Dude am trying to come down to your level and chew this thing to explain what FB is. I do not think you even understand what you posted up there. Do not take the words of writers too seriously they can over hype something esp if they themselves do not understand it.

Facebook does carry out social experiments so that they can understand how users use their platform, you say without their consent really? How many people read the fine details on the terms of service? Many just click "I accept" without reading what they are clicking. So yes, facebook users accept to participate on social experiments that FB thinks will make their experience on the site better. We here at Wazua keep drumming at admins door telling her to add the like button dont we? If admin was proactive should be placing these likes, emojis etc to see how well we receive them then implement. If FB didn't do this, they would die just like myspace.

Gmail was scanning private email to create profiles for their users but they announced that they will stop that, ofcourse because they have other ways of getting this info. Google has confessed that they got into the Social media space abit late so I guess they envy FB's strategy

Facebook collects data on your location if you allow them (choice) like every app there. They have no way of gauging your income - I think linkedin is the one that can do this from data they have collected online. Yes they know the phone you are using out of the capabilities and capacity you have(they have Facebook Lite for those who have EXTREMELY poor data connections and low end phones aka kabambes..actually, depending on what your phone connects to 2G, 3G 4G, Facebook readjusts to give you the best experience for your phone.

The sites you visit are stored in your cookies...those do not belong to FB but your computer or phone, if you cleared them they wouldnt know what sites you visit. Another thing, if you decided to log into FB using the incognito mode, they still wouldn't know what sites you visit. But then again, why would you care so much about that?

By they way, targeted advertising happens everywhere everyday and its here to stay. The reason we see adverts showing household items(cooking fat, soap, etc) between 7-9pm is because most women are seated watching those mexican soaps. The beer adverts come in later. Google uses your cookies. If in your cookie folder you have porn sites , google will show you where you can purchase lingerie or better still where the next "massage parlor is".

Now FB has taken it to the next level, all the infor they have on you is voluntarily given, (from profile buildup to the stuff you like, pages you follow, groups you belong to, political views you believe in and by the way there no Jubilee or Nasa, its just Rep or Dem - totally American) they package and sell to advertisers, these advertisers then reach to you using FB...(NOTE:transactions are taking place in California) On their books they will indicate the $amount they received from Ads and pay a tax on it. Now if Jumia Kenya paid FB to target all those who follow and like them they have sourced the Ads service from a company abroad their ads will be shown to everyone irregardless of where you are. Its just smart really nothing personal. That link you've posted is written by someone who either is experiencing extreme paranoia or is totally blind to the reality. Another thing is he could be out looking for hits, the article was written when Mark was testifying before congress, all Americans cared for then was the sharing of data...I see the site is asking me to switch on my cookies so that they can advertise to me , the irony.



If what Zucks is doing was illegal he'd be in jail.

@muchr and @ masukuma, I think your views of FB and what it can do are overly simplistic. You also lack a grasp of what true giving of consent really entails. Most people sign up on these sites without a clue as to what they are giving up to enjoy the service. To an individual, it's nothing. To a State, the collective data of its citizens is valuable. It should be monetised and the way to do it is demand a fee for FB ET al to operate in our Jurisdiction. It's not true that since FB is in US then other jurisdictions cannot decide how it operates within their jurisdictions. China has blocked FB and other sites for yrs. Does not matter whether individuals get panya routes to access it. What matters is the policy in place and the majority who will be affected by the policy. It does not matter that no current law or mechanism provides for FB to pay a fee. Laws and mechanisms are created.

In summary
1. FB takes away valuable data on a countries citizenry and uses it for profit. The country as a whole needs to benefit also.

2. It's a lie that FB cannot be taxed. No one is brave enough to try.

3. It's a lie that the individual is sorely responsible in the act of accessing FB. That the individual has 'travelled'to US to use FB. FB and other websites have by default made themselves available/ reachable from worldwide. They can limit their accessibility in certain areas if they so wish. They can be made to limit their accessibility in certain areas if they don't pay a fee.

4. It's a lie that one voluntarily gives data to FB. Most people have no idea what they are giving up.

5. You need to polish up your knowledge on what targeted advertising is and how your data is used in influencing your day to day choices.
https://www.google.com/a...ebook-instagram-photos/

I think we have exhausted ourselves trying to educate you. Take away points
1) Facebook gives you value - that is why people go there everyday. they buy data to go there because they accrue value so the notion of facebook profiting.
2) No one forces you not to read the terms and conditions. you are shown and you don't care and move on - hiyo ni shauri yako.
3) China has blocked facebook for censorship reasons. The state there knows that they need to prevent people from really questioning their existence - what's the expression "If you could make God bleed, people would cease to believe in Him". Same with the state. Juzi they banned HBO because John Oliver made Xi Jinping look like Winne the Pooh
4) Facebook or any other company doesn't have to lift a finger to please you or your state especially if you are inconsequential.

Some extra bonus lesson on targeted advertising and FBs role in it https://www.google.com/a...complex-than-it-lets-on/