Creepy Facebook feature could suggest friends by TRACKING who you stand near to
ZUCK OFF Creepy Facebook feature could suggest friends by
TRACKING who you stand near to
Would you be happy with this freaky feature?
By Sean Keach, 5th November 2018, 5:15 pm
FACEBOOK has invented a creepy system that suggests new
friends based on who you've stood near to.
The social network could use the feature to match you up
with people on the train, in your office or at a nightclub – even after you've
left.
It was revealed in a patent won by Facebook in the USA,
and spotted by The Mirror.
The feature works by using existing technology inside
your smartphone.
This includes common features like Bluetooth, or Near
Field Communication (NFC) – the tech that powers contactless Apple Pay or
Android Pay payments.
It could also measure signal strength, allowing Facebook
to pinpoint exactly how close you are to another person.
The application reads: "Under conventional
approaches, a first user who desires to connect with a second user usually
knows the second user's name, contact information, or at least has some level
of mutual connection with the second user."
Facebook says that if a user forgets to obtain another
person's contact info then it "can be challenging or inefficient" to
find that person on the app later.
"During their meeting, the first user and the second
user forgot to obtain each other's full names and contact information,"
Facebook explained.
"Furthermore, the first user and second user do not
have any mutual connections that are readily recognisable or apparent to each
other.
"Thus, the opportunity for the first and second
users to connect can be lost."
Facebook added: "These and other similar concerns
can reduce the overall user experience."
Facebook compares this to normal ways of finding friends
– as if that makes it any less creepy.
"People often utilise computing devices or systems
to access, engage with, or otherwise interact with social networking
services," Facebook writes.
"For example, a user can use his or her laptop
computer to search for and find a childhood friend via the social networking
service."
But simply searching for Facebook friends obviously isn't
enough.
Facebook uses lots of data to decide who to recommend for
your friends list.
For instance, information from your phone contacts or
Instagram account can be used for recommendations.
Facebook will also check to see if you regularly attend
events with someone, or share common friends with a person.
This system is designed to make sure Facebook isn't
recommending complete strangers to you.
But Facebook has a bad reputation when it comes to
privacy, and some users might find this latest patent a step too far.
After all, this feature would be a dream come true for
stalkers, who could find info about their prey just by lurking near them at a
bus stop.
It also raises child safety concerns for the same reason.
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