NEW KINDRED SPIRITS FACEBOOK GROUP HAS BEEN CREATED

This is a secret group meaning that only members can see or participate in the group, anybody wanting to be added to it should friend either myself, Cristina or Keith, and obviously PM us your username here and we can add you. This is to compliment this forum and give people the chance to communicate more directly.

Here I am: https://www.facebook.com/FullMarriageEquality

I'm not on Facebook. Thinking about doing it, though.

That would be cool. It's a good way to talk to other people directly without having to use the PMs here. I think this new group could turn out to be a very good idea.

i think so too Jane

Although Facebook tries to get people to sign up using their real information and often wants your phone number, it is possible to crest an account with some "skewed" details to avoid giving away your identity, and although it keeps asking for my phone number I have declined to provide it. Also, you can set your settings so that very little of your information is shared with others.

Yes, it is a good idea to set up a fake profile with fake info. About the only thing it knows about me is the fake birthday I entered. No way am I giving it my phone number, I use that for my real profile.

I suppose I could setup an account with fake info.

Hmmmm... Facebook might just track fake identities back to real ones using cookies.

Here's how that would work, if it's happening. If I log into Facebook as Fred Fake, it sets a cookie. When I log back in as Robert Real using the same browser, it reads Fred Fake's cookie and realizes that Fred Fake is the same person as Robert Real.

I know that FB is trying to eliminate fake identities. I just don't know how serious they are about it. Proceed with caution. Wipe your cookies at the end of every FB session or use two different browsers.

UN

My preference is avoiding Facebook entirely... buuuut I can see how that's not very practical for most people.
There's also VirtualBox (and other sandbox programs), if your computer's not too old. Live disks work too, but they've some limitations.

Multiple family members or partners may use the same device. I'm sure Facebook knows that. So while tracking may indicate an association, there's no definitive proof that two accounts using the same device are the same person. Now, if they use the device's camera to do facial recognition, well, that's another matter.

I already use different browsers for different accounts, AND it's quick and easy to put a little blu-tac onto the webcam to block it.

How much activity is the Facebook group getting? I had a little trouble setting up an anonymous account. Made the mistake of trying to send a friend request to Jane and Facebook declared it "suspicious activity." You now have to submit a photo of yourself and wait until they clear it...

UN

My fake facebook profile has a questionable name, should I try to set up something else rather than use it?

Howie, I'd suggest the following. But, before you do, please read my rant at the end.

• Use a different browser than usual and wipe it clean first.
  
• Rip out FB and Messenger apps and don't install them.
  
• A believable name. (Jane got locked down for using Jane Doe.)
  
• Throwaway email, used for no other purpose.
  
• Different password. They can't crack the passwords (assuming they're using the standard hashing algorithms and not cheating themselves) but they can compare password hashes.
  
• Upload an avatar (maybe a pet picture.)
  
• Set your location to somewhere you don't live.
  
• Join some innocuous groups (the recommended ones would work.)
  
• Let the account sit for three days before requesting membership in the KS group. Do some browsing while it's sitting.
  
• Don't friend anyone until you've been on for a while. I got locked down for trying to friend Jane.
  

[rant]
It stinks having to do this sort of sneaking around! Zuckerberg just does not understand that some people are legitimately sensitive about revealing their real identities online.

Frankly, I'm wondering at this point whether it's even worth it to continue trying. Anyone on the FB group is already here. About the only thing FB gives you that this place doesn't already have is pictures (and who's going to post a selfie?) and IM.

FB has proven that they're untrustworthy in various ways. And we should trust them?

And, don't forget, unlike France, consanguinamory is illegal in many places in the US where Facebook operates. If (God help us) they get subpoenaed for a list of email addresses, it's all over, folks. They have no obligation to protect your identity.

In the old wild-west days of Usenet, Jeff Helsingius, the owner of the anon.penet.fi remailer, got sued by the Scientologists, because someone was using the remailer to attack Scientology on usenet. Rather than hand out the user database, Jeff destroyed it and shut down the service. ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Penet_remailer ) Would Facebook?
[/rant]

UN

UN, you were locked down for trying to friend me? When did this happen?

Yesterday or the day before, Jane.

UN

That's weird, nobody else has had a problem... it makes me suspicious that the community is being monitored to say the least.

It could well be. I doubt that they are fishing for us, but they are fishing for something.

UN

I don't doubt it myself. It may be hidden to outsiders but it's not to Facebook (or if they've told third parties, like advertisers & such). Unowen, you don't feel they're fishing for us but for something; do you have any thoughts? it may be just speculation but keeping our bases covered doesn't hurt!

Hi, Sleepy,

I've shared this thought with Jane and she agrees. They could be fishing for illegal activity such as terrorist activity or a crime ring. The sort of profile that an anonymous group would generate would fit. New IDs without other interests joining the same group.

The fact that they want a selfie to unblock also fits.

UN

Hmm, that would be sensible, on their behalf. Still, it doesn't do us any favours. I'd think they have access to all information sent over Facebook too, so they should know what the group's about, right? not that that's good.

It's my theory that they're probably searching for drug rings, child molesters and Islamic terrorists. Sadly, with incest being falsely conflated with child abuse I think it's the middle one that might make them suspicious... even though we're above board and there is nothing to find. Once they realize we're NOT pedos they will likely move onto greener pastures. Even though incest is illegal, it's something that would be lower down on the priority list for the police force which only have a limited budget to work with. There are far bigger fish to fry than us.

Oh-kay. Let's try this again. Created the ID (Upton Owens), uploaded images, liked a bunch of innocuous stuff, sent a friend request to Keith, and PMed Jane. (I'll send Jane a friend request too, but I want to let it rest a while, just in case.)

UN

If believe I accepted your request. But I was groggy so I might have hit the wrong button.