4 ms·

Here comes the fearmongering by the media. Sigh.

by d_r 16y ago

jdp23 16y ago
How is reporting on a lawsuit "fearmongering"?
- jimboyoungblood 16y ago
  Because the lawsuit was most likely inspired by this report by the WSJ: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704694004576020083703574602.html http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000142405274870469400457602...
  - jdp23 16y ago
    And how is reporting that applications share informaiton without asking for permission fear-mongering?
    - tedunangst 16y ago
      This article at least implies that the Weather Channel app is in some way broadcasting my sexual orientation. It's fearmongering because they are deliberately associating some apps that may reveal lots of info with lots of apps that reveal some info, creating the belief in the reader that lots of apps are revealing lots of info. It follows the pattern of "we found a dangerous toy. your child has toys. special report, after the break."
      - CamperBob 16y ago
        The problem is that by acting as the sole gatekeeper for the App Store, anything that is published can be considered to carry Apple's official stamp of approval. That makes them liable for privacy violations and other legal missteps that the proprietor of a truly open platform could disclaim responsibility for. If they want to control the platform with an iron fist, they can damn well take the bad consequences along with the good ones.
      - alexqgb 16y ago
        It's fear-mongering because the title of the series is 'What They Know' - emphasis on the ominous, faceless, ever-present THEY. Even if there's no real connection between, say, upstart advertisers and the Black Helicopter Patrol, the framing suggests that anyone with an interest in user data is part of a monolithic, conspiring entity that staffs the thin edge of their Orwellian wedge with Angry Birds. That's not to say the gist isn't interesting. But the breathless FOX FACTS wrapper? Not helping.
    - jimboyoungblood 16y ago
      It's fear-mongering because the media is selective about what it gets huffy and indignant about. Where's the outrage over Google's behavioral retargeting? And have you ever tried to buy an ad on Facebook? The granularity with which you can target ads is insane (or insanely awesome, depending on your perspective) http://www.facebook.com/help/?page=863 http://www.facebook.com/help/?page=863 For example: What is birthday targeting? Birthday targeting allows ads to be targeted to users on their birthdays. Wow. Mobile ad networks are in the stone ages compared to this.

Here comes the fearmongering by the media. Sigh.

by d_r 16y ago

Here comes the fearmongering by the media. Sigh.

jdp23 16y ago

How is reporting on a lawsuit "fearmongering"?

jimboyoungblood 16y ago
Because the lawsuit was most likely inspired by this report by the WSJ: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704694004576020083703574602.html http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000142405274870469400457602...
- jdp23 16y ago
  And how is reporting that applications share informaiton without asking for permission fear-mongering?
  - tedunangst 16y ago
    This article at least implies that the Weather Channel app is in some way broadcasting my sexual orientation. It's fearmongering because they are deliberately associating some apps that may reveal lots of info with lots of apps that reveal some info, creating the belief in the reader that lots of apps are revealing lots of info. It follows the pattern of "we found a dangerous toy. your child has toys. special report, after the break."
    - CamperBob 16y ago
      The problem is that by acting as the sole gatekeeper for the App Store, anything that is published can be considered to carry Apple's official stamp of approval. That makes them liable for privacy violations and other legal missteps that the proprietor of a truly open platform could disclaim responsibility for. If they want to control the platform with an iron fist, they can damn well take the bad consequences along with the good ones.
    - alexqgb 16y ago
      It's fear-mongering because the title of the series is 'What They Know' - emphasis on the ominous, faceless, ever-present THEY. Even if there's no real connection between, say, upstart advertisers and the Black Helicopter Patrol, the framing suggests that anyone with an interest in user data is part of a monolithic, conspiring entity that staffs the thin edge of their Orwellian wedge with Angry Birds. That's not to say the gist isn't interesting. But the breathless FOX FACTS wrapper? Not helping.
  - jimboyoungblood 16y ago
    It's fear-mongering because the media is selective about what it gets huffy and indignant about. Where's the outrage over Google's behavioral retargeting? And have you ever tried to buy an ad on Facebook? The granularity with which you can target ads is insane (or insanely awesome, depending on your perspective) http://www.facebook.com/help/?page=863 http://www.facebook.com/help/?page=863 For example: What is birthday targeting? Birthday targeting allows ads to be targeted to users on their birthdays. Wow. Mobile ad networks are in the stone ages compared to this.