
The Great Hack: A film that goes behind the scenes of the Facebook data scandal - molteanu
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2019/jul/20/the-great-hack-cambridge-analytica-scandal-facebook-netflix
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ar-jan
I remember that a little while after it first came out that Cambridge
Analytica had abused Facebook data, an insider (from Facebook?) wrote a piece
about how it was even worse before. That companies used to be able to siphon
off much larger quantities of private data using APIs or bypassing various
restrictions before Facebook restricted this further, and iirc that this was
used by Obama's campaign team.

Looks like this isn't part of this documentary. Anyone recall this piece, and
if anything more came of it?

~~~
CharlesW
> _That companies used to be able to siphon off much larger quantities of
> private data using APIs or bypassing various restrictions before Facebook
> restricted this further, and iirc that this was used by Obama 's campaign
> team._

True, but the actions of the Obama campaign and Cambridge Analytica were
significantly different in terms of disclosure and action. This seems like a
good non-partisan summary[1]:

> _But in Obama’s case, direct users knew they were handing over their data to
> a political campaign. In the Cambridge Analytica case, users only knew were
> taking a personality quiz for academic purposes. The Obama campaign used the
> data to have their supporters contact their most persuadable friends.
> Cambridge Analytica targeted users, friends and lookalikes directly with
> digital ads. Whereas the data gathering and the uses were very different,
> the data each campaign gained access to was similar._

[1] [https://www.politifact.com/truth-o-
meter/statements/2018/mar...](https://www.politifact.com/truth-o-
meter/statements/2018/mar/22/meghan-mccain/comparing-facebook-data-use-obama-
cambridge-analyt/)

~~~
ar-jan
Thanks for the link. Unfortunately I didn't save the article I was
referencing, but if I recall correctly it talked about obtaining data without
the users being aware of it.

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donttrack
Great movie.

Assuming that data is basically a tool for doing PsyOps, it certainly puts the
social networks operated by for example Chinese companies in a different
light. That would mean total control.

Could you imagine if the Silicon Valley companies were obligated to share
their data troves with the American government?

I understand now why every little shithole in China (e.g. my parents in law's
small village) have better Internet fiber connections than I will ever have in
Scandiavia.

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user_error
At a specific part of the trailer, I believe it is said that: "Last year(?)
data surpassed oil in value. Data is the most valuable asset on Earth".[1]

Being a trailer it is natural that no actual proof is provided, but is there
any credit to this claim?

[1] [https://youtu.be/CAMoPbj3jQE?t=67](https://youtu.be/CAMoPbj3jQE?t=67)

~~~
stevewodil
A quick Google search: [https://www.economist.com/leaders/2017/05/06/the-
worlds-most...](https://www.economist.com/leaders/2017/05/06/the-worlds-most-
valuable-resource-is-no-longer-oil-but-data)

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lucasverra
Can I take an intent and swallow the blue pill to chill ?

Sometimes I think that all "Facebook scandals" "data breaches news"
"surveillance capitalism" is just pieces of a layer of control that always
existed since humanity. This layer function as a "useful revolt channels" that
maintains status quo : Empowered humans dictate how information flows.

I mean information was controlled before:

\- in tribes by "the druids"

\- Tsars, emperors, pharaoh etc and theyr closed near ecosystem of humans

\- middle age by religion and nobility and books

\- since industrial revolution, by capitalists by mass media

\- now it's big tech and "the data" (and netflix beeing part of it)

so what is exactly new here ? Empowered humans dictate how information flows.
Like before. Like in the future. the more things change, the more they stay
the same," (Les Guêpes, July 1848).

~~~
untog
I think the difference is the sheer amount of _personal_ data. In the era of
the Tsars they tightly controlled what was reported in newspapers about war
efforts etc, but that had nothing to do with everyday citizens.

These days, Facebook holds an enormous about of information about all of us,
and lets advertisers (including political ones) use it.

A company like Cambridge Analytica could show me an ad saying "Candidate X
supports position Y!", knowing that I too support Y. It could then show my
neighbor, who is against Y, an ad saying "Candidate X is against Y". And if
there's no oversight no one would be any the wiser. That feels significant to
me, even if it is a progression of existing trends.

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wiradikusuma
I still don't fully understand, what can people do with this kind of data at
scale, esp. for politics. Can anyone share some concrete examples? Sure, maybe
data can tell that I'm pregnant, so I will start seeing baby products, but how
does it help getting some political outcome (e.g make someone elected)?

