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Today we pick up from where we left in our latest story Facebook, When a Train Crash is No Accident

“You didn’t know that there was a fear until you saw something that just evoked that reaction from you. ― Mark Turnbull, Managing Director of CA Political Global.

The Merchants of Fear

The crazy part about this whole thing is that all of this illegal data harvesting, this injection of fake stories, exploiting of people’s fears for voter manipulation.. All of these factors combined, that’s just the vanilla part.

Just watch how their then CEO Alexander Nix is caught by undercover reporters explaining their tactics recurring to what appears to be entrapment and subsequent blackmail using Ukrainian prostitutes.

It’s quite ironic however to watch them joke about the people they catch filming “Smile!” while themselves are being recorded on camera confessing to all sorts of shady activities.

“Smile!” huh? Funny how Karma works.

As jaw-droppingly appalling as this is, Cambridge Analytica is a subject that deserves a story of its own, because the rabbit hole runs so deep that it almost touches the darkest corners of the web. Our story today is about Facebook.

Facebook knew what was going on, but they never notified the users whose privacy was breached.

Instead, they let them continue being subject to all sorts “brain manipulation” - or as they call it: Electronic Brainwashing - and it was all for personal gain.

The question remains, given the amount of responsibility that Facebook holds, why didn’t they do anything about it?

After all, the amount of data that Facebook collects about each one of us is absolutely staggering. And we’re not talking only about your “likes” history or private messages.

It goes much deeper than that as hey probably track all your online purchases, the movies you watch on your laptop and probably even the type of porn you watch.

With just a quick google search, one can find a plethora of articles about how to prevent Facebook is tracking all your internet activity even when you’re off the app.

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Now I know, Facebook tells us it’s only a social media website where we connect with friends and family, you’ve heard that spiel I’m sure.

But why in the world would a social media site feel the need to track all our internet activity and our every move?

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A few days after the Cambridge Analytica scandal broke, Facebook’s COO Sheryl Sandberg gave an unusually puzzling interview to CNBC. An interview that makes you wonder if you’re listening to a select tech genius or to your run-of-the-mill politician due to the way she handled the questions being asked.

The highlight of the interview came when in an attempt to project assurance and security, Sandberg dropped this comment: “We do not sell your data”.

And strangest of all, she said it in a manner that’s almost evokes Bill Clinton’s infamous “I did not have sexual relations with that woman.”

Trust Me, I’m Lying

You know when you’re browsing online for some shoes, and then a few minutes later the exact same shoes appear in your Facebook page when you log in?

How strange is that?

Now, we shouldn't be suspicious. That’s not Facebook tracking you and redirecting you to Kenneth Cole to purchase those items.

That's probably just their expert team of Mediums and crystal-ball readers repeatedly and accurately guessing what you’re more likely to buy to connect you to the company that would then target you with Facebook ads.

You see, it’s all just one big coincidence. It's not that they track you or sell your data.

Yeah, right. And while we’re at it, Bill Clinton never got that blowjob either.

The point remains, why would a social media site that connects you with your grandma feel the need to track all your activity even when you are not on their website?

... To Be Continued.

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Image Sources: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4

Facebook, When a Train Crash is No Accident - Part 2

The Merchants of Fear

Trust Me, I’m Lying

... To Be Continued.