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Recently, a number of bloggers have criticized Facebook as a site that is becoming more nuisance than valuable. Those criticisms seems to be aimed at the addition of advertising and the number of member messages hitting their inboxes. Even Time Magazine has decided to notice Facebook. And, I wonder, why all this sudden attention?
- Is this attention due to our interest in social media and the ways we believe it should exist?
- Is it because Facebook is offering advertising opportunities to business?
- Are we upset that other members want to communicate with us by sending us messages?
- Do we believe the freedom for members to share is without structure and, therefore, we want to create rules?
- Could it be that we love Facebook so much that we have its best interests at heart?
This is why I ask: I don't see the problem. Help me understand why so many bloggers recently have been critical of Facebook. If problems do exist, what are they and how can Facebook fix them?
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Comments
For my part, Lewis, it is just the way information about the user is published without the user's permission. There is an opt-out, apparently, but the window of opportunity to opt out is very short.
From the AP: "Facebook users who make purchases at sites participating in the program have just 20 seconds in which to opt out of having that information published. That’s because the opt-out mechanism consisted of a small pop-up that vanishes 20 seconds after it appeared. After the window disappears, so does the user’s chance to opt out."
Opt-out is always bad, but sharing private information with third parties in this manner is unacceptable in my book.
Posted by: Cam Beck | 11.29.07
Lewis, I agree with Cam. The mechanism for opt-out just doesn't work for me. I also think people are torked their free lunch is over.
Posted by: Paul Barsch | 11.29.07
Cam and Paul,
Good points! What responsibility do Facebook users have when they become members and users? If we really despise the opt-out, shouldn't we end our affiliation with Facebook and send them an e-mail saying why we are leaving? Do we have any responsibility to ourselves and to Facebook to speak directly with them about our concerns?
Posted by: Lewis Green | 11.29.07
Lewis - I think we do have a responsibility to voice our concerns -- not just for Facebook, but for anyone else who is interested in delivering relevant advertising to consumers.
But that's what we're doing in the course of this and other conversations across the blogosphere, isn't it?
If they don't respond adequately, people can decide for themselves how they respond.
Posted by: Cam Beck | 11.29.07
Cam,
We are voicing concerns today, but not to Facebook. I think that in addition to blogging and commenting about Facebook, we owe it to them and to ourselves to communicate directly with them. It just seems the fair and right thing to do.
Posted by: Lewis Green | 11.29.07
your time magazine link doesn't work.
Posted by: david | 12.03.07
I thought this discussion was about Marketing professionals?
You all seem to be missing the big picture.
The question posed by Lewis was: I wonder, why all this sudden attention?
Well guys come on!! It means that the Facebook marketing team are doing a stellar job at arousing interest in their product and getting tons and tons of FREE ink :-)
people are talking about the product, what could be better than that.
Kudos to face Book!.
Matthew
Posted by: Matthew Edmunds | 12.04.07