Here is how you can download a copy of everything
I stumbled across this article today, which contains clear instructions on how to download an archive of all the data Facebook has ever collected from you.
On one hand, it's clear that they have all the photos you ever uploaded, all the updates you ever posted, all the friends you are connected with.
But when you see every message you ever wrote and every ad you ever clicked on, and every advertiser, who has your data, that is a little creepy. Even though of course they would have it. Why wouldn't they?
It's quite helpful to see this download in front of you. It makes you think, and allows you to become more conscious and make a new choice.
Maybe you want to delete some images, some posts, or a whole bunch of messages.
Maybe you'll be more careful from now on with which pages you like or which events you attend. You can still attend those events, but does it need to show on your profile?
They know who you are
Your list of "likes" gives a complete and easy overview of what kind of person you are, for anyone who would go through it - whether it's a human or a bot. Maybe you don't care, maybe you do.
I'm quite protective of my data and I do not connect with people I have never met. I have less than 200 "friends" and I constantly "clean" my friends list if I'm not in touch with people anymore. I also like to think I'm pretty careful with what I publicly post or share. But looking at my archive, it has crypto written all over it... So that part of my life is not a secret anymore :) if I ever thought it was one.
Now, what might Facebook - who really doesn't like crypto at the moment - do with this information about me? Will they restrict my followers and friends from seeing my posts? Will it affect my personal and business pages in other ways? There's no way to know, apart from they can do whatever they want with the information they have about me. There is absolutely nothing I can do.
Awareness creates responsibility
The only thing that is in our control, is if and how we will use Facebook going forward. It is completely within our responsibility to choose whether we want to give Facebook another piece of the puzzle about ourselves with every click we make on their platform.
For many of us, the solution might not be to completely stop using it. I personally still benefit way too much from the business groups I'm in, and it would be absolutely stupid to leave them.
But I will pay extra attention and pause before I click anywhere, knowing that my click will get registered and will have an effect that I can't control.
Contrast
Besides a higher awareness, another good thing to come out of this exercise for me personally, is the confirmation that we really need decentralization. At least I would welcome it, especially when it comes to my personal data.
When I looked at all this personal information about myself, my first thought was, "On a decentralized blockchain, this simply wouldn't happen!"
downloading and then systematically deleting FB has been on my agenda for over 2 years (since I stopped using the platform). Procrastination being a wonderful trait ! I am motivated to complete this task with all the shit swirling about. I know I will never clean up all the internet info on me, but I can stick to my plans of not actively contributing to the capture of my life online at least .... resteeming so I remember to do it later :) haha
LOL, couldn't you simply delete the whole account in one go?
you could yes, but that doesn't delete it from the internet. What you have posted on FB is saved on their servers presumably forever. Further more, if your profile is open/public, there is a snap shot taken of it every so many minutes/hours that is also saved on the internet forever.
This is how people who delete Reddit posts or Twitter posts can still have them come back to haunt them.
Reading up from the privacy guys (put your tinfoil hat one with me) if you go thru and delete every like and every post one by one, then wait 30-90 days for all of those snap shot services to capture your blank profile and THEN send the delete request you should have limited your exposure as much as you could have ....
it honestly probably doesn't matter, but it makes me feel better doing it that way :)
OH, but that's very good to know and a great addition to the post. Thank you. Hope people read the comments down here... :)
Yep, it can be pretty overwhelming to think about for some ppl. & as u mentioned perhaps some don’t even care (although that might stem from ignorance of the situation).
It’s only recently that I’ve really begun to consider the ramifications of my past online personas
Pretty neat little discovery u unearthed here tho, i’m a little bit afraid to check out my data lol not gona lie :(
Deep breath, and then press the download button :D
I think stepping away from the data collectors (aka social media) forever or for at least extended periods of time is the best thing any of us could do. Our likes and dislikes, buying habits, interests, etc., are only good for limited periods of time, though somethings can be a little more evergreen than others.
It's good to have a place where people can eventually end up where the data isn't being mined and turned over to the highest bidders. If we can keep things together here, or some other platform emerges with a stable coin, it will be the end of FB, Twitter and all the rest. Social media 3.0 will emerge with a decentralized blockchain coupled with the attention economy. Titans will fall. I so hope it happens.
Stepping away is sadly not an option for me. I benefit immensely from Facebook groups. I've just travelled to Chiang Mai in Thailand - a place I've never been to - and from day one I had a very busy social and business life - all thanks to facebook groups where I found like minded people and workshops and social events. I also gave a workshop there which attracted 40 people. 40 people I would have never known how to reach as a newbie in town.
So, like you, I'm hoping for a "private" social media 3.0 to emerge, that will allow us still benefit from the above, while keeping our data safe. It's also why I'm excited about the long term vision of the Pillarproject.io which will help us control how much data we make available to Facebook or any other data collectors. It might be a great "middleman" (sometimes middleman are useful :D )
That's the sad thing about this, isn't i? There is some worth and functionality in FB and other social media that once those connections are built, it's hard to let go. Business pages or groups, or however you have it oriented is a little different than personal pages, where lives are essentially exposed. So, obviously, you do what you have to do to earn a living.
And maybe at some point (which I don't if it's now exactly), those contacts of yours migrate to the STEEM blockchain. The longer it takes, the longer FB and others retain control and manage to mine more and more data, the harder it's going to seem.
MIddlemen can be useful. Sometimes they may be necessary. Steemit, in essence is a middleman. Just one that isn't trying to sell your data to whoever wants it, one that doesn't exist for that sole purpose, and hopefully, never will.
I don't know if I want to know!
Bookmarked for tomorrow so i don't have nightmares this evening, thank you!
LOL, yes tomorrow is a much better day for nightmares ha ha!
I have all day to forget about what I see!