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The greatest benefit of these overblown stranger-danger stories seems to be the fact, that it creates more awareness of privacy issues outside of our typical EF

by stfu 15y ago

The greatest benefit of these overblown stranger-danger stories seems to be the fact, that it creates more awareness of privacy issues outside of our typical EFF friend circles.

Bud 15y ago
I only partially agree. Overblown stories like this can also cause the issues in question to be taken less seriously, because the stories are inaccurate and, well, overblown. For instance, the author complains: "But did any of those apps get shut down by a barrage of vitriol from concerned citizens? Did young women stop checking in and sharing their location with anyone with a 3G connection? Hardly." But the fact is, creepy apps like this are shut down all the time, including the Girls Around Me app referenced in the article. Already gone. I also think it's hilarious to see any kind of threat in an app which supposedly tells you the age and gender of people you are in a bar with, using face recognition. Um, I can usually tell the age and gender of people I am looking at by, uh, LOOKING AT THEM. So I fail to see the heinous threat here.
- evincarofautumn 15y ago
  If SceneTap is “an absolute sewer of an application”, then anyone with eyes, a brain, and the ability to count is an absolute sewer of a person. Then again, the URL is “i-hate-all-apps-bah-humbug”, so this might be somebody’s strange idea of an April Fool’s prank. I thought it was satire at first.
potatolicious 15y ago
I disagree. In a single breath the author has: - accused people who use check-in services as "narcissistic" - cynically insinuated that said users (stereotyped into "social media-happy women") are too stupid/apathetic and will continue to "hit the snooze button" on privacy concerns Author also doesn't seem to realize that both Facebook and Foursquare allow you to limit checkins to only your friends/family, exactly as she sees fit. To people who aren't using check-in services, this article says nothing that they're concerned with. To people who already are, the author's hostile and accusatory attitude will convert no one. To take an oft-used redditism - this is circlejerk for people who are already opposed to the whole concept of check-in services.

by stfu 15y ago

The greatest benefit of these overblown stranger-danger stories seems to be the fact, that it creates more awareness of privacy issues outside of our typical EFF friend circles.

Bud 15y ago

I only partially agree. Overblown stories like this can also cause the issues in question to be taken less seriously, because the stories are inaccurate and, well, overblown. For instance, the author complains: "But did any of those apps get shut down by a barrage of vitriol from concerned citizens? Did young women stop checking in and sharing their location with anyone with a 3G connection? Hardly." But the fact is, creepy apps like this are shut down all the time, including the Girls Around Me app referenced in the article. Already gone. I also think it's hilarious to see any kind of threat in an app which supposedly tells you the age and gender of people you are in a bar with, using face recognition. Um, I can usually tell the age and gender of people I am looking at by, uh, LOOKING AT THEM. So I fail to see the heinous threat here.

evincarofautumn 15y ago
If SceneTap is “an absolute sewer of an application”, then anyone with eyes, a brain, and the ability to count is an absolute sewer of a person. Then again, the URL is “i-hate-all-apps-bah-humbug”, so this might be somebody’s strange idea of an April Fool’s prank. I thought it was satire at first.

potatolicious 15y ago

I disagree. In a single breath the author has: - accused people who use check-in services as "narcissistic" - cynically insinuated that said users (stereotyped into "social media-happy women") are too stupid/apathetic and will continue to "hit the snooze button" on privacy concerns Author also doesn't seem to realize that both Facebook and Foursquare allow you to limit checkins to only your friends/family, exactly as she sees fit. To people who aren't using check-in services, this article says nothing that they're concerned with. To people who already are, the author's hostile and accusatory attitude will convert no one. To take an oft-used redditism - this is circlejerk for people who are already opposed to the whole concept of check-in services.