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The darker side of Facebook is an open book for everyone now. On Monday, March 26, the social networking giant, which owns the popular WhatsApp too, has confirmed that it collects automatically all the details about you whenever you make a call or send an SMS. The info collected is instantly passed on to its servers located in its headquarters for storage.
Facebook never asks you for permission as you are subjected to its whimsical diktat once you sign for its app, especially the free WhatsApp. Once you are locked in, all your secrets are part of the company and it holds no bars selling your info to a third party for a pittance or even for free in the name of research, irrespective of your consent. All in the name of improving user experience.
Essentially, Facebook is building a 360 degree secret profile of each and every person and once it’s done, the data is king and so is Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg. For many modern era techies, this may sound whimsical but for those familiar with Hindu mythology, this should not sound strange.
Once this info is available, Facebook can sell it to your future employers, your future governments, your spies and your enemies. This is precisely what we know from our epics about "Chitragupta’s Chitta", which is familiar to Indians, especially the Telugus like Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella.
Upon their death, Chitragupta, Lord Yama’s book-keeper, has the task of deciding heaven or the hell for the humans. His ‘chitta’ or book of deeds is believed to contain every bit of information on every person’s misdeeds and good deeds for review. Nothing gets escaped from his Chitta book. Same is the case with Facebook now.
When questioned, Facebook said: "Call and text history logging is part of an opt-in feature for people using Messenger or Facebook Lite on Android. This helps you find and stay connected with the people you care about, and provides you with a better experience across Facebook."
Almost every social media network does this but Facebook is not stopping after you import your contacts. It keeps a tab on your future calls to your friends and the SMS or WhatsApp messages you are sending elsewhere. so, it knows who you talk to more frequently or in touch with often. It can build the entire profile of your friends’ network and all about your ‘own’ world that you may not even share with you parents or spouse.
Facebook has told authorities across the world that they obtained consent from the users when they sign in for Facebook Messenger or Facebook Lite on Android, or log into Messenger on an Android device. The user has been given the option "to continuously upload your contacts as well as your call and text history."
Here’s how Facebook explained that you can opt out of its tracking:
First of all, deny Facebook when its asks access to your contacts whenever you are installing its apps. How to do this?
On Facebook Messenger:
Go to settings > People > Turn off Contact Sync.
To delete previously uploaded contacts, go to this page, log into your account and delete contacts.
On Facebook Lite: Go to Settings > Turn off Continuous Contacts Upload.
Next, turn off Sync Your Call and Text History.
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg meets Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on October 10, 2014 (PIB Photo)
