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Facebook Really Wants You To Come Back (bloomberg.com)

Posted by msmash on from the desperate-measures dept.

An anonymous reader writes: The social network is getting aggressive with people who don't log in often, working to keep up its engagement numbers, Bloomberg reports. Sample this for instance: It's been about a year since Rishi Gorantala deleted the Facebook app from his phone, and the company has only gotten more aggressive in its emails to win him back. The social network started out by alerting him every few days about friends that had posted photos or made comments -- each time inviting him to click a link and view the activity on Facebook. He rarely did. Then, about once a week in September, he started to get prompts from a Facebook security customer-service address. "It looks like you're having trouble logging into Facebook," the emails would say. "Just click the button below and we'll log you in. If you weren't trying to log in, let us know." He wasn't trying. But he doesn't think anybody else was, either. "The content of mail they send is essentially trying to trick you," said Gorantala, 35, who lives in Chile. "Like someone tried to access my account so I should go and log in."

148 of 243 comments (clear)

  1. Creepy Zuck wants all your data by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Say no to the Silicon Valley mafia.

  2. Die, Facebook, die, die, die. by Rick+Schumann · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Maybe we get lucky and this is foreshadowing of the beginning of the end for Facebook? :-)

    1. Re:Die, Facebook, die, die, die. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      I've been receiving these beg worthy emails as well, including one regarding a false login attempt to my account outlined above. I know with all the breaches, my accounts have certainly been hit and it may have been someone crawling through old leaked email password lists but I too was suspect of aggressive Facebook pull attempts.

      I haven't actively used my account in a few years now (contributing content, messaging, etc.--my profile picture is probably 8 years old) though I do occasionally log in to crawl through some content groups and keep up with current stupid social trends that don't make it to news outlets (like the dangerously stupid 'Tide Challenge').

      I'm nearing the point of deleting my account entirely and have only kept it up as a contact point for old friends (which it occasionally gets used as).

    2. Re:Die, Facebook, die, die, die. by YuliApp · · Score: 1

      let us hope

    3. Re:Die, Facebook, die, die, die. by rl117 · · Score: 4, Interesting

      I was shocked that when I received one of these facebook emails, that clicking on the link didn't prompt me for a login password. It took me straight into the account with zero authentication. I hadn't logged in in several years, so there were no cookies or anything local. Would not be hard to trawl for these and take over a lot of accounts?

    4. Re:Die, Facebook, die, die, die. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

      Doesn't anyone remember the first few years of facebook?

      Their modus operandi was to have new users log in and provide login/password for various email or instant messenger accounts. They would then grab as many contacts as possible and spam every contact with "join facebook now!" spam.

      This went on for years, until about 2008 or so with the CAN-SPAM act. If you didn't create a facebook account the spam would continue endlessly with no option to make it stop.

      If anything facebook is merely showing their true colors once more. Look into how the site was originally set up by creating fake accounts from public profile data of female faculty members. ...but this time you've given facebook access to your smartphone contacts, phone number and heaps of other data.

      CAPTCHA: circus

    5. Re:Die, Facebook, die, die, die. by uCallHimDrJ0NES · · Score: 4, Interesting

      This isn't new practice on Facebook's part. They pulled a similar pattern of mails on me when I quit using it back in 2007. I'm surprised no one else has made this comment. When I complained about this to tech industry contacts back then, I was treated like I was wearing a tinfoil hat, but now some user experiences the same thing and an article gets written for a major news outlet. If you apply the rule that fear sells news, I guess this means that people are finally starting to be afraid of what they are "sharing" on voluntary surveillance media. Whoops, I mean, social media. Sorry.

      --
      Cloudiot: A person who does not see offsite storage as a way to lose control over access to his or her own data.
    6. Re:Die, Facebook, die, die, die. by Rewind · · Score: 2

      I have received a few of the emails and I checked them out, just curious. The links are indeed legit and I don't think I had singed in there since 2012 or so. I wonder how much traffic they actually get back? I just deleted the emails after I was just they were not just fishing attempts.

      --
      ?
    7. Re:Die, Facebook, die, die, die. by uCallHimDrJ0NES · · Score: 3, Interesting

      If you still have one of these mails, paste the link into a browser in "private" or "incognito" mode to validate what you are saying. Seems unlikely.

      --
      Cloudiot: A person who does not see offsite storage as a way to lose control over access to his or her own data.
    8. Re:Die, Facebook, die, die, die. by CrimsonAvenger · · Score: 2

      Would not be hard to trawl for these and take over a lot of accounts?

      No doubt. But when did FB accounts become important enough that anyone really cares if their long unused account gets taken over?

      --

      "I do not agree with what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it"
    9. Re:Die, Facebook, die, die, die. by rl117 · · Score: 1

      Well, I can only speak for my own experience many months back. I'd certainly be interested to know if people who recently got a facebook begging email see the same thing.

    10. Re:Die, Facebook, die, die, die. by admin7087 · · Score: 1

      That happened to me, too, after more than 8 years of not using FB. There was even a pending friend request from then.

    11. Re:Die, Facebook, die, die, die. by omnichad · · Score: 5, Informative

      They use what's pretty much a permacookie for login. Not a session-based cookie. My latest-expiring non-session cookie on Facebook (according to Edit This Cookie extension in Chrome) is April of 2019. And remember that this cookie can be reactivated or renewed just by visiting a web site with a FB like button or conversion tracking code. You don't have to be on facebook.com for it to renew.

    12. Re:Die, Facebook, die, die, die. by Darinbob · · Score: 1

      Every time I mistype my password even one time, I get an email instantly saying I must have had trouble logging in and they can help be get back on. I think it's pushing really really hard for me to go to a "click on your picture to log in" model. I've clicked no to this every single time I login and it still shows up.

    13. Re:Die, Facebook, die, die, die. by Darinbob · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Not being on Facebook is in itself evidence that you may be a space alien or a conspiracy theorist.

    14. Re:Die, Facebook, die, die, die. by uCallHimDrJ0NES · · Score: 1

      Not being on Facebook is in itself evidence that you may be a space alien or a conspiracy theorist.

      Can't I be both?

      --
      Cloudiot: A person who does not see offsite storage as a way to lose control over access to his or her own data.
    15. Re:Die, Facebook, die, die, die. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      As an avid Facebook user (I know, I know), I can say from experience that these links do not rely on preexisting cookies -- they'll work just fine in an incognito session, or on a device that's never touched facebook.com before. There's a single-use code embedded in the link that logs you in without requiring the user to enter any information whatsoever. They do expire after some time (I don't know exactly how long, but it's longer than a day and shorter than a month), but as long as they haven't expired and haven't been used already, anyone with that link can log into your Facebook account.

      It's worth noting that even if someone gains access to your Facebook account using this method, most major changes to your settings require confirming your password first, so they would only have limited abilities. They could creep on and/or spam your friends, but they wouldn't be able to change your name, contact information, or login credentials.

      I don't have a valid one of these links handy at the moment so I can't confirm this, but I believe they would also be required to enter your password before being able to use your Facebook account for SSO on another site.

    16. Re:Die, Facebook, die, die, die. by thegarbz · · Score: 1

      It took me straight into the account with zero authentication.

      Actually it will have authenticated you based on your IP, location, machine details, past logins, cookies, and through tracking your web activities. They are quite clever about account access. Even something as basic as if you travel to another country and turn on your laptop before turning on your phone then your computer will prompt you for a login even if you still have an active session. But turn your phone on first and the security system suddenly knows you travelled somewhere and doesn't bother.

      Why would they bother asking you to authenticate if they already know exactly who you are :-)

    17. Re:Die, Facebook, die, die, die. by Mr0bvious · · Score: 1

      Facebook is dead already (well it's all down from here).

      Facebook became irrelevant as soon as "parents" started using it.

      --
      Never happened. True story.
    18. Re:Die, Facebook, die, die, die. by MoaDweeb · · Score: 1

      Wait? What?

      Are my tentacles showing?

      --
      New Zealanders are well balanced with a chip on each shoulder. One represents Australia, the other the rest of the world
    19. Re:Die, Facebook, die, die, die. by mcswell · · Score: 1

      So you're a real live Thermian? Wow, I'd like to shake tentacles with you!

    20. Re:Die, Facebook, die, die, die. by ShanghaiBill · · Score: 2

      If you still have one of these mails, paste the link into a browser in "private" or "incognito" mode to validate what you are saying.

      I tried it just now. I did a "right click" on the link, selected "Open Link in Incognito Window", and when the window opened, I was prompted for a login and password.

  3. It took me 2 years to get off Facebook by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Yes, 2 years to get off FB and finally stop receiving their junk emails. Get a life by getting off FB.

    1. Re:It took me 2 years to get off Facebook by Sperbels · · Score: 5, Interesting

      It was fairly easy for me. I changed my real name to my initials. They had a real name only policy (not sure if they still do) so they banned my account for using a fake name. I haven't received an email from them since.

    2. Re:It took me 2 years to get off Facebook by richy+freeway · · Score: 1

      I closed my account about 3 years ago and never heard another word from them beyond the 30 days later "we're really going to delete your account if you don't come back!" email.

      If people are leaving their accounts dormant, what do they expect? Either get off it or don't, stop pussyfooting around!

    3. Re:It took me 2 years to get off Facebook by PKFC · · Score: 4, Interesting

      Confirmed. My name was changed to Jus D'Orange because I got bored. Years later they bust me for it. Require me to change my name before I can log in again. Bam: "Jus de Pomme". Week later banned and now need to upload a government issued ID to confirm my name.... oh hell no.

      Only problem is: I can't log in to be able to delete my account. I'm sure that password will get breached eventually (not sure if I can even change it in the current state), but the ID requirement will be there protecting my account.

      Terms of service say I can't create a new account to circumvent a ban so yeah

    4. Re:It took me 2 years to get off Facebook by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Interesting

      I have a similar problem with MySpace. I want to delete all my stuff (and maybe try to delete my account if it's an option) but whenever I try to log in, it won't let me proceed unless I agree to new ToS. I want out but I can't say No without saying Yes first.

    5. Re:It took me 2 years to get off Facebook by Provocateur · · Score: 2

      After a bunch of Click on the link to reset your password, I decided *NOT to reset it, and left it at that. Suddenly I could have more time for more useful pursuits.
      I was one of those that believed that so-n-so got this really hot tech job by nearly stalking online one of the HR generalists to find out who's who in that guy's friends list -- until I decided I am not that desperate for a job.
      I got my life back, and I did not need to see what my friends had for dinner at such and such restaurant; neither did I have to get creepy. Let Zuck and company be those people, and try to fight back Russian intel

      --
      WARNING: Smartphones have side effects--most of them undocumented.
    6. Re:It took me 2 years to get off Facebook by CaptainDork · · Score: 2

      I did something similar back in the day.

      Using a popular link, I added 500 Friends in one day.

      Facebook sent me a warning shot telling me I couldn't possibly know that many people.

      I added another 500 Friends the next day.

      BOOM!

      Blocked.

      That was ten years ago.

      To this day, that email cannot be used to create a Facebook account.

      I have a fake account. I let my family know who I was and they added me.

      I've been using that account so long, FB probably knows who I am.

      --
      It little behooves the best of us to comment on the rest of us.
    7. Re:It took me 2 years to get off Facebook by Iamthecheese · · Score: 1

      If you could log in you still couldn't delete your account. Facebook never, ever deletes information. All you could do is prevent you, yourself from seeing it. And possible your friends. The government and other sponsors of Facebook would still have full access.

      --
      If video games influenced behavior the Pac Man generation would be eating pills and running away from their problems.
    8. Re:It took me 2 years to get off Facebook by Chryana · · Score: 2

      I wouldn't be so sure. Someone managed to register a Facebook account under my primary email some time back, I'm not sure how. I learned of it because I kept getting email notices from Facebook in some southeast Asia tongue. I was able to do a takeover of the account by asking for an email password reset. I was unable to complete the login though, because they kept asking me for my birth date, which had been decided by the attacker, and I was told to send a government ID to be granted access. I kept trying every once in a while, and I was finally able to login with no questions asked about a year later.

      The account was almost empty. The account was friends with two girls who had thousands of friends (so I guess they didn't check too closely who sent them friends requests). I think the reason to do this was to use the account to try to do a takeover of my Google account, since your Facebook credentials can be used on many sites.

      I would suggest locking your old account with a strong password.

    9. Re:It took me 2 years to get off Facebook by Brett+Buck · · Score: 1

      Week later banned and now need to upload a government issued ID to confirm my name.... oh hell no.

              I'm sorry, but - WHAT!? You are supposed to provide your drivers license or equivalent to Facebook before they deign to let you use their service again? Is this some sort of IQ test, and if you do it, you fail?

              I thought I was too cynical and too negative to be surprised any more, but holy crap, this, I didn't see coming!

    10. Re:It took me 2 years to get off Facebook by coofercat · · Score: 1

      But they (repeatedly) tell me that "a lot has been happening on Facebook since you last visited..." and then proceed to tell me I've got "2 pokes". I'm sure someone at Facebook Towers falls off their chair regularly when they learn that their genius email marketing isn't actually working on me.

      Dear Facebook: If you want me back, do something interesting. Until then, I'm doing much better without you, thanks.

    11. Re:It took me 2 years to get off Facebook by RockDoctor · · Score: 1

      Week later banned and now need to upload a government issued ID to confirm my name.... oh hell no.

      Don't DPRK issue passports for, like $5? Proof of ID is PayPap payment not bouncing.

      --
      Birds are not dinosaur descendants;birds are dinosaurs, for all useful meanings of "birds", "are" and "dinosaurs"
    12. Re:It took me 2 years to get off Facebook by RockDoctor · · Score: 1

      I've been using that account so long, FB probably knows who I am.

      They probably did within hours of

      I have a fake account. I let my family know who I was and they added me.

      Once more than a dozen or so of them had searched for (or even "Liked") your fake account, thn you'd have been pretty well pinned in their "web of relationships." The number necessary may be smaller than a dozen, for correspondingly lower levels of confidence.

      --
      Birds are not dinosaur descendants;birds are dinosaurs, for all useful meanings of "birds", "are" and "dinosaurs"
    13. Re:It took me 2 years to get off Facebook by RockDoctor · · Score: 1

      Either get off it or don't, stop pussyfooting around!

      I keep, but don't log into, my account to make it harder for someone to impersonate me. I will continue this deliberate "pussyfooting" until Facebook is dead, or they stop being as creepy as that stalker who got out of hospital last month and is sending you the roots of flowers on a daily basis since.

      --
      Birds are not dinosaur descendants;birds are dinosaurs, for all useful meanings of "birds", "are" and "dinosaurs"
    14. Re:It took me 2 years to get off Facebook by CaptainDork · · Score: 1

      It's OK.

      I have 16 Facebook accounts and I use 15 for pooting around.

      I really am not concerned with web privacy.

      That ship sailed years ago.

      It is what it is.

      --
      It little behooves the best of us to comment on the rest of us.
  4. I just wish you could disable the text messages! by greenwow · · Score: 1

    Overage charges at 25 cents each sucks when Facebook sends so much spam. I disabled very notification I could find, but still getting them.

  5. Forget you! by Lucas123 · · Score: 1

    MySpace never cut me off, and I haven't logged in there in a decade.

    I'm coming back MySpace, so turn the light back on!

  6. Facebook is the new MySpace! by Locke2005 · · Score: 1

    Does anybody still have a MySpace account?

    --
    I've abandoned my search for truth; now I'm just looking for some useful delusions.
  7. Delete your account by rl117 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I got one of these last year. It was a good reminder to log in and completely delete my account for good, after not using it for several years. I did the same for Google+ just last week. I came to the realisation that while superficially convenient, they weren't adding much value to my life and were in many respects a net negative. Facebook in particular had become a cesspool of irrelevant time-wasting nonsense. Finally deleting them all felt quite liberating. Like I'm no longer being spied on by super creepy people, though I'm sure they'll still try their best to track me.

    1. Re:Delete your account by alvinrod · · Score: 1

      I don't use it, but I still have a Facebook account. I've found that it actually is a reasonably slick Rolodex only I don't need to maintain the information. Occasionally I find it convenient when I want to look up a distant relative or an old classmate's contact information and call them up. The rest of it is, as you say, a bunch of time-wasting nonsense.

    2. Re:Delete your account by crunchygranola · · Score: 1

      Right. I have an account to be able to check in with relatives and friends to see something they have posted (and email me about), and there are a couple of organizations I belong to that use Facebook for group activity (messaging, blogging) that I check in with, and a few performers I "liked" to boost their careers. But that is all. I have never posted anything to Facebook, ever.

      --
      Second class citizen of the New Gilded Age
    3. Re:Delete your account by Dragonslicer · · Score: 1

      Facebook in particular had become a cesspool of irrelevant time-wasting nonsense. Finally deleting them all felt quite liberating.

      This says more about your friends (or "friends" if you prefer) than it does about Facebook as a platform.

    4. Re:Delete your account by rl117 · · Score: 1

      It was more the irrelevant crap Facebook started pushing to keep your attention than anything else. And I found it increasingly creepy. Overall, I didn't find it a net positive in my life, and I didn't think it was particularly good for my mental health either.

    5. Re:Delete your account by paazin · · Score: 1

      Indeed, precisely the same thing happened to me (they even claimed the IP was originating from Taiwan) but then when I authenticated this "invalid attempt" somehow vanished.

      Thanks Zuckerberg, was a great reminder to delete the account!

  8. Oh no! Better safe than sorry! by Opportunist · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Dear Facebook,

    That wasn't me trying to log in. Better delete the account right now, lest you have some fake profiles again. Better safe than sorry, delete it NOW, NOW, NOW!

    --
    We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
  9. Anonymous reader? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    This is lifted verbatim from the Bloomberg article. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2018-01-31/facebook-really-wants-you-to-come-back

  10. Re:I just wish you could disable the text messages by arth1 · · Score: 1

    Of course you can disable the text messages. Just give your provider a call and say you want to disable it. Or disable the messaging app you use in the phone.

  11. Unlikely by Opportunist · · Score: 2

    Companies the size of Facebook that really get into trouble whine at governments to bail them out.

    --
    We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
    1. Re:Unlikely by jwhyche · · Score: 4, Insightful

      How about 'kiss my ass?"

      --
      I read at +2. If your post doesn't reach that level I will not see or respond to it.
    2. Re:Unlikely by DontBeAMoran · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Just because someone thinks Trump is a fraud or a joke doesn't mean he approves of Clinton.

      --
      #DeleteFacebook
    3. Re:Unlikely by tbannist · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Companies the size of Facebook that really get into trouble whine at governments to bail them out.

      So a government bail out is the reason that MySpace is the vibrant, innovative company that it is today?

      Perhaps my memory is slipping, but while I remember banks and manufacturing (especially car and plane manufacturing) getting bail outs, I don't remember any tech companies ever getting a government bail out...

      --
      Fanatically anti-fanatical
    4. Re:Unlikely by admin7087 · · Score: 4, Interesting

      Not very likely in this case. Advertisement companies like Facebook have no real product and are easy to replace once they're gone.

    5. Re: Unlikely by DontBeAMoran · · Score: 1

      I'm Canadian, you moran.

      --
      #DeleteFacebook
    6. Re: Unlikely by Opportunist · · Score: 2

      There is option 3, you know: I'm sitting outside the US and am just watching the dog-and-pony show. It's a bit like going to the zoo and enjoying the antics of the chimps, the difference probably being that these chimps can fling their feces far enough to hit you, no matter where you hide.

      --
      We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
    7. Re:Unlikely by Opportunist · · Score: 1

      How is Facebook more or less "relevant" than GM or Boeing? What's "system relevant" about these two, anyway?

      --
      We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
    8. Re:Unlikely by Opportunist · · Score: 1

      The companies that were bailed out in the last crash WERE already replaced. It's not like they had a similar monopoly position as Facebook where them disappearing would leave a product vacuum behind that takes years to fill.

      --
      We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
    9. Re:Unlikely by Opportunist · · Score: 1

      What was the justification for the last bail outs? Want to bet that you can use the same excuses?

      --
      We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
    10. Re:Unlikely by lsatenstein · · Score: 1

      Lets hope that Twitter fails and that it takes until 2020 to get a bail out.

      We, the world, can then be spared POTUS tweets

      --
      Leslie Satenstein Montreal Quebec Canada
  12. Not the only company by TheInternet01 · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I've seen other companies try to use security scares to get you to log back in, like ubisoft.

    If your account isn't locked out then it's likely just pr scam to get you to remember their services and login again. They wonder why people are alert and ad overloaded and don't respond to things, even ones that matter, because all the shady scamming crap from 'trusted companies' is fake.

    Security alerts used to mean something, and people shouldn't ignore them, but they've started to since companies are abusing that content.

    --
    Uplink Hosting - Web/email at an affordable price with high performance - https://uplinkhosting.ca/link.php?id=3
  13. Alternatives are good enough by butchersong · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I never used facebook very much and got a similar email recently. Honestly, I prefer Minds. The community is small enough that I don't have to deal with the vitriol of random relatives in my feeds or 1k friend requests as soon as I create an account..

  14. Re:Phishing 101 by Sarten-X · · Score: 2

    Yeah... I'm thinking this isn't much of a story.

    Personally, I log in to Facebook about once a year or so. I get the emails of things other folks are doing, and a few asking me nicely to return, but nothing that looks like phishing.

    --
    You do not have a moral or legal right to do absolutely anything you want.
  15. No Security Mails Here by Luthair · · Score: 1

    So I rarely login, but I've never received a message a security message - most likely someone is either intentionally or accidentally attempting to log in as you. The other ones you can just unsubscribe from.

  16. Useless now by Frederic54 · · Score: 1

    FB was nice 10 years ago, we re-fond old friends, exchanged words and pictures, but now my FB feed is ads and useless articles, less and less real people posts things. I scroll my feed the morning for 1 minute and that's it. It looks like it's dying and FB has limited growth (1.5 billion people on it).
    With families and friends we have groups in Messenger and are using it way more than FB, but the application became a behemot and now, with ads, so at one time we wil have to change this. Techies easily can switch to a new app, but with older members of family it will be hard to switch :-/

    --
    "Science will win because it works." - Stephen Hawking
    1. Re:Useless now by blahbooboo · · Score: 1

      Use iMessage or Google Hangouts for your discussion threads. Both work better than Facebook Messenger.

  17. And? by Bobrick · · Score: 1

    An annoying practice, sure, but what ever happened to blocking a particular sender?

  18. Facebook Becomes The Jealous Girlfriend by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Stopped going on Facebook after being out of the country for a couple weeks without internet access. Facebook turns into the crazy jealous girlfriend, sending countless emails to you.

    It's been a while since you've been here. Come back....
    Why haven't you checked your feed lately?
    Your friend did this thing. You should really look at it!
    Something happened. You should really come see us and find out what.
    Why aren't you checking these things!? You're missing out!
    WHERE ARE YOU AND WHY ARE YOU IGNORING US!!?!?!?

    1. Re:Facebook Becomes The Jealous Girlfriend by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Being completely truthful:

      Jealous girlfriends are the actual employees running the email campaigns.

      A whole team of jealous girlfriends.

  19. What really sucks about FB by future+assassin · · Score: 3, Interesting

    is if you really want to find local underground/niche music events/raves or even some general music most of the promotion now happens on FB or unless you really hang around/are friends with the people in the industry. Pretty fucking silly if you ask me

    --
    by TheSpoom (715771) Uncaring Linux user here. I have nothing to add to this but please continue. *munches popcorn*
    1. Re:What really sucks about FB by Known+Nutter · · Score: 1

      What kind of fucking sentence is that?

      Is that how they communicate on Facebook?

      --
      Beware of the Leopard.
    2. Re:What really sucks about FB by edtice1559 · · Score: 1

      Why does this suck about Facebook? They have exactly what you're looking for all in one place.

    3. Re:What really sucks about FB by tepples · · Score: 2

      Let me try to rephrase it in more standard English:

      What I find frustrating about Facebook is that if you really want to find local underground or niche music shows, or even music in general, most of the promotion now happens on Facebook. Anyone who isn't friends with people in the industry is left out.

    4. Re:What really sucks about FB by thegarbz · · Score: 1

      Pretty fucking silly if you ask me

      Much cheaper, access the vast majority of your target market more easily, wider reach... Just because they lose the odd customer or two doesn't make it silly. They would stick with it as a primary promotion medium if it wasn't working far better for them than their previous methods.

    5. Re:What really sucks about FB by spazzmo · · Score: 1

      This! Luckily my wife is the facebook sacrifice, just so we can keep up with events we want to catch.

      --
      The cheese stands alone...
  20. There's more to it than that. by waspleg · · Score: 5, Insightful

    This is an NSA/CIA/FBI/ETC wet dream for spying (on Americans and otherwise). I'm sure Facebook has deep in roads with the gov't.

    I remember the old Onion article calling Zuckerberg CIA agent of the year many years ago. It's supposed to be satire but ...

    1. Re:There's more to it than that. by DontBeAMoran · · Score: 5, Funny

      https://www.theonion.com/cias-...

      --
      #DeleteFacebook
    2. Re:There's more to it than that. by geekmux · · Score: 1

      This is an NSA/CIA/FBI/ETC wet dream for spying (on Americans and otherwise). I'm sure Facebook has deep in roads with the gov't.

      I remember the old Onion article calling Zuckerberg CIA agent of the year many years ago. It's supposed to be satire but ...

      Is MySpace still a "wet dream" for our spy community?

      I thought not. The only way Facebook justifies value to these organizations is if they manage to keep it.

    3. Re:There's more to it than that. by burningcpu · · Score: 2

      MySpace data and images would likely hold a great amount of value, if someone was able to correlate offensive content generated by teens, to adults and professionals, these 20ish years later.This sound like something our spy community would have interest in, to you?

    4. Re:There's more to it than that. by thegarbz · · Score: 2

      I'm sure the government is hugely interested in that I watched Sharknado 5 yesterday and 2 of my friends sent me a like.

      Frankly I'm all for government spying. The more we can fill up their databases with completely worthless shit the more they may realise that trying to rake in everything about everyone is a losing strategy.

    5. Re:There's more to it than that. by DontBeAMoran · · Score: 1

      I'm sure the government is hugely interested in that I watched Sharknado 5 yesterday

      Oh shit, there's a fifth one of those?

      Now you just filled my head with completely worthless shit.

      --
      #DeleteFacebook
    6. Re:There's more to it than that. by geekmux · · Score: 1

      MySpace data and images would likely hold a great amount of value, if someone was able to correlate offensive content generated by teens, to adults and professionals, these 20ish years later.This sound like something our spy community would have interest in, to you?

      Is holding people accountable for some stupid shit they did online during early puberty really the kind of shit we want to bring forth? There's more than one valid reason we don't consider someone an adult until they reach 18.

      No matter how hard any human might try, we're not perfect. Unfortunately, everyone being offended at every little fucking thing is creating a world demanding perfection from every human, backed by scorched-earth zero tolerance policy, and an ability to put value on antics you did as a child to be used against you later in life. We keep this shit up, and we'll be replacing the Pledge of Allegiance with a daily reading of your Miranda Right in schools.

    7. Re:There's more to it than that. by burningcpu · · Score: 1

      I completely agree and appreciate your exploration, especially the part regarding the right to not incriminate yourself.

    8. Re:There's more to it than that. by thegarbz · · Score: 1

      Do yourself a favour, don't. The 5th one was crap. So far I think the 3rd one was the peak.

    9. Re:There's more to it than that. by RockDoctor · · Score: 1

      "Peak Sharknado". What. A. Concept.

      --
      Birds are not dinosaur descendants;birds are dinosaurs, for all useful meanings of "birds", "are" and "dinosaurs"
    10. Re:There's more to it than that. by vandamme · · Score: 1

      Art imitates life. Or something.

  21. Re:I just wish you could disable the text messages by DJ+Jones · · Score: 1

    If you're in the U.S. simply reply "STOP ALL" to any one of the texts. Every shortcode operator is required to implement this command by permanently ceasing all future messages upon receiving it. There are a few other keyword commands mandated by the CTIA but this one is by far, the most useful.

  22. I would be glad to log-in more often by Pig+Hogger · · Score: 1

    but when a local newspaper does not like the comments you post on their stupid, racist stories, they block your Facebook account for 30 days.

  23. AOL CDs in the mail are the next logical step by sinij · · Score: 2

    AOL-like CDs in the mail are the next logical step in escalating this.

  24. Re:Creepy Zuck wants Fried Chickin an' Cone Bread by gnick · · Score: 1

    So he'll eliminate everyone with a Facebook account?

    I'd just about guarantee you have a FB profile. Do you think you're safe just because you didn't sign up or log in?

    --
    He's getting rather old, but he's a good mouse.
  25. I know how to destroy FaceBook. . . by CrtxReavr · · Score: 1

    I know how to destroy FaceBook within an matter of hours, if not minutes.

    FaceBook just needs to add a feature that allows people to "Like" likes.

    'Course, the doe-eyed masses might be left wondering why someone didn't "Like" their "Like" of a "Like."

    -CR

    --
    "So is the BSD licence even more 'free' (than GPLv2)? Yes. Unquestionably." --Linus Torvalds (TinyURL.com/2vugzl)
  26. Re: Creepy Zuck wants Fried Chickin an' Cone Bread by peragrin · · Score: 1

    I never signed up ever. Though I bet like linked I. They have my name, addresses and a picture.

    It isn't enough to not ever to have an account you can't ever have a photo taken and posted to Facebook either.

    Only linked-in is worse

    --
    i thought once I was found, but it was only a dream.
  27. Re:I just wish you could disable the text messages by omnichad · · Score: 1

    The real problem with that is that there is no way to undo. Go back to the original web site after they clean up their act, and you can't re-enable it.

  28. LiveJournal by Zorro · · Score: 1

    Because the USA far more than Russia with my information.

  29. Re:Nice try ivan by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Less successful in everything?

    Well, my wife loves me and likes spending time with me.

    I've never been divorced.

    I've never been disliked by the majority of my fellow countrymen

    I have genuine friends

    Sure he has more money, fame, and duped a bunch of people into voting for him. So if those are the things which are most important to you in this life...well that sounds like a pretty shitty life to me compared to genuine friendships and the love of a spouse.

  30. More reasons... by Chris+Mattern · · Score: 1

    ...why I will never, ever have a Facebook account.

  31. Google to the rescue by Yath · · Score: 1

    I don't know if using GMail is up this guy's alley, but if you click the "Spam" button on these, they will disappear quickly.

    --
    I always mod up spelling trolls.
  32. Huge middle finger to you, Facebook by OneHundredAndTen · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I'll carry on using Facebook for the only thing it is useful to me: to sign in easily into sites that require me to sign in before I can participate. I couldn't care less what kind of garbage populates my Facebook account afterwards. I do not log into explicitly anyway. That's what Facebook is good for: as a trash bin.

    1. Re:Huge middle finger to you, Facebook by Anubis+IV · · Score: 1

      For any site where I don’t care about having my own login, BugMeNot is the easier way to log in. For any site where I want my own login, it’s worth doing the one-time registration and then putting it into my password manager.

  33. Shadow profile: info from members and analytics by tepples · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Web users who have never signed up for Facebook, such as myself, still have a shadow profile that Facebook infers from two kinds of data source. One is information that Facebook members provide to Facebook about a non-member, such as contacts on their phones and tags in photos. The other is a click-stream, or the sequence of URLs of documents loaded in a non-member's browser that contain Facebook analytic devices, such as its like button or comments plug-in.

    1. Re:Shadow profile: info from members and analytics by sa666_666 · · Score: 1

      What about you have analytics turned off, and don't own a cellphone, and have never had their picture online. Yes, I know it's considered odd nowadays, but I don't (and won't ever) have a cellphone.

    2. Re:Shadow profile: info from members and analytics by tepples · · Score: 1

      Two questions, one related and one not so:

      First, do you have a house phone? Someone in your contacts might have its number, just like that of a cell phone.

      Second, how is it feasible to go without a cell phone in the developed world now that payphones have begun to disappear?

    3. Re:Shadow profile: info from members and analytics by bingoUV · · Score: 1

      Do you provide the number of this phone your friends, family, acquaintances and business associates, so they could call you if they want or need ?

      If yes, and if they use Facebook app, Facebook very likely knows that some person with your number exists. For sake of simplicity, let's call it "You".

      Now, they know "You" is called with so and so names by such and such persons. They have an idea of the type of relationship and around when it started. If they store "You"'s email ID, address, other related phone numbers, company name etc. in the phone contacts, Facebook knows all that about "You" too.

      Note that everything they know about "You", is used to search other places, to know progressively more and more about the real you.

      --
      Bingo Dictionary - Pragmatist, n. A myopic idealist.
    4. Re:Shadow profile: info from members and analytics by Maritz · · Score: 1

      Your medal is in the post. So many heroes on slashdot with super-basic phones. Truly humbling.

      --
      I do not want your cheap brainburning drugs. They are useless for work. And I am a working man today.
    5. Re:Shadow profile: info from members and analytics by Kopp · · Score: 1

      Do you imply the poster is actually getting out of his basement ?

  34. My own approach by flightmaker · · Score: 1

    Added to my postfix header checks

    /^Subject:.*Help your friends recognise you/ REJECT Facebook junk

    Gone!

    I'd love to know how to permanently delete an account, or has it been made possible since the last time I tried?

    The other possibility I thought of is to create a throwaway email address, divert FB to it then throw it away.

  35. Re:Very easy. by Chris+Mattern · · Score: 1

    You mean: :0
    * @facebook.com /dev/null

  36. Re:Very easy. by Chris+Mattern · · Score: 1

    Stupid word wrap.

    :0
    * @facebook.com
    /dev/null

  37. I got the email too by el_smurfo · · Score: 2

    "Looks like you are trying to log in". I just assumed some kid was trying to access my account and, frankly, didn't even care. I have 1 friend on Facebook (my wife) and I use it to view local news, kid activities and a couple hobbies. It's a aggregator, just like ./ or reddit for me.

  38. It's a password reset by tepples · · Score: 1

    clicking on the link didn't prompt me for a login password. It took me straight into the account with zero authentication.

    It's probably the same code path as the password reset: "I forgot my Facebook password, but I remember my email password. Please mint a one-time code and send it to my email address on file with Facebook so that I can reset my Facebook password."

  39. Must be... by Kazoo+the+Clown · · Score: 1

    Must be a Russian bot trying to log in as me.

  40. Don't use one email address by MobyDisk · · Score: 5, Informative

    This is why I use a different email address for every service. If you don't have your own domain, then use one of the many services that let you do this easily. Then you can just delete the email address when companies like Facebook start spamming you. It also lets you know who is selling your email address to advertisers.

  41. [ f] Continue with Facebook by tepples · · Score: 1

    when did FB accounts become important enough that anyone really cares if their long unused account gets taken over?

    Since sites like Slashdot started offering Facebook Login as a login option.

    1. Re:[ f] Continue with Facebook by CrimsonAvenger · · Score: 1

      when did FB accounts become important enough that anyone really cares if their long unused account gets taken over?

      Since sites like Slashdot started offering Facebook Login as a login option.

      Not like you're required to use FB Login to /. or anything. From someone who pays attention to security issues, FB login to third party sites seems more like a nightmare than a "good thing"....

      --

      "I do not agree with what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it"
  42. I want a $1,000,000,000 by DarkRookie · · Score: 1

    If they gave me that, I would join again.
    Hell, if they doubled it, I would even post things.

    --
    The millennial that doesn't like most of the stuff designed for millennials.
    1. Re:I want a $1,000,000,000 by thegreatbob · · Score: 1

      $1,000,000,000 in new, fashionable ZuckBucks“ ... all yours!

      --
      There is no XUL, only WebExtensions...
    2. Re:I want a $1,000,000,000 by DarkRookie · · Score: 1

      Only if it converts 1 to 1 to USD

      --
      The millennial that doesn't like most of the stuff designed for millennials.
  43. Re:Use Disconnect by tepples · · Score: 1

    This works until a critical mass of sites discover that their ad provider isn't compatible with Disconnect and deliberately add code to detect and reject users of Disconnect.

    One could just choose not to visit a site using anti-adblock, but I haven't seen a feature in the current version of any major web search engine to build a list of sites from which to hide results. Google Search used to have a blacklist feature but no longer does.

  44. Like Like will eat your shield by tepples · · Score: 1

    FaceBook just needs to add a feature that allows people to "Like" likes.

    That's a good way to get your shield eaten.

  45. Go outside. See if u still feel like creepy ppl... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    ...aren't spying on you.

    The US has started rolling out commercially operated 'traffic cameras' at every intersection during stoplight/network upgrades, resulting in a huge quantity of high performance IP Cameras being attached to every stoplight pole, complete with the ability to rotate them.

    Combined with the recent ICE approval to canvas these camera databases 'in the hunt for more illegals!' your facebook-like data mining and lack of privacy has carried over into the real world, and while you were too distracted to rebel, was codified into law. Now your travels, whether around town, county, state, or country are becoming that much less private. Within 5-10 years they will know every move you make by car if not foot traffic, and not long after that they will have a profile of you such that if you ever DO need to escape government persecution you won't have any way out. They will know everyone you know, they will know every path you know, and they will have a computer ranking them by likelihood of you choosing it, just like facebook has.

    The future is even scarier than sci-fi predicted, because it is now, and it is everything they warned it would be. Including the part about nobody caring.

  46. Air of desperation by Malc · · Score: 1

    It's funny, but these emails have a real air of desperation about them. It's this very air of desperation that puts me off checking them.

    That and learning that when I do follow through that it's never anything I'm interested in. Facebook is just so out of touch, and everything they do just discourages me more and more.

    Why do people feel the need to continuously broadcast to all and sundry every random and banal moment or thought in their lives? If Facebook could filter this out, and all the sponsored and advertising crap, it might become more valuable again. Meanwhile they just sound desperate.

  47. Insane Girlfriend? by AnalogDiehard · · Score: 1

    Facebook's nagging reminds me of the insane girlfriend

    --
    Eternity: will that be smoking, or non-smoking? I Corinthians 6:9-10
  48. Come back to the Facebook Game! FTFY by darthsilun · · Score: 1

    The more you tighten your grip, the more ... will slip through your fingers.

    I finally gave up playing the FB game. I haven't posted. I haven't liked anything. I haven't read any shares in couple months now. I've been tempted to post, but I always stop short of pressing the button. I just look at the pictures that my friends who haven't figured out Instagram post.

    Nothing drove home more how much of a game it was when a friend tried to shame me recently for not wishing him happy birthday on FB. For years I sent him, and several other friends (email) birthday wishes on their birthdays. Never got a response to any of those. Never got birthday wishes from them in return either on my birthday. (But I'm not bitter.) After years of that I finally gave up; figuring they didn't care about birthday wishes.

    But now that it's a FB game to see how many pokemon, er, I mean likes you can collect they're all about the birthday wishes. So no, I'm not playing the FB Game any more.

  49. Woot by thegreatbob · · Score: 1

    I'm sure they miss me because I'm just a really great guy and they want to know how my cats are doing... yep.

    --
    There is no XUL, only WebExtensions...
  50. Yeah well... by ilsaloving · · Score: 1

    Facebook wants me to use facebook.

    I want all of Facebooks upper management to commit slow sepuku using chainsaws.

    I guess we can't get everything we want in life.

  51. Re:Don't stop at account deletion. by Alain+Williams · · Score: 1

    It would be far more effective if people reported them to spamcop & similar -- a few days without being to send email would tell them that no means no!

  52. I know, I ended up deleting my account. by ruddk · · Score: 1

    They did that to me as well. Vague mails about someone posting something. With the app installed, I got the notification that someone posted someting, and it wasn't related to me at all. Clearly they wanted to "teach" me that I should check the damn thing every day.
    When I deleted the app, I got those mails about someone posting something.
    I ended up closing my account a year ago. Facebook was annoying, my investment in time and attention spent on Facebook didn't provide enough of value to my life.

    --
    L'Idiot
  53. Same thing for Instagram by AmusingClown · · Score: 1

    Recently started getting same type of thing from Instagram: "It seems like you're having trouble logging into Instagram. We can help you get back into your account." What is weird is I signed up a year ago, hadn't really accessed it since signup, recently logged and only then started getting the emails...

    1. Re:Same thing for Instagram by SimonStu · · Score: 1

      I recently went on their website accidentally, while following a link.
      Don't have an account, didn't create one, but they figured out my Google account/email address.
      Started getting creepy emails immediately - some with semi-NSFW images - is this how this guys became popular?
      Had to unsubscribe immediately.
      -S

  54. Mission creep by UnixUnix · · Score: 1

    I visit FB once every couple of months (over the last three years -- I dislike some FB policies so I've moved on to other sites.) And yes, I've been getting emails about Friends' actions etc, which is OK. What TFA says though is new, and definitely underhanded, "trouble logging in" does suggest attempted misuse by dastardly hackerz; Zuck is sinking to a new low. BTW, no chance I would ever use a Facebook app on a smartphone; go in with a browser (and may I suggest you too have 5 or 6 of them lying about, each tailored to different purposes with varying defenses).

  55. fccebook wants me back by fredex · · Score: 1

    how can I return to FB when I've never been there?

  56. How to quit FB or other social apps 101 by WillAffleckUW · · Score: 2

    1. Go and delete all your posts. Don't hide them, delete them.
    2. Leave any groups, other than your direct family.
    3. Unfollow any pages and any groups and any people, in that order.
    4. Wait 72 hours.
    5. Unfriend all your friends, in batches of less than 10 percent of all friends. Leave your family for last.
    6. Specifically deny any pending friend requests, in batches of 100 or less.
    7. Wait 72 hours.
    8. Delete any tags in any pics you have still.
    9. Delete the pics themselves, starting with those with your face in them.
    10. Edit your interests. Change them all to none.
    11. Wait 24 hours.
    12. Now for the fun part. Send your family a message saying you're leaving FB or the social app.
    13. Wait 24 hours.
    14. Unfriend all your family.
    15. Delete your own header, quotes, and pics. Replace them with eggs.
    16. Wait 24 hours.

    Now, delete your account.

    --
    -- Tigger warning: This post may contain tiggers! --
    1. Re:How to quit FB or other social apps 101 by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      You should upload new, incorrect photos of yourself to poison their face matching profile first.

    2. Re:How to quit FB or other social apps 101 by WillAffleckUW · · Score: 1

      Good point. But take them from a burner phone.

      --
      -- Tigger warning: This post may contain tiggers! --
  57. I'm surprised by BrookSmith · · Score: 1

    I'm surprised that farcebook would get up to any dirty tricks.

  58. So, what's the alternative? by SimonStu · · Score: 1

    This is a tech forum, after all - bitching about FB doesn't count for much, unless an alternative is given.
    The reason FB is so successful, is that is serves a purpose.
    Is there a "clean/safe" FB alternative?
    -----------------
    That's what I've been working on for the last 2 years:www.bookdetective.net; feel free to call me crazy.

  59. Well they can just..... by MerlTurkin · · Score: 1

    Suck my anal cavity!

  60. Re: Use Disconnect by tepples · · Score: 1

    One could just choose not to visit a site using anti-adblock, but I haven't seen a feature in the current version of any major web search engine to build a list of sites from which to hide results.

    So I just stopped reading Forbes.

    During this period, how did you exclude Forbes and several other sites doing similar things (WIRED, the Inquirer, The Atlantic, Jellynote, TV Tropes, Not Always Right) from search results?

  61. Re:I just wish you could disable the text messages by mattventura · · Score: 2

    Wouldn’t that possibly disable texts from other services too? I’ve noticed multiple unrelated services seem to use the same numbers.

  62. Facebook sucks in too many ways by amanaplanacanalpanam · · Score: 1
    Even ignoring the whole privacy/corporate big brother aspect, it's just annoying.

    There is no way to post quietly. As if to encourage and nurture narcissism, everything one posts is broadcast like a megaphone to the newsfeed of everyone in the audience list. If you want to share thoughts but not necessarily draw attention to yourself, if you seek to encourage closer more meaningful relationships through posts that your family and friends can only see if they "come visit"...you must look elsewhere.

    Infinite scroll is an abomination which prevents the ability to gauge quantity of posts or one's position therein. It steals the light at the end of the tunnel, and consumes ever more memory the deeper the user browses on a given page, effectively hiding old posts. This malpractice is not limited to Facebook; this curse has grown far too popular on social media sites.

    Search is likewise the ol' needle in the haystack, about as effective and versatile as the iOS app store (i.e. not) especially after crippling graph search.

  63. Ditto by turbotalon · · Score: 1

    Been experiencing this also, at first thought I was just going crazy. As as soon as I deleted the FB app I started getting weird email notifications like "So-and-so commented on your friend's photo"(WTF?), despite having all email notifications turned off. If they're trying that hard to get individuals back, they're dying. Goodbye.

    --

    I'd rather have a bottle in front of me than a frontal lobotomy

  64. Re:I just wish you could disable the text messages by greenwow · · Score: 2

    That's a really good point. We use Amazon SNS at work to send notifications from monitoring systems, and I shot myself in the foot by blocking a number used by a former vendor that also used SNS.

  65. Re:Add to your /etc/hosts, for a start by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    protip: use 0.0.0.0 so it doesn't bother sending it out and back on the tcp stack

  66. Re:Alternatives? by RightwingNutjob · · Score: 1

    Email for communication, slashdot and the like to troll on, actual face-to-face interaction for just about everything else. Been facebook-free for nearly a decade and I don't feel like I'm missing anything.

  67. Re:Nice try ivan by Godwin+O'Hitler · · Score: 1

    How does it feel to be less successful ... to someone you think is a moron?

    I'm pretty sure that to Donald Trump, everyone is a failure; but his opinion isn't important to them.

    --
    No, your children are not the special ones. Nor are your pets.
  68. Hosts does not block random subdomains by tepples · · Score: 1

    In my case, FB domains are blocked at HOSTS file.

    I wonder why it's taken so long for the adtech industry to realize that hosts does not block random subdomains. If you block (say) 22930cd3.analytics.example.com then 920fa116.analytics.example.com remains unblocked. That file's syntax doesn't provide a way to block *.analytics.example.com, though dnsmasq apparently does.

  69. Not just after 2 years by Zeekort · · Score: 1

    I haven't used my FB account in over 5 years and I've started receiving the same notices. It's like that desperate ex that follows you around after seeing you pass on the street and won't stop nagging you.

  70. Re:Nice try ivan by Rick+Schumann · · Score: 1

    I'm pretty sure that to Donald Trump, everyone is a failure

    Well, that's pretty much par for the course when you're talking about a narcissistic 5-year-old with delusions of godhood.