This is Not the World You Think it is: We've had discussions about phony product reviews on Amazon and other places. This isn't even worth mentioning, considering the Big Picture.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

We've had discussions about phony product reviews on Amazon and other places. This isn't even worth mentioning, considering the Big Picture. Virtually nothing about the Internet is real. Read about Chinese click farms.
https://www.yahoo.com/video/click-farms-internet-china-154440209.html

AI robots communicate with you, and you think they're people. Why do this? They are making you click, click, click. Clicking on links generates billions of dollars in advertising revenue, and I'm not talking about obvious click bait. AI leads you to click on more links than you would otherwise click on.

Lil Miquela is a 19-year-old American-Brazilian model living in LA. She has over a million followers on Instagram. It was recently revealed that she is not real. She is computer-generated. Her fans didn't care. She's still beautiful, and she's still a major Internet influencer. It's all about money and manipulating people.
https://www.instagram.com/lilmiquela/?hl=en

gmontjr2350 Loc: Southern NJ

I've read cautionary advice about clicking on Facebook posts. Some of them seem harmless, but clicking on a post about music from the year of your birth say, adds to a database that can be used by advertisers or whomever.

George

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

gmontjr2350 wrote:

I've read cautionary advice about clicking on Facebook posts. Some of them seem harmless, but clicking on a post about music from the year of your birth say, adds to a database that can be used by advertisers or whomever.

George

Yes, it's all about advertising, and FB has misrepresented all the numbers it publishes.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

gmontjr2350 wrote:

I've read cautionary advice about clicking on Facebook posts. Some of them seem harmless, but clicking on a post about music from the year of your birth say, adds to a database that can be used by advertisers or whomever.

George

"Click on your birth month" to see...; or "Click on your birth year" to see...;
Wanna bet there is also one for clicking on the day?
Guess what, they can now have your birth date.

But they seem so innocuous don't they.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Longshadow wrote:

Guess what, they can now have your birth date.

How else can they send me gifts on my birthday?

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

jerryc41 wrote:

How else can they send me gifts on my birthday?

Canisdirus

It's all about money and manipulating people. <------------ So...nothing has really changed.

St.Mary's

Then there malicious bots coming from click farms that appear to be thousands of people condemning or supporting particular political or social views. Unpopular or politically incorrect postings on the internet can result in a plethora of responses.

Reuss Griffiths Loc: Ravenna, Ohio

I recently finished reading a book on my Kindle. Shortly afterwards I received an email from Goodreads advising me on what I could read next. And it knew that i had reached the end of the book I was reading and what types of books I read and was suggesting others in those categories. It's kind of scary how many different entities are tracking what we're doing and using it to manipulate us.

Drbobcameraguy Loc: Eaton Ohio

Reuss Griffiths wrote:

I recently finished reading a book on my Kindle. Shortly afterwards I received an email from Goodreads advising me on what I could read next. And it knew that i had reached the end of the book I was reading and what types of books I read and was suggesting others in those categories. It's kind of scary how many different entities are tracking what we're doing and using it to manipulate us.

Your phone listens to you even when it is setting on the nightstand or table. Proof? Pick a subject that you never speak about. Let's say for example raccoons in the attic. Discuss this imaginary issue with your wife or whomever while your phone is setting next to you. In a day or two at the most you will be getting adds from critter removal companies.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Drbobcameraguy wrote:

Your phone listens to you even when it is setting on the nightstand or table. Proof? Pick a subject that you never speak about. Let's say for example raccoons in the attic. Discuss this imaginary issue with your wife or whomever while your phone is setting next to you. In a day or two at the most you will be getting adds from critter removal companies.

Very convenient!

Drbobcameraguy Loc: Eaton Ohio

jerryc41 wrote:

Very convenient!

Yes it is lol. I actually use it when I'm looking for car parts. Lol

fantom Loc: Colorado

gmontjr2350 wrote:

I've read cautionary advice about clicking on Facebook posts. Some of them seem harmless, but clicking on a post about music from the year of your birth say, adds to a database that can be used by advertisers or whomever.

George