The Facebook Bait: Using Privacy to Accomplish Goals

Is the new Facebook Beacon platform just a PR move to let them get away with more?

There aren't real problems with the bulk of the program. For both advertisers and the consumers they're marketing to, it makes a ton of sense to use shared data to increase relevant advertising messages in a non-obtrusive way. Everybody wins there. But this shit where companies can add online purchases to your facebook feed without giving you the ability to opt out completely beforehand, and only 20 seconds to opt out after the purchase, is ridiculous. And Facebook knows it. Zuckerberg is his customer base, trust me he gets it.

Just like he got it when they rolled out the feed in the first place. With obvious opt out and privacy issues. And not surprisingly, facebook eventually got what it wanted with the feeds, while the marketplace was quieted because they complained and felt as though they were still heard. The compromise was established. Users can opt out but facebook got the platform it needed to advance its own advertising interests.

And here's round two. Users will be pissed. I'll get emails from MoveOn.org. And the benevolent facebook will add the additional privacy features that they expected in the first place. Advertisers win and the users feel heard.

Friggin brilliant. It's a good platform for everybody anyway (assuming the control stays where we all know it should). Them some smart dudes.

You may have also noted that MySpace rolled out its own feed this week, also. We've got to realize that people put information on their page when they don't mind if other people see it. What's important is that users retain control of the data. Calacanis has more.