1933 AUSTIN 7 RP SALOON

[Andy Bennett]

My problem with facebook is not necessarily the content. It is the fact that it is a data mining mechanism designed to learn about you and sell that information to those who feel they can gain from that knowledge. In exchange for your data they give you a benefit by way of contact and a platform to say (almost) what you want. This is pretty much a 1 way process if the value of facebook is recognised.

This forum however is a relatively secure site from that perspective (Google aside).

The younger you are the more acceptable you appear to be in giving away your information to Facebook etc, or at least ignorant to the potential downside of doing so.

Personally I don't do facebook for simply personal security reasons.

Andy B

[JonE]

Facebook is fine if you don't create friend networks and keep a pseudonym. Closed groups are even better, but it sometimes gets difficult becoming a member if you don't have friends and a real name, when the group mods decide whether to accept you! It is difficult to ignore the ease of posting images there - interesting new cars emerge to public view precisely because there are 3500 members who can make posts as easily as eating a hobnob.

[Tony Press]

I think one should bear in mind that, as a new generation of owners come through, they will be people who have been brought up in the 'Facebook age'. There, Instagram and similar are places they will immediately gravitate to for sources of information. Rather than criticising the platforms, I think it more important to play an active part in them, either by correcting the complete errors posted by the ill-informed or encouraging new owners to join their local Austin 7 Club etc...

We all express concern as to where the next generation of Austin 7 owners is going to come from. It is likely, they inhabit Facebook...

my two penn'eth..

And then of course you end up with abuse from idiots such as the person (with very poor english ) who sparked this whole debate 

[Bob Culver]

Martin states this site is like a gentlemens club. In the movies of my youth mature gentlemen invariably had a relatively youthful "niece" to accompany them to the club when in town. I have not acheived that aspect of membership (and, amongst other factors, runnng a 1964 car makes it not likely). Perhaps just as well as too many practical projects to complete as is.
What is the state of the London Seven Club? The site was quite useful as could often cut more directly to the important ibasic nfo. Then it seemed to self destruct.

[Andy Bennett]

Jon E.
Don't want to sound paranoid but you not creating friend networks on facebook doesn't stop facebook tracking everything you do through it and its associated apps (instagram, whatsapp etc etc) and building a profile which it then sells to advertisers etc.

Accepting we are all adults and believe we can think for ourselves when bombarded with adverts, Cambridge Analytica and the growing use of such info to influence our lives suggests we have no idea just what they are up to.

I don't loose sleep over it but then I don't do Facebook. The downside is that facebook still has a profile on me. They have shadow profiles for non-facebook users which they build through me visiting sites which support facebook advertising. I am registered as having visited that page through to facebook, which is added to my shadow profile.

Paranoid, moi. It's a new world.
Andy B

[austin]

I don't want to be one fanning the flames of Facebook hatred but nearly all websites have Facebook tracking installed as it is such a mine of traffic to the websites. It therefore means that not only does it know what you post on Facebpok, it also knows what you are looking at off the site. Which is why you get some very specific and seeming psychic adverts and suggestions on Facebook / Instagram etc.

There are ways of stopping it all but I find it easier just not to post stuff that isn't pleasant. IUf you wouldn't say that thing to someone in the pub etc then don't post it online.

Or wear a tinfoil hat.

[Tony Griffiths]

Although Facebook data mines and collects information about your interests - the cleverness of the resulting adverting has to be brought into question. You look for a wheelbarrow via Google or Facebook marketplace - and you buy one. What happens next? That's right, you are bombarded with adverts for - wheelbarrows. Odd that the algorithms are not bright enough to recognise that, having bought one, you probably don't need another and next, might look for a fork and spade. But, no, it's a wheelbarrow pantomine - until you look for the next item. Try Russian Brides - great fun! "True love is but a click away" - yea, right....