AKA Big Datty
Facebook demands academics disable ad-targeting data tool
Jan 2021, phys.org
Academics, journalists and First Amendment lawyers are rallying behind New York University researchers in a showdown with Facebook over its demand that they halt the collection of data showing who is being micro-targeted by political ads on the world's dominant social media platform.The researchers say the disputed tool is vital to understanding how Facebook has been used as a conduit for disinformation and manipulation."Ad Observer"....special plug-in for Chrome and Firefox browsers used by 6,500 volunteers across the United States...lets researchers see which ads are shown to each volunteer...the tool violates Facebook rules prohibiting automated bulk collection of data from the Facebook websiteThe NYU Ad Observatory lets researchers see how some Facebook advertisers use data gathered by the company to profile citizens "and send them misinformation about candidates and policies that are designed to influence or even suppress their vote... .
Image credit: Krzysztof Marczak via Deviant Art - Pine Tree
Brave browser adds peer-to-peer IPFS protocol to combat censorship
Jan 2021, phys.org
Bitcoin for websites: The InterPlanetary File System
In what might be the first salvo against the decades-long dominance of the HTTP protocol for internet data retrieval, an open source web browser devoted to privacy has introduced an option that allows for direct peer-to-peer transfers. This means that instead of relying on a massive network in which data are stored on dedicated servers, information can now rest on and be accessed from numerous nodes dispersed globally.
Experian - Credit agency told to stop sharing data without consent
Oct 2020, BBC News
The two-year investigation was prompted by a complaint from the campaign group Privacy International.It found that Experian and two other credit reference agencies - Equifax and TransUnion - did a significant amount of "invisible" processing of data, meaning that people did not know it was happening.The report found that the agencies had access to the data of almost every adult in the UK, which was then "screened, traded, profiled, enriched, or enhanced to provide direct marketing services".This processing resulted in "products that were used by commercial organisations, political parties and charities to find new customers and build profiles about people", the investigation stated."The data broking sector is a complex eco-system where information appears to be traded widely without consideration for transparency, giving millions of adults in the UK little of no choice or control over their personal data," said Information Commissioner Elizabeth Denham.
Digital ad industry accused of huge data breach
Jun 2021, BBC News
If you momentarily see empty advertising spaces before they are filled on a web page or an app, you are essentially watching yourself being auctioned in that moment...
FYI: Largest Data Breaches in History (Yahoo at #1 with 3 billion in 2013
Post Script:
Ford announces infotainment screens to show ads from local billboards
May 2021, phys.org
Public service reminder - the first step is admitting you have a problem.
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