Party Vibe

@SafeChoice 600362 wrote:

My app’s advertising is no different to any other app, so if you can’t trust mine there is no reason for you to ever use an app again. In fact you’re more likely to be tracked by your ISP or the advertisers going onto this website and face problems than using SafeChoice…

Although ads aren’t served to moderators on fixed networks I can and do block them anyway and on all desktop sites. I do not use mobile devices or apps on which I do not have 100% total control over the data being sent; these devices only get used for telephone calls. I use comparatively few social networks even compared to many of my generation and my discussion of drug use is minor stuff and centres around things I have done in the past.

GCHQ only occasionally assists the civillian Police when they need to track down folk who are regularly dealing large amounts of controlled substances as their main source of income; they do occasionally assist the BBC with surveillance of “drugs friendly youth media” but that has been going on for 30 odd years.

The boffins who worked at the BBC end of the surveillance networks sat down and told me and my friend themselves how it all worked, and why they did it (there are valid reasons). All that has happened since then is the tech has changed so the govt has also altered the surveillance frameworks.

A bigger problem (especially to University students) is private sector organisations and invidivual entrepreneurs offering “behaviour screening services” especially for those who are looking for jobs/placements; there is apparently also a level of screening now of 6th formers when it comes to University admissions. Even this was around to a lesser extent in the 80s but wasn’t as finely developed as students were more careful about discussing controversial subjects with “strangers”, even “friendly” ones.

no one here is saying you should stop publishing the app as you are not breaking any laws and have done it with some permission from the charities involved; but in its present form its unlikely to reach the audiences you would be hoping to attract.

Lots of us have also lost friends due to the negative effects of drugs use and drugs prohibition (getting nicked for a small crime and being rendered less employable often drives people towards commiting greater ones) but an app which is trying to “nudge” people towards behaving in a certain manner is unlikely to affect anyone other than the very young and impressionable. Maybe it might help a few university students and teens but others could be deterred from entering the data honestly due to fears over tracking; whether rational or not.

@SafeChoice 600366 wrote:

I left a post but it did not get posted, I can’t be asked to write it all out nicely again.

Long story short to both of you. You are being tracked, end of story. Unless you are a programmer, security expert, and know about anti forensics you are being tracked.

Even if you do know about these things you will still be tracked (possibly more so as feds then think “what are you trying to hide?”) but most people begrudgingly accept that organisations such as the Police and GCHQ will require to do this as part of their duty. However my personal experience is not only do they they actually tell you first (either through official or unofficial channels) they give you a lot of leeway to correct yourself and keep out of trouble. They also aren’t quick or sharp enough for the “conspiracies” most of which belong in TV or movie plots. However, when unaccountable commercial organisations start hoarding personal data about people for private gain that is when things can be yet more risky.

It doesn’t matter if an app is to make the LED on your phone shine as a torch or discussing more controversial subjects such as your drugs/alcohol/tobacco use, sexual behaviour and preferences or religious affliliations; the data the ad networks used to fund them leaks makes it relatively easy for organisations other than police/security services of elected democracies to identify and judge you.

Its not so much the risk of 10 cops stoving in your door but finding that it costs more to get car insurance, or some businesses quote you higher prices or just turn down your business.

to a lesser extent it affects websites such as this; this forum has already had to be split between “all ages” and “over 18s” and even before social networks became popular the number of younger users dropped and many asked us to delete their profiles when they started University or got any job with greater responsibility or which requires DBS check or other checks of good conduct.