Facebook tracks users it thinks could threaten employees and offices (cnbc.com)

I wonder how many journalists FB tracks because they could threaten their future profits?

There's a slippery slope problem here. Once you have the base tech, you're free to use it against journalists, competitors, your employees, regulators, etc.

And not just for location. You can track things like sentiment, internal discord, or push a targeted propaganda campaign.

Uber certainly got carried away with their ability to track individuals.

The obvious question that will be asked by legislators, of course, is that if Facebook can play social media Stasi and create its own private no-fly list, compiled from Facebook posts, complete with real-time location tracking the government would kill for, then do they deserve common carrier protection? Why shouldn’t they give the same access to DHS to compile a social media terror list (or even an “enemies of the state” list)? And if they can be so assiduous in invading users’ privacy to protect the FB campus (from ex-employees there for job interviews and a lone serial masturbator, according to the article), then what legal liability does it have for not also flagging credible threats by school shooters or other violent criminals?

At this point I would be surprised if Google wouldn't be doing the same thing. Governments will get even more jealous at some points, but it seams like that won't help, as politicians don't understand tech.

How hard would it be to listen to certain trigger words in bolo conversations and auto-report them to the feds- for example for drug usage?

Not surprised at all. The only surprising thing is there is this much info to go on. I figured they would be tight lipped about their own private NSA style operation.

You really only need the first three words of this article.

The future will be agreeable and unanimous.