I do mind being mined, Facebook.

(Source: http://www.conspiracyplanet.com/channel.cfm?channelid=84&contentid=7347)

The rule on information about me is based on the "Rigalian Doctrine." Under this principle, the rule provides:

"All data about me in the public domain, records, documents, papers, and other posted and tagged photos, birthday information, contact information, relationships, education and work, philosophy, interests, activities, and other data are owned by me." It follows that the exploration, development and utilization of all data concerning me fall under my supervision and control. I have the option to directly undertake data mining activities or to enter into the different modes of data mining agreements with any friends and relatives. Preference is given to friends of the 1st degree in respect of rights and privileges to access, explore and develop various inferences concerning the data about me. For large-scale data mining, I have the option to enter into an agreement for financial compensation from other online entities."

I wish it's as simple as that.

I hate the idea that I'm a marketing target and Facebook is off to earn cash from my personal information. Especially with the new profile they've just introduced. I just posted now "I don't like the new profile!!!!!! I wanna go back! no no no no!" My reason? "It looks weird if you don't put all the info they're asking, yet I don't wanna give out the info! hrmpf!"

I dunno. I get the idea that they designed the "new profile" in a way that forces a user to put in all the information they're asking. I know they're mining the data about users. I do notice that most ads seem to match my recent searches, my interests, my course, blah blah blah. Right after I gave birth there are all these baby ads. There shouldn't be anything wrong about relevant ads, right? They're certainly better than porn or smiley pop-up ads.

I simply don't like the idea of being mined. I don't like being a statistic. Maybe I'm greedy. Maybe I want a fair share of the deal. Or maybe I just want my privacy. Please don't ask me why I'm in Facebook in the first place, and why I post those photos, and interests, etc.

Data mining is not always "wrong" or illegal. Generally, it's legal, but there's this really thin line between being a marketing target and then being a suspected terrorist. Do you know that the U.S. uses data mining to do just that? And you do know how the Philippines has its own share of terrorists, and its "shared" military ops with the U.S. Well, I'm a Muslim, and I just can't go on posting about ... well you get the idea. I'm not about to let myself get mined now for this post.

That's the worst downside I guess. Between the "proper" and the "heinous" data mining continuum, there's this gray, fuzzy area concerning privacy and data protection. And businesses don't always realize they're crossing the line. Take for instance the recent lawsuit featured in a blog, entitled Hamburg DPA Files Bank €200,000 For Accessing Customer Data and Customer Profiling.

Anyway, the Supreme Court, under the stewardship of former Justice Puno, promulgated the rule on the writ of habeas data which is supposedly a remedy for every Filipino, whose right to privacy in life, liberty and security is compromised by data gathered by individuals, public and/or private. Very promising, but I don't see it being used to actually prevent data mining by Facebook. Very unlikely, considering the user agreement, blah blah blah. Besides, it's almost flimsy to sue facebook for it. Or is it? There are lot of Facebook paranoia articles out there, and here are few of them:

1 ) Facebook Data Mining: Truth in Association?
2) Facebook's plans to sell user data
3) Facebook Conspiracy: Data Mining for the CIA
4) Facebook Data Reveals Secrets of American Culture
5) Facebook mining your Wall posts for more marketing data

And there's also a video (if you like listening to audio-codals, you'll love this video. the voice is very uhmmm soothing(?) hahahaha!):

Yes, I know I clicked "yes" a few years ago. But if I knew Facebook would be like this ... If I had imagined the net would be like this today ... Well if I did, I'd be the billionaire, not them. So gimme a break and let me give my own stipulations to a new user agreement again. And if I don't agree with their terms, well... I'd still use Facebook.

Salma F. Angkaya

Entry #4