Innocent looking personality quiz fad on facebook is really a way of getting to people volunteer for

a reply to: WhiteAlice

It's an example of how people are encouraged to give up information in regards to themselves for uses that are probably not even in the user's mind.

But we do that all the time, Alice. We can't take a breath in the presence of others without revealing something about ourselves. What does it matter if we do?

If there is information we want to keep confidential, then it is up to us to keep that information safe and secure. But anything that can be learnt about you from your behaviour on the internet can equally well be learnt from observing your behaviour in real life. What does it matter, anyway?

Why are you questioning the discussion of the subject anyways? Even if it has zero effect on the OP because they aren't taking them, they can still discuss their observations of what those little quizzes are and the possible ramifications or uses of the same in what is called a free exchange of ideas and information.

Of course they can, but my reply was to the OP, who seems concerned about it. And so, evidently, are you, or you wouldn't have written the following:

I think that is actually a pretty important subject in this world where data collection is both intensely profitable and rampant.

Evidently my post annoys you. I wonder why.

a reply to: Astyanax

It's the difference in usage, I'd say. While you and I can assess each others' personalities in a free exchange, the odds are neither one of us is going to be utilizing the information that we glean from each other in any way other than for personal use. The difference with social media devices is that it is actually sorted by specific user and could potentially be passed on to any buyer for whatever purpose outside of personal exchange and its unlikely to be utterly consensual as well. Does every user of one of these quizzes know the full range of possibilities for the information that they are freely giving and all the parties that could potentially acquire said information? I kind of doubt that. Yet another difference between real-life observation and online data accumulation is one requires an active observer and the other just requires a computer capable of accumulating and processing that information and doesn't require being in any direct contact at all.

Here's a few ways that the various data being collected and sold are being utilized in today's world:

Marketing automation: venturebeat.com...
Data on spending habits being used by hospital systems: www.bloomberg.com...
Employment: business.ftc.gov...

If it had been consensual all along, where every user was made fully aware of the potential uses for their information in terms of it possibly having a very direct effect on their life, that would be one thing. However, the way that many of these data accumulators have worked has been in rather underhanded ways. "Facebook is concerned about your privacy" is something that frequently pops up on the site and yet, there's a page on the FTC site discussing issues with social media being utilized in employment decisions. Were Facebook users aware of that potential use when they signed up? Nope.

What we have with the internet and social media in particular is a new and disruptive technology. Being that it is still relatively new, there isn't a whole lot of regulation overseeing its use and information dispersal. That leaves it open to abuse. It's that simple.

So yes, I care about this issue very much because so much was gathered without full knowledge and consent. In many ways, even if every user developed a more jaded attitude and retreated, it wouldn't matter. However, identifying the ways that information is gathered online is still a good idea in my book and if it promotes discussion of how information collected is being used now, like providing an opportunity to post a link to the FTC on the subject, that's even better.

The free exchange of ideas and information are wonderful things.

a reply to: amodedoma

I dont see it as very helpful as many people likely manipulate their quiz results in attempt to get their favorite character (rather than actually getting someone random based on honest answers).

I don't bother with them,guess that makes me some anti-social freak. I'm sure FB will start trying to make those who don't do those quizzes as not being "a good friend."

a reply to: WhiteAlice

I'm trying to keep my ATS posts short these days, but this is going to be a long read. However, I think you and others may find the information and links it contains interesting and even — who knows? — useful.

The difference with social media devices is that it is actually sorted by specific user and could potentially be passed on to any buyer for whatever purpose outside of personal exchange and its unlikely to be utterly consensual as well. Does every user of one of these quizzes know the full range of possibilities for the information that they are freely giving and all the parties that could potentially acquire said information?

The links you posted refer to the collection and use of a very different kind of data from that referred to in the OP. People's lifestyle habits and credit status are of high value to data miners precisely because they can be used in the ways described in those articles, but knowing whether someone's favourite Harry Potter character is Hermione or Voldemort is a lot less useful, and as for Myers-Briggs-based psychometric analyses, my expert opinion (I used to work in advertising and was even briefly an account planner) is that they are bunkum. I very much doubt that social-media quizzes are used in the way suggested by the OP.

Please note that I am not defending the ethics of data-mining. I find Nosy Parkers of any description repellent, and besides, their rise has all but destroyed the creative arts in advertising. But if there are Nosy Parkers who put silly quizzes up on Facebook and then sell people's answers to gullible marketers — that's right, gullible marketers — then they are basically, in my view, shysters and frauds, because the 'data' they're hawking is empty of useful information.

Online quizzes are used by marketers, but in ways very different from those envisaged by the OP; for example, you may be asked for credit information before being allowed to see how you scored on a quiz. See this PC World article for the real dirt.

How else do marketers use social media? Here is an overview of the subject from SocialBakers, a social-media analytics company with more than a quarter of a million clients worldwide (including a dozens of Fortune 500 companies). Take a look; it's fascinating.

However, those who put their faith in social media as a marketing tool greatly overestimate its potency and precision. Here's an interesting little quiz about social media to test your knowledge of the subject. You may be surprised by the answers.

a reply to: mike dangerously

I'm sure FB will start trying to make those who don't do those quizzes as not being "a good friend."

Facebook is not the enemy. They're not making money out of the people who put those quizzes up on your Wall; it is your own friends who post them, and they're doing it for nothing.

Facebook does make money out of the 'apps' that request permission to access your data, but in those cases you're warned up front. Personally, I think Facebook is a very good thing, provided people use it sensibly, and keep in mind that lunch is never free.

’Bye for now. I'm off to see what my friends are doing on Facebook.

a reply to: Astyanax

From the FTC link itself as you are mischaracterizing the source of the data indicated on the page:

The FTC staff recently looked at a company selling background reports that include information from social media to see if they were complying with FCRA. Staff’s letter to the company emphasized that when reports include information derived from social media, the same rules apply.

It doesn't specifically cite what social media source is being used to collect information for the purpose of sale but that is purposeful. It does not specifically cite or exclude any particular social media venue in its declaration and is directed towards social media in general as a blanket statement. No exclusions, no exceptions. The links are to provide people with information as to how their information is passed around in ways that are generally unforeseen and is applicable to all third party transactions in regards to various data collection whether it be from banks (presumably the hospitals) to social media (the FTC link) to marketing automation (all of the above plus email and god knows what else).

However, you bring up a good point about those personality quizzes so frequently spotted on Facebook as those aren't Facebook per se but a separate party altogether. As far as the quizzes in particular, that would be www.playbuzz.com at the helm of most of those. The owner of playbuzz.com is Playchanger Media, LTD based out of Tel Aviv, Israel. Why should people care about that? Well, unless one is living in Israel, then any laws that are passed in order to protect their personal information, even if freely given like an idiot, will have no jurisdiction in a foreign country. Playchanger Media, LTD is not bound by any rulings in terms of civil rights issues with such transactions nor are they bound by US law. That's the tricky thing about the internet. It's international and there is no international law regarding collected data on personal information.

In that sense, Facebook is merely the third party host for the activities of Playchanger Media, LTD. However, if they really cared about people's privacy as much as they say that they do, then they could do a whole slew of things to protect their users from third party data miners such as pop up a warning when clicking on a link that takes you to such a quiz that reminds the user that the information may be used and collected in unforeseen ways. However, they don't do that, do they? It's a much more comfortable situation to keep people in the dark on the myriad sources of data collection than to bring it to the light of day.

a reply to: WhiteAlice

You are mischaracterizing the source of the data indicated on the page.

All I'm saying is that people's answers to questions in social-media quizzes of the 'what kind of villain are you?' type are not useful psychometric data, as I think the OP was suggesting they are (the OP may correct me if have misunderstood). Other data may be sought from quiz participants, as I suggested earlier. My point is not about the legality or ethics of data-mining quiz answers; it is about the value of the data in those answers.

if they really cared about people's privacy as much as they say that they do, then they could do a whole slew of things to protect their users from third party data miners such as pop up a warning when clicking on a link that takes you to such a quiz that reminds the user that the information may be used and collected in unforeseen ways. However, they don't do that, do they?

As a matter of fact, such warnings do appear in many places on Facebook, though perhaps not as pop-ups when you click on a quiz. The more you ignore the warnings, though, the less you seem to see them. Facebook software is clever like that.

Any information gained from the results of those will mostly be useless. Why? Because the people doing them already have a good idea of what character or whatever they want to be and so will answer accordingly. For example in a Harry potter quiz if the person doing it wants to be Harry they'd pick quidditch over studying or wizarding chess as ideal hobby. Disney princesses if they wanted to be Ariel they'd pick living in/by the sea rather than in a forest or in a town etc. These quizzes are hardly intellectually designed or driven. They are simple questions with simple answers and it's easy to get the result you want. It may not be your honest answers however. I've done the quizzes when bored and I've purposefully picked town living rather than my ideal beach living in order to get the result I want. There are probably far better ways of getting accurate information about people than a quiz about popular film characters etc. I love Facebook by the way. I get to annoy people on a large scale.

a reply to: amodedoma

interesting but at the same time people will tend to lie on these tests just to get a decent answer so they can then post one they find more appealing to show their friends who they want to be !

so often generating ten tests to get the right one for them

I Have absolutely no DOUBT this is what facebook quizzes are designed to do.

Its the perfect way to do it and I notice the same suspects on my friends list who not only participate in such activity but also buy the koolaide whole sail, coincidence? who knows.

I will admit I might have tried one or two year ago until I discovered that facebook has been exposed selling user data to certain parties.

But as other users have stated to each his own. No quiz's for me thanks.

a reply to: Astyanax

It actually depends on the quiz. Some of them are just stupid. Stupid quizzes exist. Others are not so stupid. One could look at the individual quizzes though and think "no big deal" but like I said, most of those quizzes are being done by one entity in Israel. I slightly doubt that they are doing these quizzes solely out of the goodness of their hearts.

Mind not making any more slight digs at me alleging that I'm somehow stupid when it comes to privacy? I can assure you that privacy and my personal information have been of extraordinary importance to me for the last 20 years as my life actually does hinge on it. No kidding. I have a very vested interest in it so please don't treat me like a little fluffball.

a reply to: WhiteAlice

Mind not making any more slight digs at me alleging that I'm somehow stupid when it comes to privacy?

Now you have me genuinely confused. I just re-read all my earlier posts and I couldn't for the life of me work out how I might have offended you. Would you mind pointing out which part you interpreted as a dig at you?

originally posted by: Astyanax
a reply to: WhiteAlice

Mind not making any more slight digs at me alleging that I'm somehow stupid when it comes to privacy?

Now you have me genuinely confused. I just re-read all my earlier posts and I couldn't for the life of me work out how I might have offended you. Would you mind pointing out which part you interpreted as a dig at you?

It seemed to be that you were implying that I somehow ignore facebook privacy statements in this statement of yours as I very, very rarely and stated as much, see privacy warnings on the site. I don't even "like" pages and more yet the only time I get a privacy message popping up is when facebook, yet again, changes one of their privacy policies.

As a matter of fact, such warnings do appear in many places on Facebook, though perhaps not as pop-ups when you click on a quiz. The more you ignore the warnings, though, the less you seem to see them. Facebook software is clever like that.

There certainly is (and has been for some time) a lot of this kind of thing going around. And it isn't just Facebook. Generally, anything that happens on Facebook goes everywhere else. If there's some stupid meme or something going around on "social media" you'll probably see it everywhere within a couple of hours.

Anyway, a general rule of thumb (a good one) is that I tend to think things get suspicious when complete strangers start asking really pointed personal questions. You're not going to lose a thing if you don't participate in today's survey of the day on Facebook. And who the hell knows what happens with the info if you volunteer? Seems like more of a risk than it's worth for absolutely no reason.

a reply to: WhiteAlice

My impression (since corrected by having read the first line of your first post; bear in mind it was your second I first replied to) was that you didn't use Facebook at all. The 'you' in 'the more you ignore the warnings' was a general address, meaning 'Facebook users'. I certainly did not intend to cause you any offence.

Stuff like that is utilized all the time on a bunch of different websites. Mainly for one reason: Advertising.

If you know what types of things people do, their interests, their personality, you can then figure out what kind of product(s) would be more appealing to them. Thus making advertising more effective, which in turn could generate the website more money.

Check out the documentary called "Terms and conditions may apply." Saw it on Netflix a bit ago. And it's right up this alley.

originally posted by: Honcho
Stuff like that is utilized all the time on a bunch of different websites. Mainly for one reason: Advertising.

If you know what types of things people do, their interests, their personality, you can then figure out what kind of product(s) would be more appealing to them. Thus making advertising more effective, which in turn could generate the website more money.

Check out the documentary called "Terms and conditions may apply." Saw it on Netflix a bit ago. And it's right up this alley.

Yeah. I have a feeling there's a little more to it than evil corporations and advertising. I'm sure there's plenty of overlap, just to camouflage it. People are far less likely to give a damn if they don't think there's anything more nefarious going on than ordinary advertising tactics.

originally posted by: Astyanax
a reply to: WhiteAlice

My impression (since corrected by having read the first line of your first post; bear in mind it was your second I first replied to) was that you didn't use Facebook at all. The 'you' in 'the more you ignore the warnings' was a general address, meaning 'Facebook users'. I certainly did not intend to cause you any offence.

Thank you for the clarification. I do actually use Facebook, joined it on impulse to have another opportunity to know a guy that ended up my fiance years ago. However, I've always been aware that there could be issues with the site in terms of privacy and, in that sense, anything that I say on it, I say with the awareness that there could be a listener somewhere. I came from a home where I was raised to understand that even a phone line is not sound. Sounds paranoid but my grandfather was a very high ranking officer in the military and he's the source of that. I utilize everything that involves a third party with some amount of caution as a default in that light.

I largely just watch others and their behaviors on it as part of my lifetime hobby of watching human behavior. It's fascinating stuff and being the way that I am, I can foresee its uses that are outside of simple social exchanges between friends.