Facebook is the Internet on capitalism

[neonvincent]

From Next Media Animation on YouTube:

More than 500 million people use Facebook every day. However, most were annoyed by recent changes that further cluttered the user interface.

The backlash has been fierce. But no matter how disgruntled, users find it hard to leave Facebook because all their friends are there.

At the recent F8 developers' conference, Mark Zuckerberg announced even more ambitious changes, including tighter integration with third party apps.

Another big change is the re-vamp of the profile into a timeline. It pulls all your media and updates into one place.

Zuck also urged developers to demand permission to publish everything from users as a condition for using apps. Where is it all going to lead?

Never forget that Facebook is the Internet on capitalism, which means it has to make its money somehow.



As Barry Commoner wrote, there is no such thing as a free lunch. That means this blog is product, too.

Originally posted as Facebook: There is no such thing as a free lunch on Crazy Eddie's Motie News.

Comments

[suncat]

Yet one more reason why I stopped using any FB apps long ago. Or rather, this latest development just makes me glad I did.

[neonvincent]

I remember getting razzed by one of the IT people on my FB friends list for using an app. I quit subscribing to apps after that.

[herlander_refugee]

All of this is why I am not on Facebook, despite the occasional pleading of friends.
Even places where I DO pay that piss me off (like Netflix)? I leave them, too!

[neonvincent]

The best man at my first wedding isn't on Facebook, either. He thinks it's a privacy nightmare. He might know something, as he's been an IT person since before the term IT was invented and now runs the computers for UCLA's Math Department.

[herlander_refugee]

I, too, think it is a privacy nightmare. And I am scarcely computer literate....but I've just seen some horror stories unfold in the lives of folks who WERE on Facebook.

[neonvincent]

Part of the problem with Facebook is that it's where the non-geeks and other mundanes hang out online. Not only is it the Internet on capitalism, it's also the Internet for everyone, so all kinds of people who wouldn't be on LJ or a special-interest discussion board are using it.

[herlander_refugee]

True. I tried it very briefly (6 weeks) a few years ago, and just the sheer volume of seemingly unprotected photos and such that I saw gave me the willies.

Not that everywhere else is entirely more safe, but Facebook doesn't even really have the illusion of anonymity; so I always am astonished at the pictures of kids, etc that are there.

But hey, I get told I am paranoid...