See How Easy it is for a Website to Turn Your Facebook Profile Into a Creepy Video
- Posted on October 18, 2011 at 4:17pm by
Liz Klimas
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Getting our name, interests, photographs of us, our friends, our family, and sometimes even our contact information, is as easy as offering a lollipop to a child.
Even if you’re already well aware of how much your online information could be being tracked, I bet you’ve never seen it put into this context before. Click Take This Lollipop, select ‘allow’ and prepare yourself to be creeped out. In short, you’re about to see something very familiar.
If you would prefer not to click ‘allow’ until you know what you’re getting yourself into, watch my version here:
As several bloggers who have picked up the story point out, even though this may be an exaggeration of what is being done with information about you on the Internet, it makes a point by making you think twice next time you click the “allow” button.
The Next Web’s Matt Brian writes:
Take This Lollipop plays on the fact that many people underestimate the power of social networks and the information that can be obtained from them, connecting to your Facebook account to play through a scene where a creepy man spying and tracking you.
It’s like a scene from one of the many horror films that have hit movie theaters in the past few years, showing a man in a somewhat abandoned house (complete with a tricycle in the corner of a room), obtaining information from your Facebook profile. Your photos, location and friends are all displayed, making you aware of what you willingly share on your Facebook account.
The New York Times BITS blog reports that Jason Zada took credit for the video with his tweet. Zada is also responsible for interactive campaigns like ‘Elf Yourself.’
Bill Oberst who stars as the “creepy guy” in the film told The Blaze that although he’s unsure of what the actual purpose of the film is, aside from its intent to go viral, that it did the job creeping even himself out.
“When I saw me going through my own personal Facebook information, that was weird,” Oberst said. When asked how he felt about what he saw and the message portrayed, he said concerned. “Absolute concern. You realize that your location information — any information — is easy to put together from what you have online. So much much about us is on the web.”
And Oberst, who is used to being cast as the scary guy, is not the only one who is freaked out. The Facebook Connect app has been exploding since it launched and Twitter is capturing many comments on it.
Oberst said the scene was filmed in an abandoned hospital and that his wife-beater tank top is a calling card for creeps. He notes that one of his reactions is how different it would feel for a man versus a woman watching the movie.
“There are some dark, sexual undertones,” Oberst said. “I definitely think a man using the app will have a different reaction than a woman.”
The Blaze contacted Zada but he had not responded by the time of this posting.
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Comments (47)
CW3147
Posted on October 19, 2011 at 12:34amHere’s a more likely situation http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lw_vA_hxrKE,
Report Post »But the Video above is probably still possible.
NotaLemming
Posted on October 19, 2011 at 12:32pmThat was good! I like your comments. How do I follow you too?
Report Post »CW3147
Posted on October 21, 2011 at 12:33amSorry, The Blaze is’t that sophisticated yet, But this comedy group ( BYU Divine Comedy) Is super Funny, http://www.youtube.com/user/BYUDivineComedy#p/u
Report Post »ozchambers
Posted on October 23, 2011 at 2:35pmI was disappointed they didnt show the part where he gets blown away by my 12 gauge.
Report Post »hvy_gunner_0331
Posted on October 19, 2011 at 12:04amCreepy, yes, for the most part… But it was amusing to see my personal info: Profile pic: The BIG G (700 feet tall, bad attitude, radioactive halitosis, with an affinity for large Japanese cities) – CHECK. Me with my M60 during a 1986 deployment to Okinawa – CHECK. Picture of me with a bunch of my medieval reenactor friends (big ugly men with bigger, uglier swords) – CHECK. Tracking down my hometown, which, with a population of less than a thousand, located in the Pacific Northwest (eastern), has a firearm to person ratio to make any 2nd Amendment lover turn green with envy – CHECK.
Report Post »So, okay, Mr. Creepy McStudly, come out to my neck of the woods!
JustPeachy
Posted on October 18, 2011 at 11:32pmAgreed–creepy!
Report Post »CharlesMartel
Posted on October 18, 2011 at 9:17pmIf you think that this article is creepy, have you ever googled your own name?
Report Post »Beansrock
Posted on October 18, 2011 at 10:53pmI never did, until just now. It’s very creepy. I could bring up where I live, my age, and how many people live in my house. I could even find out the names and ages of my kids. For a fee I could find out a lot more. the info is there, just for the taking. Definitely makes you think.
Report Post »nostate
Posted on October 20, 2011 at 12:11amSometimes I do, just to see what my readers might see.
Report Post »Thomas Parker
Posted on October 18, 2011 at 8:10pmI use Facebook because it is a great way to stay in touch with old friends and family. In moderation, it’s fun. I don‘t care what they think they know about me that they don’t already think they know without Facebook. (Did you get that? :-) ) Pfft! Who cares? Come and get me, punk. I got nines. I stay up late and I sleep lightly. I will not live a life of fear. Generally speaking, IMO, anonymity online is for people who like to name-call and troll. Unless you’re completely “off the grid” with no bank accounts, zip code, or SS# associated with your name, “they” already know everything they need or want to know about you. It’s called “Social Engineering” folks, and it’s been around since waaay before the infamous Facebook.com. (Which, may as well be Facebook.gov. at this point.) Learn to live in the 21st Century or go wander the wilderness like Moses. ;-)
Report Post »loriann12
Posted on October 18, 2011 at 10:35pmI only friend people on Facebook that I know personally. I have no “internet only” friends. My MIL (who is NOT on my friends list ) would friend anyone just to have another neighbor for Farmville. That’s just insane.
Report Post »Roger A Lessard
Posted on October 18, 2011 at 8:05pmI’m trying disparately to sharing so easily. Just for this reason. I worry about them all the time.
Report Post »therealconservative
Posted on October 18, 2011 at 8:11pmIf it’s on the interne/facebook, it’s open to the world
Report Post »dommy
Posted on October 18, 2011 at 7:43pmthe only thing i could think about the whole time i was watching this was “dude get your fingers off the screen”
Report Post »obama-mecca-me-sick
Posted on October 18, 2011 at 9:08pmbwahahahahaha ! me too….
Report Post »Meyvn
Posted on October 18, 2011 at 7:01pmSo what. There are ways to deal with a punk like this once he breaks the virtual element. They had best be polite and benign once the enter my reality.
Report Post »Mikev5
Posted on October 18, 2011 at 6:52pmAnyone that uses Facebook is an idiot why would you post your personal info so all could see its NUTS I tried it but didnt like how they try to hook you up with anyone thats like you or your interests just creepy in my book if you thought about its creepy as all hell.
Report Post »EqualJustice
Posted on October 18, 2011 at 6:52pmSo, even if you delete your account.. they KEEP the info, right?
Report Post »Sean In LI
Posted on October 18, 2011 at 8:01pmYes. Anything you enter into Facebook, be it personal information, photographs, comments, friend’s info, etc., becomes THEIR property forever. You agree to that when you sign up.
Report Post »The Divided States of America
Posted on October 18, 2011 at 6:40pmI think they should re-name it to “Tracebook” !!!
Report Post »VISITORNUMBER3
Posted on October 19, 2011 at 10:09amGood one !!!
Report Post »timej31
Posted on October 18, 2011 at 6:08pmThis is why my facebook information is all lies. Fake name. Fake friends. Used a disposable email address to create it. I have no connections with anyone I really know. It’s all lies. It only works if you actually put your real info in you 1d10t. Never ever tell the truth online. LIE that’s all they understand anyways.
Report Post »Mikev5
Posted on October 18, 2011 at 6:58pmThen why did you do it? When you use lies as a norm lies become the norm think about it lying has become the norm for all of us that use the internet when you do that your life becomes a lie.
I think the internet has perverted our sole.
You can blog or post as joe shmo and be as nasty as you want and as perverted as you want… do you think this could change you as a person think on that.
Report Post »janedough1
Posted on October 18, 2011 at 6:08pmYeah, the creeps had better be more afraid of me than they want me to be of them. Either that, or they’d better develop a taste for lead.
Report Post »homekeeper
Posted on October 18, 2011 at 5:51pmI despise Facebook, not only because its superficial and full of gossip, but also for privacy reasons. When will people wise up? Hopefully, it won’t take something like this to make people realize what danger they put themselves and sadly, their children too, in.
Report Post »banjarmon
Posted on October 18, 2011 at 5:35pmHow much scarier would BO an MO be???
Report Post »PATRIOTGRUNT
Posted on October 18, 2011 at 5:18pmDitto !!!! THX–1138
Report Post »ZengaPA65
Posted on October 18, 2011 at 5:11pmHe looks like a bunch of the people that post on this site.
Report Post »IMAWAKENOW
Posted on October 18, 2011 at 5:18pmSince you can only see yourself and any friends you might talk to ………… doesnt say much about you does it?
Report Post »ZengaPA65
Posted on October 18, 2011 at 5:37pmThat’s funny coming from my fraternal twin.
Report Post »Searchingforthelight
Posted on October 18, 2011 at 5:08pmThis is so true. Watch out for pictures of little girls you don’t know. I had one that wasn’t my childrens friend.
Report Post »gmoneytx
Posted on October 18, 2011 at 5:05pmCaaandy cane…remember that one?
I pulled the plug on my facebook page about a month ago. Don‘t need it don’t want it…welceom to the real world, there is one out there, just pull your heads out of your CPU‘s and you’ll see…Oh BTW the bright shiny thing in the sky is called the sun!
Report Post »TeaPartyDragon
Posted on October 18, 2011 at 4:59pmWell as far as facebook goes, I have my account locked up so only friends can see it. NOT friend of friends..
Report Post »Don’t want Trolls posting on my wall
therealconservative
Posted on October 18, 2011 at 8:07pmYour page is not locked to hackers. If it’s on the internet, it’s open to the world.
Report Post »Crusty Thong
Posted on October 18, 2011 at 4:50pmCreepy!!
Report Post »THX-1138
Posted on October 18, 2011 at 4:48pmWhat is FaceBook and why would I use it?
Report Post »OniKaze
Posted on October 18, 2011 at 4:55pmIts a gathering place of fools who either Don’t have any real friends, or are too lazy to actually have real physical interaction with them.. Or just too cheap to use a phone to call them (which is odd since most cellphones have free long distance…)
Report Post »Corsair
Posted on October 18, 2011 at 5:51pmExactly. FB has turned into a mining field for info on your life; your likes and dislikes. Advertisers just love that kind of info. And as this video shows, you can be found and stalked and never know it nor for what reason.
Report Post »I never understood why someone that just had a baby or bought a house would want anyone in the whole world to be privy to that info. I guess it must be like seeing your letter to the editor in the morning paper in another age; a cheap thrill and illusory ego boost.
What I really don’t understand, if you put all the security features in place to make only a select few people in on your life, why not just write the same info in an email to just those people? It’s just about the same amount of work.
I just read an article in Consumers Report this morning (I forget which issue) and job recruiters and potential employers are looking at candidates’ FB pages. Ever lost a seemingly shoe-in job in the last couple of years? It quite might have been something on your FB page. I guess the whole point of this mini-rant is to be aware of and a guardian of your privacy.
Anonymous T. Irrelevant
Posted on October 18, 2011 at 6:08pmWhy anyone would post REAL info on their FB profile is beyond me. Most of us (I think) know it is just used to make more profit for Zuckerburg and Co. Don’t let them make money using YOUR info, put fake names, birth places, etc. or better yet, don’t use FB or Google.
Report Post »hauschild
Posted on October 18, 2011 at 4:45pmDuh?!?!?
Report Post »ozchambers
Posted on October 18, 2011 at 4:42pmHe’s kinda cute.
Report Post »Jukes
Posted on October 18, 2011 at 4:41pmI am making my 17 year old do this ….to maybe be an object lesson
Report Post »