Media Emerging

Valeria Maltoni asked a thought-provoking question on Twitter about Facebook’s recent privacy policy changes and our response (or lack thereof) as users:

In the ReTweets and conversation that ensued, Chris Rinaldi asked: “If we’re not paying for Facebook, can’t they do whatever they want?”

Well, yes. But that would be true if we were paying members, too. There’s language in the terms of service that explicitly says Facebooks TOS and privacy policy can change at anytime.

My friend Lisa Hoffmann had this to say:

I’ve been thinking about that, and I’ve realized we’re not Facebook’s customers: We’re its product.

Even if we took to the streets with pitchforks and torches, Facebook has no obligation to us. We’re not the customers; the advertisers are. We are the product the advertisers buy.

Our eyeballs. Our interactions. Our attention. Our data. That’s what Facebook is selling.

And we agreed to it.

If Facebook’s policy changes cause a walkout (they won’t), it doesn’t mean Facebook has lost customers. It means the product has changed. The user population may grow or shrink, the demographics may shift this way or that, and the behavioral patterns may evolve. And Facebook knows this. In fact, they’re counting on it. Every change the company makes is a calculated maneuver to create a product that’s more palatable (and pliable) to advertisers.

We are a dynamic product. Unlike a sprocket or a widget, our shape is amorphous. We can complain all we want, but unless we fundamentally and dramatically change our shape — to the dissatisfaction of Facebook’s TRUE customer — Facebook will continue to re-write the rules of playing its game.

And I’m just not convinced we’re angry enough to make that dramatic change.

Facebook announced last week at the f8 developers conference that it would be integrating more closely with other websites.

The goal, Facebook says, is to make the web a more social experience. So, when I visit Pandora for example, I’ll be able to see when one of my Facebook friends likes a song I’m listening to.

Okay. Fine. But some of it’s…quirky.

I was listening to Pandora tonight and saw my buddy Anthony’s avatar pop up. It seems Anthony likes “Hang Me Up to Dry” by Cold War Kids.

I clicked on his name, expecting Pandora to take me to his station list, or other songs he likes, or his Facebook Page. Something. Instead, it served me a new ad.

I clicked again. Another new ad.

Again. And again.

Plenty of folks have raised concerns about Facebook’s increasingly cavalier disregard for users’ privacy. As Shel points out, they’re giving marketers more and more access to our personal information.

I’m a parent, so I’m concerned about privacy. But I’m also a marketer and digital native GenX/GenY bridger, so I’m less worried about marketers knowing my life story. I’m not that fascinating, anyway. But if Facebook is going to hand me over to the advertiser, I’d like my “more social” web experience to be more…you know…social.

Back to Pandora.

Images of my friends Laurie and Jim popped up later. More clicking on names. More “Here, maybe this ad is more to your liking.”

I know I can find my friends’ music, too (it’s in the lower right). That’s not my point. If I click on a friend, I want to see the friend…not another ad.

This isn’t the social web as I envisioned it. Maybe I’m missing something. Am I?