It’s Official: Facebook is Selling Private Data
According to multiple sources, Facebook is moving ahead with plans to exploit private user data for advertisement targeting. Straight from to the Telegraph:
Facebook is planning to exploit the vast amount of personal information it holds on its 150m members by creating one of the world’s largest market research databases.
Rumors are going around that despite the web site being valued in the billions, cash reserves on running low and they are desperately trying to find ways to increase advertising revenue. It is believed that a deal has already been reached with careerbuilder.com. Don’t worry, there is a little hope:
All the company’s previous attempts to monetise the site have failed after members railed against the site’s invasion of their privacy. Mr Zuckerberg pulled Beacon, a service that notified users of their friends’ purchases on external sites such as Amazon, after members launched a campaign in December 2007.
Read the full story from The Telegraph.
Update: Facebook has started a PR blitz to confront the backlash from users. One source is saying Facebook is telling them they are no longer going forward with plans.
From what I understand is that they just want to poll the members with questions from other companies. It is annoying that they would use your information to single you out and send you a message for a poll question. I think if they made it optional that it might actually work as long as they keep the users anonymous. The ads they have on their now seem to be pulled from your interests already so if they just keep it on the right side of the screen then I can keep on ignoring them.
Some of the articles make it sound like they are going to sell user data for marketing purposes, but they stop short of explicitly saying it.
i like that photoshop picture lol
Zuckerberg is a prick! He will probably end up being the next Eric Bauman.
Speaking of Bauman: http://mashable.com/2009/02/02/ebaums-vs-youtube/