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Been Quote by Richard Stallman

“Facebook mistreats its users. Facebook is not your friend; it is a surveillance engine. For instance, if you browse the Web and you see a 'like' button in some page or some other site that has been displayed from Facebook. Therefore, Facebook knows that your machine visited that page.” quote by Richard Stallman
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“Facebook mistreats its users. Facebook is not your friend; it is a surveillance engine. For instance, if you browse the Web and you see a 'like' button in some page or some other site that has been displayed from Facebook. Therefore, Facebook knows that your machine visited that page.”

Richard Stallman

About This Quote

Source Blog post: Free Software Foundation, 2018

Facebook treats users as data sources, turning social interactions into a surveillance system that tracks behavior across the web.

In simple terms: Facebook uses user data for surveillance, not friendship.

Key Takeaway

Guard your privacy online.

Themes

privacy surveillance digital rights trust

Mood

cautious critical

Type

opinion warning

When to use this quote

  • considering alternative platforms
  • using privacy tools
  • advocating for regulation

Key Concepts

data collection online tracking social media ethics user consent

Questions to Reflect On

  • What steps can you take to protect your data?
  • How do you balance convenience with privacy?
A Different Perspective

Surveillance can also enable beneficial services like personalized content.

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