Now thats just being picky... its hardly unreasonable to say "To use our features (which folk have to slave over to get working on a such a large scale) you must first subscribe to our website" an open source social network would have virtually no privacy- and thats a big problem in the age of ID fraud.

Extremely interesting and thought provoking chain and connections youve dug up there.

Regardless, is Facebook a full blown "front", in the strict sense? Highly probable, but not absolute. However, does, or would, the CIA and other intelligence agencies use it to gather personal information on a criminal? Absolutely.

The media already uses Myspace profiles in their post-incident reports on criminals, so why should Facebook and the CIA be any different?

[edit on 8/7/2007 by prototism]

Don't know about it being a CIA front, but it sure as hell IS a spam site, I get at least one "so and so has added you as a friend on facebook" email per day, and it re issues emails for each person that has added you every couple days. Its terrible, hands down one of the most annoying spambot sites that has ever gotten my email address.

So you think having a Facebook account is dangerous?

And posting on ATS is not?

Please!

If certain people in power want to have your information, they shall get it one way or the other. Facebook does provide a simple way of collecting information about EVERY individual and putting that in a large database. So what to do with this pile of info? If you ask me, we all already have records somewhere just because we use the internet. Our traffic history is recorded probably all the time. So what? Now we are supposed to stay off the net? What's next the Big Brother will force us to do? Stay at home? Don't leave town? Be paranoid all the time? Not say what you want to? Remain quiet?

Then THEY have won already...

If you post something on a public internet site that incriminates yourself, you are a doofus. Just keep in mind that Facebook/Myspace, etc.. are public domain, use some common sense in what you put on your site, and you won't have to worry about ending up in a NWO concentration camp.

Well... like was said here before - the Internet is a double edged sword.

The government knew well and good the huge advantage it would provide them in monitoring the public and public opinion - and it seems they were right - even many of the well informed members here at ATS still fail to see the subtle danger of this kind of data mining and profiling.

This is probably because most of you have never seen a demonstration of the most modern profiling and predictive software systems - or else it would really hit much more close to home for you.

These systems can often predict our behavior better than we can - and allthough we are under the illusion of total freedom - we are really creatures controlled by a variety of predictible stimuli - and we (even the most independant thinkers) can thus be quite often and succesfully manipulated or minimalized by Govt.'s agencies using such powerful profiling tools.

However, that being said, I think the Western Govt.'s clearly underestimated the "blowback" of putting such a powerful system of communications in the hands of it's citizenry.

And they are taking great strides now to correct thier mistake - by creating a centralized Internet structure through which all communications are datamined and strcictly controlled.

(Internet 2 anyone?)

We must resist this attack on the existing Internet and work on distributing more and more tools to increase privacy on the web - if we are to truly take advantage of this achillies heal which has been planted firmly in front of us...

And although the consequences of using social networks (CIA sponsered or otherwise) seems trivial right now - realize that philosophically and logistically you are playing right into the ellitests hands - empowering them to turn one of the most powerful technologies for peace and proseperity into a vicous control grid that tracks the citizenry like cattle - with no option to "opt out" when the final pieces are in place.

Now is the time for peaceful and informed resistance to avoid a future that has the potential to be more violent and dehumanisng then man has ever dreamed.

Originally posted by Souljah
So you think having a Facebook account is dangerous?

And posting on ATS is not?

Please!

If certain people in power want to have your information, they shall get it one way or the other. Facebook does provide a simple way of collecting information about EVERY individual and putting that in a large database. So what to do with this pile of info? If you ask me, we all already have records somewhere just because we use the internet. Our traffic history is recorded probably all the time. So what? Now we are supposed to stay off the net? What's next the Big Brother will force us to do? Stay at home? Don't leave town? Be paranoid all the time? Not say what you want to? Remain quiet?

Then THEY have won already...

ATS is nothing but some two bit conspiracy site. Rabble-rouser's and talk of reptillians, hologram planes, and faked moon landings. On this site, besides administrative access to a public I.P which gives information that any census has, theres very little access to a persons views on a variety of subjects, they're demeanor, they're spending habits, etc. Facebook provides all this and more, and allows for the Big Three (Military-Industrial, Pharmaceutical, and Federal Oversight) to get in depth access to a persons spending habits, beliefs, demeanor, and more, all of which neatly categorized by person in an easy to access database which seems to have been made almost solely for the perpetual categorization of the U.S population. It's almost identical to the IAO's proposed plans.

Pretty much anonymous. I mean, why bother spying on civilians when they willingly give out not just their info, but their habits, extended personal network, personal traits, and all sorts of other intimate data.

People are usually misinformed when it comes to current matters in Iran, and the actual living conditions of the real, ordinary people living there. Personal freedom is very limited, but being a theocratic society, Iran seems to accept the manner of conduct in everyday life as normal, just the way others in democratic societies take their freedoms for granted. For example, use of Internet in Iran is reduced to a minimum, and social networks such as Facebook are banned. There is no way for the young people over there to connect with others from different parts of the world. That way the government prevents inflow of western ideas but also puts a padlock to the window into the positives that difference of information can bring to young minds. This topic can be discussed from various angles, but the one that I recommend you to take a look at is The Age of Nepotism, the book by Vahid Razavi that covers this and many other burning issues in today's global society. You can also visit the site www.thegeofnepotism.com

Originally posted by WolfofWar

ATS is nothing but some two bit conspiracy site...

whoa there mister...prolly waaaay more thean two bits....
were talking gigs here...

Thats why i can't stand any of those social sites like bebo,myspace,facebook etc etc Most of my friends are signed up..not me and never have.Don't own a mobile either...god i sound like an old fart and im only in my early twenties

Nah

It's just a great networking tool being ruined by greedy douchelords

Well there ya go. All those social sites are about two parts blabbermouth one part honeypot. Of course the CIA and other alphabits are watching them. Al Gore told me he wanted a direct line from my bedroom to the Pentagon and that the internet would suffice.

Are you going to eat that last piece of chicken?