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Hi all,
Vanilla are planning an update to the site on April 24th (next Wednesday). It is a major PHP8 update which is expected to boost performance across the site. The site will be down from 7pm and it is expected to take about an hour to complete. We appreciate your patience during the update.
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    #32
    Megwepz
    Registered Users Posts: 74 ✭✭Megwepz


    Tazzimus wrote: »
    If it's a work phone, don't bring it.
    Or: Turn it off, leave it in the car (if you have one)

    It's fairly common knowledge that most smart devices that have a microphone in them will be listening to you.

    Definitely won't be bringing the phone anywhere after this. I know that there is always talk of us being listened to or watched by our devices but I really wanted to believe that these were conspiracies for the most part.

    Is there anywhere I can actually find out for certain whether FB have microphone access permission?


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    #33
    Megwepz
    Registered Users Posts: 74 ✭✭Megwepz


    F1ngers wrote: »
    iPhone, go to Settings >> Facebook >> Settings >> slide the Microphone switch to the left so it turns from green to white. ...


    Android: Try Settings >> Applications >> Application Manager >> look for Facebook >> Permissions >> Turn off the mic.

    Have an iPhone - looked at this and the microphone wasn't on... also wasn't on in the phone settings....


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    #34
    Megwepz
    Registered Users Posts: 74 ✭✭Megwepz


    Deleted User wrote: »
    It's weird seeing the levels of intrusion people are willing to put up with. they got a rap on the knuckles recently because there was a feature that suggested you as a friend to someone if you searched their name. Pretty sure the furore was because there was a spate of rape victims who logged in to find their rapist had searched for their name and was now a 'recommended friend.'

    It is weird what people will put up with - my partner has basically told me he has no idea why I'm making a big deal of this.... I personally think a corporate company listening to my private conversations IS a MASSIVE deal...


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    #35
    Megwepz
    Registered Users Posts: 74 ✭✭Megwepz


    Okay - so to wrap this up and for me to channel my discomfort and slowly brewing anger into something productive

    1 - what can I do right now with the phone that I haven't already to stop my microphone being turned on/used?
    2 - where can I go or what can I read to find out if I have inadvertently given FB permission to access the microphone?
    3 - who can I make a complaint to about FB if I find after reading that they have no right to access my microphone? Is it the data commission?


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    #36
    Doff
    Registered Users Posts: 736 ✭✭✭Doff


    Megwepz wrote: »
    It is weird what people will put up with - my partner has basically told me he has no idea why I'm making a big deal of this.... I personally think a corporate company listening to my private conversations IS a MASSIVE deal...


    You agree to it in the terms and conditions when you sign up. Its done under the pretense of making content delivered to you more engaging and relevant to you. You can find a lot of information online about this practice such as this:
    https://www.inc.com/jason-aten/your-iphone-is-recording-your-personal-conversations-despite-apples-privacy-promises.html


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    #37
    Tazzimus
    Registered Users Posts: 3,933 ✭✭✭Tazzimus


    Megwepz wrote: »
    Okay - so to wrap this up and for me to channel my discomfort and slowly brewing anger into something productive

    1 - what can I do right now with the phone that I haven't already to stop my microphone being turned on/used?
    2 - where can I go or what can I read to find out if I have inadvertently given FB permission to access the microphone?
    3 - who can I make a complaint to about FB if I find after reading that they have no right to access my microphone? Is it the data commission?

    1 - Uninstall the app and use the website instead
    2 - You likely agreed to it in the massive t&c bit that no one reads
    3 - See 2, nothing illegal took place, so there's no complaint to be made.

    Is it an invasion of your privacy? Yes, but one that you agreed to, even if you didn't realise at the time


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    #38
    Megwepz
    Registered Users Posts: 74 ✭✭Megwepz


    Right, I'm gonna do some reading of the Ts and Cs and try and find something about giving access to listen in on my conversations. Will update if I do find anything and will also update on any change in adverts, content etc after I subject my phone to Spanish tonight!!! Thanks All


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    #39
    Stark
    Registered Users Posts: 20,891 ✭✭✭✭Stark


    This is all getting very much like that "HumancentiPad" episode from South Park. "You agreed to this!".

    D_sACDPXoAAax30.jpg


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    #40
    beauf
    Closed Accounts Posts: 22,651 ✭✭✭✭beauf


    Don't install the app just use the website. Even then it will track you through cookies etc, and associations.

    No one has ever been able to prove for certain how its doing it. I assume it was listening to the mic it would have been leaked by now.


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    #41
    Megwepz
    Registered Users Posts: 74 ✭✭Megwepz


    Stark wrote: »
    This is all getting very much like that "HumancentiPad" episode from South Park. "You agreed to this!".

    D_sACDPXoAAax30.jpg

    I sh*t you not.... this is all I have been thinking about but didn't think anyone would get it if I mentioned it!!!! Thank you for the laugh :pac:


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    #42
    two wheels good
    Registered Users Posts: 1,996 ✭✭✭two wheels good


    Facebook have a "shadow profile" on you. Even before you registered with Facebook.
    That is information they've gleaned about you from your internet activity - at one stage, (not sure if it's still the case) every page you visited that contained a FB icon was tracked.
    FB will have hoovered-up your contact information from your friend's that are FB users. They may use proximity information to associate you friends or work colleagues.

    It is not in any way paranoia to think the mic and camera are being accessed on your phone or laptop. Is FB doing that? I'm not sure but they and google have been repeatedly exposed to be lying about the extent of their "survellance".

    (Interesting interview on Newstalk at the weekend with a Microsoft exec who was promoting his book that advocates more regulation on tech giants.)


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    #43
    ArrBee
    Registered Users Posts: 790 ✭✭✭ArrBee


    step 1.
    Uninstall the facebook app.


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    #44
    punisher5112
    Registered Users Posts: 24,647 ✭✭✭✭punisher5112


    ArrBee wrote: »
    step 1.
    Uninstall the facebook app.

    Step 2. Burn phone, car and house and anything in it or them......

    Step 3 start over.


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    #45
    Megwepz
    Registered Users Posts: 74 ✭✭Megwepz


    punisher5112 wrote: »
    Step 2. Burn phone, car and house and anything in it or them......

    Step 3 start over.

    Waaay ahead of you... house up in flames with the phone in it, new passport and identity ordered...Aruba here I come!


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    #46
    punisher5112
    Registered Users Posts: 24,647 ✭✭✭✭punisher5112


    Megwepz wrote: »
    Waaay ahead of you... house up in flames with the phone in it, new passport and identity ordered...Aruba here I come!

    Did you burn all your clothes..... You now have to burn anything you touched .


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    #47
    IrishLad90
    Registered Users Posts: 849 ✭✭✭IrishLad90


    punisher5112 wrote: »
    I find Facebook on my old phone was logging itself in.... I deleted password and never linked but it would still be open....

    I don't trust it to be honest.... Absolutely hate these social media crappy sites.

    That's just to keep the number of active people through the roof. Good for company image and promotional stat


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    #48
    Megwepz
    Registered Users Posts: 74 ✭✭Megwepz


    punisher5112 wrote: »
    Did you burn all your clothes..... You now have to burn anything you touched .


    Thank you for your message. The user you are trying to reach no longer exists


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    #49
    OU812
    Registered Users Posts: 6,035 ✭✭✭OU812


    Megwepz wrote: »
    Checked this and it's not the case, there were only 2 apps that were listed under the microphone section in settings - Siri and WhatsApp - both of these were off.

    Whatsapp is owned by Facebook.

    There's probably something in there to say they're allowed to turn it on "from time to time" to monitor for accuracy or some such guff. The y're well covered, but yes, your phone is listening.


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    #50
    punisher5112
    Registered Users Posts: 24,647 ✭✭✭✭punisher5112


    I'm getting ads on fire lighters and crime scene clean up companies.....













    Oh wait that's just normal for me....


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    #51
    Tiddlypeeps
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,103 ✭✭✭Tiddlypeeps


    Megwepz wrote: »
    Have an iPhone - looked at this and the microphone wasn't on... also wasn't on in the phone settings....


    It's hardly thin foil hat stuff if Facebook have literally been caught red handed doing this stuff before. Apple generally take a dim view of these kinds of things and have threatened them with the ban hammer over it before.


    That being said, if you are on an iphone and the microphone settings for that app was off then it's unlikely they are listening to you on the iphone. Could the person you were with have either been on an Android phone or an iPhone with the microphone setting turned on. It's not beyond the realms of feasible that they could pick up on who you are from that and make the connection.


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    #52
    Salthillprom
    Registered Users Posts: 439 ✭✭Salthillprom


    Megwepz wrote: »
    Honestly, without sounding like one of the tin foil hat brigade, I can't come up with any other valid reason than my conversation being monitored....

    Please god someone tell me there is another reasonable explanation????
    It's a fact that Google listens for key words. That's no secret. Your phone listened. Has happened me loads of times.


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    #53
    yellowlabrador
    Registered Users Posts: 1,175 ✭✭✭yellowlabrador


    I don't have facebook but a friend wanted to message me using Whatsapp. I was contacted a week later by vodafone, trying to sell me stuff. I'm a vodafone broadband user but I avoid their call centre calls. The name that came up on my phone screen was of a friend in my contacts who is also on whattsapp. I was so annoyed i uninstalled whatsapp straight away.


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    #54
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    https://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/is-your-smartphone-listening-to-your-conversations/


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    #55
    selectamatic
    Registered Users Posts: 3,888 ✭✭✭selectamatic


    Fb friend suggestions can also be location based.

    So for example if you went to the same pub each weekend and many of the same people were there each weekend chances are you'd get fb friend suggestions for a few of these people. This is especially true if ye had mutual friends.


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    #56
    The high horse brigade
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,456 ✭✭✭The high horse brigade


    Don't forget Facebook creates a shadow profile for you before you sign up, it gets whatever info your friends have made available about you as their contact. This way they can suggest friends to you should you sign up


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    #57
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    Megwepz wrote: »
    I'm honestly gonna try this later, I'll report back.

    Did you ever try the Spanish trick?


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