Big Brother is here

**Vorago** · #1 09-01-2009, 04:04 AM

Yes, we know this already.

But...

It's scary if you are confronted with it yourself.

Here's what happened:

I've been looking for a book by Eugene Smith (Dream Street) for a while now. The only place I can buy it at is Amazon.com. So I make an account on this website, buy the item and proceed to checkout.

As it turns out all my personal details (adress, phone number) are already there! How did this happen?

I have no clue, but my details say 'Anvers, Belgique', and a couple of months ago I made an online payment on a french bus website.

So somehow these data are being spread over the internet, without me knowing about it

And what's with these sites?:

http://www.123people.fr/s/bruno+morez

Who or what gives them the right to collect these data?

Simo98 · #2 09-01-2009, 05:26 AM

wow that site is crazy.

although it comes up with a heap of other people and none of my personal data, which is good

playinpearls · #3 09-01-2009, 07:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Simo98

although it comes up with a heap of other people and none of my personal data, which is good

+1

L-A · #4 09-01-2009, 07:08 AM

An internet service provider answers to your IP, and this IP is shared every time you connect to a website or server. The server can resolve your town, browser, operating system, and read some cookies that are already on your computer.

That means you might share some info, but its storage place is your computer, not some remote database.

As for 123people, it seems to be some weird combination of search engines

mvw356 · #5 09-01-2009, 07:17 AM

that sucks, imo it's time for some legislation to limit the info that websites, browsers and seach engines can gather and share about their users.

René_Julien · #6 09-01-2009, 07:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by L-A

As for 123people, it seems to be some weird combination of search engines

Yup,

Like Bruno's case, if you google "Bruno Morez Youtube" and "Bruno Morez Facebook" first links are to his account. It's easy to gather those links on a page.

That Amazon knows that he is from Antwerp is something more scary.

Perhaps Amazon uses the same server and is part of a same overall corporation as another website where he had to fill in this info.

**Vorago** · #7 09-01-2009, 07:41 AM

Yeah, the 123 thing doesn't really scare me, it just bothers me that a website is allowed to gather that info.

The amazon thing is a whole lot scarier

CapnSev · #8 09-01-2009, 08:03 AM

I'm with you man. I even hate when I log on to eBay, and they "recommend" me stuff that I might like based on what I've browed through in the past. Same with YouTube. It gives me the willies.

René_Julien · #9 09-01-2009, 08:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CapnSev

I'm with you man. I even hate when I log on to eBay, and they "recommend" me stuff that I might like based on what I've browed through in the past. Same with YouTube. It gives me the willies.

I find that quite convenient when going online for p0rn.

**Thor** · #10 09-01-2009, 08:18 AM

Way too much info.

They had where I grew up, 1965-1970. Where I lived in 1977-1979. 1980. 80-84 and even my current place of residence.

Steve · #11 09-01-2009, 08:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vorago

http://www.123people.fr/s/bruno+morez

JEEZUS!

For goofs, I typed my name into that site...it spit out a youtube video of me playing a gig from like...25 years ago that I didn't even know existed.

The singer was one of my all-time best friends who died about 15 years ago.
What a treasure that clip is.

**Thor** · #12 09-01-2009, 08:47 AM

Well, at least share that vid.

My best bro is dead to, but
you got to take what you can from life.

Steve · #13 09-01-2009, 09:07 AM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nx1pbD8qCcU

Nothing special to anyone but me.
Worthy of note: The bass is a brand new (at the time) walnut precision special.

Joe Gress · #14 09-01-2009, 09:12 AM

Nothing on me. I guess I'm not "social" enough.

WalterBush · #15 09-01-2009, 09:15 AM

Despite using my real name all over the place on the web, they got nothin' on me. I'm not sure if I'm excited or depressed about that...

L-A · #16 09-01-2009, 09:20 AM

It found 4 pages of web sites mentioning me

bassteban · #17 09-01-2009, 09:28 AM

All very interesting, but in a weak attempt at making myself feel smart, I will say that the term *big brother(as coined in Orwell's 1984, IIRC)* IMO doesn't really apply here as it's not the government that's doing this. A bit bothersome/creepy, though, I'll give you that.

Pilgrim · #18 09-01-2009, 09:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vorago

Yeah, the 123 thing doesn't really scare me, it just bothers me that a website is allowed to gather that info.

The amazon thing is a whole lot scarier

None of them are working with information that we haven't made public. We just don't always think about the implications.

And if that bothers you, make sure not to join any frequent flyer or buyer clubs, never get a free membership for a discount, etc. It all goes into the giant database that talks to the black helicopters hovering just over the horizon!

I gotta go put on my tinfoil hat......

(Actually, I'm surprised that site doesn't work better - it didn't find any of my info and I have a fairly widespread web presence. I'm not impressed.)

**Vorago** · #19 09-01-2009, 11:02 AM

I just wonder how my personal info makes it from a french bus website (that provides a connection between Briançon & Grenoble) to the database of Amazon.com.

Edit; maybe those TGV bastards sold my data, that's possible too

**Thor** · #20 09-01-2009, 11:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nx1pbD8qCcU

Nothing special to anyone but me.
Worthy of note: The bass is a brand new (at the time) walnut precision special.

If it's special to you, it's special to us.

Big Brother.