclutions

you have promised no face book code and no personal info exchanged between sites

if this is about opening the eyes of the masses i say bring it on we at ATS use manners and links and debate not names and attacks

i can educate 10 peolpe an hour on their favourite subject and if half of those people awaken to the matrix and awaken more and those awaken more people

the truth of the world gets spread like wild fire

i have run some tests and suggest this
update java software
do not use common names email or info
empty all browser information and close browser and reopen and go directly to face book without using a link (type it in)
use a software firewall and tweak it

i suggest no one uses the link to facebook and instead type it in this is the most important step

bill i think you should set up a thread board area for people who join ats from face book with how to use ats and not get banned

i will stay and educate as many as i can from facebook with the hopes the educate me in return

bring on the face hoards and i will change the world 1 face at a time

XPLodER

Originally posted by jokei
That is my main problem ATS saying they're not promoting it, with a MAHOOSIVE facebook advert surrounding the main page.

It's all about one's perspective or preconceived notion, it would seem...

If one were to take out a full-page ad in their local Sunday times, are they promoting the local Sunday times OR are they promoting their ad?

hmmm...

reply to post by 12m8keall2c


Good point. Let's pretend I own a sweet shop and take out the advert and I pay them for it (or maybe it's free)... do I need I big poster in the front of my sweet shop with the advert also boldly showing the paper it's in?

It's nice to simplify things, it can help make it clearer.

Originally posted by jokei
and all the talk of not promoting farcebook to be well, lies

Why would you even go there? Somebody always has to take it to the next insulting level.

Perhaps it's not just about the security issue, but more about feeling like part of an elite group if ATS is staying away from FB. Kinda like your very own secret club, but once ATS embraces FB, that illusion is shattered and they no longer feel that special.

Originally posted by jokei
Whilst I completely agree with the sharing of knowledge, it just seems "bad" to do it via such a screwed-up medium as farcebook...

So then... what would be an alternative?

I'm not getting the beef. FB is a tool, same as any other tool but this one has a half a billion users. I have an account and recently 2 of my friends checked out ATS and liked it. Any ATS member that doesn't like or trust FB has to do only one thing............. nothing. That's not too hard is it?

Originally posted by yeahright

Originally posted by jokei
and all the talk of not promoting farcebook to be well, lies

Why would you even go there? Somebody always has to take it to the next insulting level.

How is that statement you quoted untrue?

Sorry if you found the language insulting, perhaps "accidental untruth" might fit more nicely?

Originally posted by jokei
... do I need I big poster in the front of my sweet shop with the advert also boldly showing the paper it's in?

Actually, That ... the Ad itself or the page from the paper, would seem good Marketing 101.

Funny you would mention such because here in Gettysburg there's a home-made candies and chocolates shoppe that does Just That ... on a sandwich board right outside the store.

Originally posted by SkepticOverlord

Originally posted by jokei
Whilst I completely agree with the sharing of knowledge, it just seems "bad" to do it via such a screwed-up medium as farcebook...

So then... would be an alternative?

Big sigh... I'm the service user here, I can choose to complain, I can suggest change etc, etc, doesn't mean you have to listen, but it's nice when you do.

You guys are the ones that set up this site, collectively far more experience than myself... all I am saying is that there seems a degree of hypocrisy within this thread about the promotion of farcebook, which at best is a very questionable medium of communication.

It seems there's more of an attempt to brow-beat the members that disagree as opposed to directly answering their questions - there's a post a while back I directly addressed to you that you haven't answered, but now you're picking and choosing where to "answer" - your above statements amounts to "I know you are, but what am I then". I find that saddening.

I must admit, I'm at a loss to a "better" medium - I know you guys want growth for the site, with that there will be teething troubles, that's to be expected. Yet when you're using the tools that have been brought into question so many times, have a massive banner on the front page (as previously addressed) and say you're not promoting facebook, frankly that Sir is an untruth.

reply to post by SkepticOverlord


im going to look at this as a form of advertising

but with the privacy concerns of fb i ask you to put a disclaimer box pop up with a link to how to be safe on face book to front end protect our members from exploitation when the link is used

is this not reasonable considering the controversy?

xploder

Is the front page image really necessary? It looks ridiculous to my eyes, and I just showed it to a graphic designer friend of mine and he laughed so hard he was nearly crying.

Isn't the 'Join ATS on Facebook' link enough? Every other website I've ever seen just chucks a facebook image link on their front page, usually alongside images for all the other social networks. Why the full front page take over?

reply to post by 12m8keall2c


Why aren't you using my entire quotes? It would be a truer argument if you did and it's only a few sentences.

I doubt anyone would believe that the relationship between your local shop and the place they advertise in wasn't then a mutually beneficial relationship. This seems a fitting comparison of this whole ATS/Farcebook debacle.