This morning, if you’re like me—forgetting that it’s a Holiday and picking up your phone—you were greeted with a Facebook app update (not the messenger, the actual Facebook app).
Merry Christmas from Facebook, right?
I decided to read the update before I clicked ‘accept’—and boy, am I glad I did!
We already knew that Facebook has been pimping us to anyone that they could. Monetizing each one of us through our hobbies, interests, and behavior. Nothing is free, so if you like using Facebook, you agree to let them advertise to you. The better they can advertise to you (by monitoring your activity) , the more they are (and you are) worth to advertisers.
This is the exchange. If you don’t like Facebook doing this, then simply don’t use it. Or use it carefully. Limit what they know about you by keeping your about page like a ghost town. It’s that easy, and that is the beauty of the free market. No one is forcing you to use Facebook.
However, this update was different. They want to collect data beyond the scope of the application. They want to read (and store) your text messages. They want to know what you are discussing with your friends, family, and lovers privately. Of course (I hope), we know that it’s not private and that our mobile phone provider has this information stored. But still, less is more when it comes to privacy. Facebook has enough to sell to us already, let’s keep them out of our text messages. Lest we forget, Facebook is already receiving requests from the Government regarding our information and activity.
Since the wording is so vague, we can only speculate what it is that Facebook wants to do with this information. But, I think it’s pretty safe to assume they would like to continue to collect more information about you so they can advertise even more appropriately to you. I also find it odd that this update rolled out on Christmas morning. Were they thinking we would be more prone to click ‘accept’ without reading?
This Christmas morning I will be saying ‘no thanks’ to Facebook and their “gift”.