Whatsapp to share data with Facebook

[Qapla]

There used to be people walking around with "sandwich boards" - when newspapers became widespread, they printed ads in them. At first ads were just text, then they had drawings and later actual pictures. Then came radio - more ads ... and these ads had sounds with feelings and expressions in the words.. Next was TV - in addition to sound, now they had moving pictures - 1 (800) numbers were added (at least in the US) which made it possible to have "toll free" ways to spend your money and "infomercials" became the thing. In the meantime, businesses flooded peoples mailboxes with "junk mail" (that still goes on today) - and of course, there now is the dreaded "Spam Calls" and scammers on our home and cell phones  

 

As soon as someone thought of a way to make money from selling their customer's information (data) it became a normal thing to do. Mail order businesses did it and other entities followed suit. When the digital age began, why would things change - they haven't ... and they ALL do it, not just Facebook.

 

Advertising and "pressure sales" is a part of this system. To single out one particular business can't be done. They all collect and sell as much data as they can ... and this includes public as well as private businesses and entities - how do you think information from the DMV gets out ... someone sells it or makes it available.

 

The fact that our information is exposed is obvious - that is why we must not let it affect us. We can't avoid it since they all do it. Not using one companies products or services is not going to protect our data - another company will put it out there. We either do not do any business with anyone who needs to know who we are, use only cash and stay off the Internet totally if we want to even have a chance to keep out data private - and even that probably won't work for long - or we live with it and not let the ads and/or other means they try to use to get us to buy things or get involved in things we don't want ... it's called "self control".

 

 

Edited March 22, 2021 by Qapla

[Thesauron]

The fact that our information is exposed is obvious - that is why we must not let it affect us. We can't avoid it since they all do it. Not using one companies products or services is not going to protect our data - another company will put it out there. We either do not do any business with anyone who needs to know who we are, use only cash and stay off the Internet totally if we want to even have a chance to keep out data private - and even that probably won't work for long - or we live with it and not let the ads and/or other means they try to use to get us to buy things or get involved in things we don't want ... it's called "self control".
 
 

If we think that what companies and organisations do with the Big Data they collect doesn’t affect us, we are fools. We are allowing ourselves to be fooled and manipulated. If we are aware, then we can begin to protect ourselves.

If we know what Facebook does with the data they collect about the publishers in our congregation, would it not be kind to move our communications to a platform that does not collect such data, if possible?

Most of us have phones. If you knew that the phone company listened in to your conversations, saved and processed the data, and then sold it on to third parties, you’d be concerned no doubt. Why would text-based communications be any different?

[Qapla]

It's not that I am not aware of what can happen with the data they collect - it's just that I don't fool myself into thinking that there are companies out there that DON"T collect data and use/sell it. They ALL do it!

 

If you think that there are some companies/platforms/apps that don't - well ...

 

I don't live in a dream world - I know they ALL belong to Satan's system and they all use what they collect. It is that simple.

 

The only way to not have any of your communications monitored - is to only converse in person and that may need to be in whispers directly into another person's ear - and even that may not be secure.

21 minutes ago, Thesauron said:

Most of us have phones.

 

And therein lies some of the data leaks - NO phone is safe ... No phone company is safe ... no phone apps (other than ours) are safe - regardless of how much they want to say they are. They all leak (collect and/or pass data).

 

It's not just WhatsApp/Facebook we would have to quit using - we would have to stop using ALL of them.

 

So far, the Branch has not instructed us to totally quit using any particular app or platform.

 

Edited March 22, 2021 by Qapla

[Thesauron]

It's not that I am not aware of what can happen with the data they collect - it's just that I don't fool myself into thinking that there are companies out there that DON"T collect data and use/sell it. They ALL do it!
 
If you think that there are some companies/platforms/apps that don't - well ...
 
I don't live in a dream world - I know they ALL belong to Satan's system and they all use what they collect. It is that simple.
 
The only way to not have any of your communications monitored - is to only converse in person and that may need to be in whispers directly into another person's ear - and even that may not be secure.
 
And therein lies some of the data leaks - NO phone is safe ... No phone company is safe ... no phone apps (other than ours) are safe - regardless of how much they want to say they are. They all leak (collect and/or pass data).
 
It's not just WhatsApp/Facebook we would have to quit using - we would have to stop using ALL of them.
 
So far, the Branch has not instructed us to totally quit using any particular app or platform.
 

It is simply not true that all companies collect and sell data. Most phone companies, for example, does collect information about who you call and for how long, and retain it for a few months. Not to sell it on, but for legal purposes.

Many app developers and service providers do not sell any information or share with third parties because of, for example, ideological reasons.

We don’t have to give in to the idea that “it cannot be avoided, because they all do it.” Its lazy and foolish.

[M.J.]

Some people may have dreams of grandeur and imagine they are some kind of tech savvy James Bond , but the truth is, the typical person cannot escape all the electronic intrusion and exposure. The extremely rare few who could, would be completely off grid, and definitely not chatting here. 

[Thesauron]

Some people may have dreams of grandeur and imagine they are some kind of tech savvy James Bond , but the truth is, the typical person cannot escape all the electronic intrusion and exposure. The extremely rare few who could, would be completely off grid, and definitely not chatting here. 

That’s the same argument some people have for not doing anything for the environment. But the truth is that whatever little thing you can do helps.

[M.J.]

1 hour ago, Thesauron said:

That’s the same argument some people have for not doing anything for the environment. But the truth is that whatever little thing you can do helps.

That's very relative.

[Thesauron]

That's very relative.

Everything, I guess, but everyone of us can do some simple things to keep ourselves protected. And perhaps choosing to use a means of communication for the congregation that does not sell the publisher’s information might not be a bad start.

[Jay]

2 hours ago, Thesauron said:

but everyone of us can do some simple things to keep ourselves protected

Please tell more, I only know tor browser or tails os

Edited March 22, 2021 by Jay

[M.J.]

4 hours ago, Thesauron said:

And perhaps choosing to use a means of communication for the congregation that does not sell the publisher’s information might not be a bad start.

Point taken. But I don't think the Organization is interested in getting involved in taking up a cause of this type.  They've got bigger things on their hands. 

[Hope]

16 hours ago, Brandon said:

I would be more concerned with the desires that consumer marketing implants into you without your conscious decision making processes involved, but I guess I’m crazy like that for protecting my self agency. 

My self agency is fine. ☺ My decisions are mainly driven by what I can afford and what I think I need and that's not much. 

 

This entire system is an "implant" if you think about it. As Witnesses, we're more savvy than most at being aware of subtle bad influences. For myself, being overly concerned about "Borg" mental implants is using energy I won't spare.

 

Excuse me, though- I'm off to purchase an eyeshadow palette called "The Child" as in "The Mandalorian". It's really pretty... not sure how I found that company... I hear and obey....... 👽🤖😉

[Thesauron]

Point taken. But I don't think the Organization is interested in getting involved in taking up a cause of this type.  They've got bigger things on their hands. 

They have always put the safety of the publishers first. Did you not know this?

[Thesauron]

Please tell more, I only know tor browser or tails os

They’re alright, but I don’t think you need to go that far. You just need to think twice before you sign up to various services, and what cookies you accept. As for WhatsApp, there are services, such as Signal and Telegram that doesn’t collect information about you, and you do not need to be a grandiose tech expert to use them.

At least on the European market, sites and services are required to disclose how they track you and what information they collect, and you can chose to accept it or not.

[M.J.]

13 minutes ago, Thesauron said:

They have always put the safety of the publishers first. Did you not know this?

You're twisting things. They value safety of life. They are not involved in worldly causes. You're snarky attitude is not required. No need to keep responding to you. Good-Bye.

[Thesauron]

You're twisting things. They value safety of life. They are not involved in worldly causes. You're snarky attitude is not required. No need to keep responding to you. Good-Bye.

You’re mistaken. It is not a snarky attitude. They fact that they are concerned about how the private information is used, especially when the congregations have a hand in collecting it, is so obvious to me it surprises me you did not know this.

All I am saying that when there are viable alternatives, why not pick one that does not collect and sell our private information?

[EccentricM]

I myself use non-google browsers due to their reputation of trying to control and feed people sources of propaganda. I get certain concerns about manipulation and privacy. I use lots of tracking blockers and so on.

 

One of the main reasons for me, is to avoid being fed biased infomation, news sources and web results based upon paid promotion and the like, as opposed to more "neutral" and unbiased results on my search engine. The control of infomation flow will control a person's perception of reality.

 

I don't think that being watched by "someone" can be avoided in this world *waves to the FBI and MI6*, but I try to balance my mindset on it. 

 

We use the internet, yet by using the internet we give money and promote its use to internet providers, of whome, approve of porn websites and so on. So you could argue that we all should be Amish, and reject all technology, for our use of it all serves to keep alive its popularity and relevance. Are we supporting the porn industry by using the internet? Or is the fault of the people making the porn websites to be at fault (and that we don't support the people making those sites which is the real application of having no part in thoses things?)

 

Important question to consider, and different people will come to different conclusions.

 

 

 

 

Edited March 23, 2021 by EccentricM