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While data mining on this scale is only barely science fiction, I don't see it progressing it this far for a number of reasons:

1. Users. Once Facebook users learn that their public data will be used for these purposes, people will en masse make their profiles private. Not everyone will understand what is going on, but everyone with enough Facebook friends will figure out from their friends to make their profiles private.

2. The public. Public outrage is a powerful thing. Data-sharing on such an unprecedented scale would almost certainly trigger public outcry and/or boycott. People have an alternative to Facebook: G+. A boycott would not be such a big tragedy for people. Plus, you don't want your website to be known as the one that can get people fired.

3. Government. This is related to number 2. If enough people get mad, then Congress may pass laws to stop Narrative Data and similar companies from producing personal data mining products.



1 point by intended 0 minutes ago | link | edit | delete

Somewhat related experience in the past few days - A co-worker who never had known or cared about privacy, all of a sudden asked me how she could change her privacy settings on facebook. Curious as to why she did it - she said it was because of a friend of hers sent out a chain mail message asking for her to be removed. I found it ironic, that for those users most at risk of being exposed to lax privacy safeguards at FB, it was the network and social effects that were most likely to educate them in how to reduce their foot print.




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