Thursday, March 13, 2014

The Truth About Nextdoor-Chatham

It was brought to my attention that the following statement was made in the Greater Chatham Alliance newsletter.

NEXTDOOR CHATHAM: Many of you on-line have probably gotten invitations to join this site. But we wanted to make sure you know that this site purports to be a sharing/connect community site but instead is really a dataa mining site for BING, the Internet browser, owned by Microsoft.. Every time you visit this site, or post something on this site, MMicrosoft is planting cookies that track your purchase patterns, where you live, your race, age and anything else they can learn on your computer.. Most of you don’t know how to remove those cookies so they can’t track everything you do–– and it’s getting harder. If you are on Facebook and connected that way; well, you just added more “Big Brother” into your life. This is insidious marketing! We just wanted you to be aware! The old “Everyblock” was truly an outreach community site. Of course, they’ve been sold to another corporation too."

 After seeing the posts, I contacted our City Field Organizer, Jaeson Santana.  He dug into the allegations and provided the following response:

Nextdoor absolutely does NOT cookie a user’s computer for data mining purposes. We do not allow any advertising on the platform, hence we are not collecting data for marketing or sales related efforts.  With that said, EVERY web browser -  Bing - Google - Firefox - Sea Monkey- Yahoo, et al -  ALL cookie a user's computer for exactly that reason.  This is how they mine data to push focused advertising to a user.  Facebook and Google are famous for this.  There are a few very easy ways to avoid being cookied when you browse the internet.  I am happy to assist anyone in your neighborhood adjust their browser privacy settings if they would like.  They may reach me via email at:  jsantana@nextdoor.com.  Thank you for bringing this to my attention.

Jaeson Santana
312.789.5585

Nextdoor City Field Organizer | Chicago 
The private social network for your neighborhood.

So I hope this puts this matter to rest and we can move forward and better our community.

3 comments:

  1. Nextdoor Chatham is a data mining site! If you don't believe this type of marketing exists and is in full force, then I invite you to watch Bill Moyers, one of the most widely respected, progressive, media talk show hosts on public television, Channel 11 (Chicago).

    The timing couldn't be greater! This show just appeared last Friday. Watch in total and be prepared to be stunned at what this reporter tells you about data mining!

    http://billmoyers.com/episode/no-escaping-dragnet-nation/

    You may have to post the link in your browser.

    As an advertising and marketing executive with 35 years of experience, your privacy is at total risk. And I really hate this aspect about my profession. It just keeps getting worst!

    Whenever a community site asks you to either sign-in, to subscribe, with either your
    social security number, your bank account number, a credit card, or Facebook page, they are data mining. When they show your home on Google map, they are data mining.

    Mr. Santana, at best, is a low-level, customer service employer who reads and works from a script. You do not see Director of Marketing, or Vice-President of Research behind his name. Those titles might have some form of creditability.

    Bing and Microsoft are so behind the curb when it comes to the giants–– Google and Facebook–- for gathering all of your information, shopping patterns, race, your interests, where you browse on the net, any comings and goings, they are desperate to get on point!
    As far as they are concerned, this was the slickest way to do it.

    Most of us are not Machiavellian in heart; we just want to connect and reach out
    to others. But that is not true of the big computer companies today; they are going
    through so many changes in order to stay relevant, because almost everyday some
    new technological wonder emerges and makes somebody obsolete.

    Mr. Glover has gone on record as saying: are community groups relevant anymore? He has derided the Great Chatham Alliance (GCA) for having a city worker as its president; He made contemptuous remarks about ReUnite Chatham because he said this group was nothing but a shill for a former alderman.

    Every community group in the 6th Ward has a Facebook page; some even have websites and blogs. I encourage people to post information that we can all share in. GCA has 850 email addresses and we share as much info as we get from mostly anyone and everyone. And we send it out via email blasts, or via our newsletter and our Facebook page.

    But I won't let any white folks try to tell a marketing veteran that this is not what they are doing! If you choose to use NextDoor Chatham, know what you are walking into. Check your cookies often and see how they are tracking your every move. I encourage anyone to share their info with the community; but don't be manipulated by others with disingenuous motives.

    Leslie Honore
    GCA Corresponding Secretary

    "A true child of Chatham, whose father built his home in Chatham in the 60's. Graduated from Dixon and grew up as a teen and young adult here." This was said because when I share an opinion, or viewpoint I might get attacked too!

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  2. I could respond to this wordy meaningless, inaccurate diatribe but I won't. If this so diabolical why are Chicago Police Officers using it? So I guess Officer Richartd Wooten is lost in the matrix as well? BTW, ask him about the announcement that is going to be made later this week. nuff said

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  3. I'll bring it, Mr. Glover! So the Mayor has charged the police department with urging residents to use NextDoor to discuss and identify criminal activity, city problems and get city announcements. That's what I learned. You really believe that? Isn't that what 911, 311 and CAPS interaction does already? Don't we have a City of Chicago website for info?

    When a business group sits down with a mayor to discuss how they can all get along to get to know the city's residents, you don't see the drift. My, my, my! It's about collecting data. Nothing but data!

    The police already use Facebook and Twitter to track criminals. So now we all get pulled in the mix?

    And when did you become a fan of Officer Wooten? You've attacked him before when he ran for alderman! It's his job to deliver what the police department assigns him to do, regardless. That's his assignment.

    The mayor knows the South Side is raging with discontent! He has his big social media staff to see what black folks are talking about and thinking! What better way to do it in a big scoop like this disguise.

    It's always a tantrum or name calling when someone else connects the dots, or disagrees with your viewpoint. It doesn't bother me! I stand behind what I say! And if I'm wordy and meaningless, I am only following your legacy lead, Mr. Glover. You've set the precedence many times before.

    People, please watch the Bill Moyer video with investigative reporter Julia Angwin. She talks to Bill about how America has become "a dragnet nation where mass surveillance rules."

    "Her book chronicles the indiscriminate tracking of our everyday lives — where government and business are stockpiling data about us at an unprecedented pace.... Julia Angwin covered the business and technology beat at The Wall Street Journal for 13 years and is a Pulitzer Prize winner now working for the independent news organization ProPublic."

    Everyone, just bear that in mind!

    ReplyDelete

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