Apparently Facebook wants to rule the world…
That’s what happens when businesses get big, they start to think bigger than, perhaps they should.
“We are building toward a web where the default is social,” said Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook’s founder.
“If you look back a few years ago and even as recently as today, in most cases the web isn’t designed to use your friends. They don’t assume you have a real identity but we are seeing that seep in more and more.”
“We want to be one of the things that empowers that and right now most users are using Facebook and we hope we can be a good force in driving that forward,” Mr Zuckerberg told the BBC during a news conference.
I am ambivalent about social networking sites. If people wish to join them and put detailed personal stuff on them, well, that’s their choice. I put some personal stuff up here and that’s my choice. Also, I am aware that anonymity doesn’t really exist for me. You can find me if you want to, it’s just that you will have to make a small effort to do so.
What I don’t do is social networking, whether it is Facebook, LinkedIn, Bebo or any other of these sites. I doubt that will change – I like my psudonymity and plan to keep it that way. I do not wish to publish under my own name and I do not wish to have online friends who follow my every move and purchase. Besides, when folk like Zuckerberg get too big for their boots and try to take me with them, I will resist. I will decide what tools I will use, I will decide whether I will share personal information, and, importantly, I will have ownership.
“One of the points Mr Zuckerberg was making was that the web has become a lot less anonymous and Facebook is definitely positioning itself as wanting to be the owner of that information,” said Maya Baratz of the Huffington Post.
If you don’t find that disturbing, you haven’t been paying attention.
While I find some of Google’s activities a bit creepy, Facebook appears to be trying to outdo them.
But Mr Malik sounded a note of caution.
“The whole idea to socialise the whole web is fairly impressive, audacious and a bit scary. I am very scared about the privacy issues around this initiative. They haven’t really been very clear as to how consumers will have more control over the things they do on the web.”
Quite. Never had a Facebook account and never will.
Random people often ask me if I am on Facebook. When I reply “No”, they often look quite surprised and ask me why.
I always answer, “Because I’m not 12”.
That response had made many a lip quivver.
I’ll remember that one 😀
Heh! That’s a good one.
.-= My last blog ..The Saddest Article I’ve Ever Read… =-.
Facebook is like people voluntarily compiling their own Stasi blackmail file. I’ll have none of it.
.-= My last blog ..Know the feeling =-.