For those of us who are in marketing, it wasn’t really a surprise that Facebook records user data. Of course, the extent of it might come as a surprise. But if I’m able to use Facebook to target an ad for a honeymoon or anniversary getaway, or a particular kind of clothing to you, then it would naturally 
occur that one could use the same data to share a certain kind of news with you as well and influence your opinions.
What occurs to me is the way people have continued to use Facebook despite the whole #DeleteFacebook movement. How successful was that call anyway?
Facebook is often the first thing one checks in the morning, and the last thing at night. It is the go-to platform to open when you are bored, when you waiting in the bus station, or just hanging around. Of course, Instagram has stolen some of the glory now but that’s owned by Facebook as well.
Will people truly stop using Facebook? In the past decade, Facebook has become the default noticeboard of the world.
Any achievement earned is not complete unless shared on Facebook. Awards, accolades, babies, honeymoons, anniversaries of any sort – there is a post and there is an accompanying emotion for it.
When we are so accomplished with sharing details of our lives – be it every single moment or just the highlights – how easy is it to de-addict the world from these announcements?
Facebook is quite often the only public acknowledgement a normal person receives. The whole world telling you how great that promotion is – we’ve been sucked into the vortex of admiration. Now that we know that Facebook is using this information about your promotion, where you got your promotion, what kind of a company you work with, how many colleagues you have on your friend’s list, what kind of links you are sharing and more to profile you for other reasons, would we be able to go back to not sharing?
Considering all this profiling is happening in a vague, somewhere in the cyber world way, and the only time it gets real is when something like this whole debacle happens (which, honestly, isn’t frequently at all), does this even matter to you?
Facebook is the place that you can show that cousin or friend from high school on how cool your life has gotten. It is the place where you can brag about a small accomplishment. It is the place where you look good, no matter what a bad hair day you are having. It is the place where you can stalk others’ lives and make yourself feel a little better. It is also the place where you manage to connect with like-minded people. It is a place where you can find the answers relevant to your community. It is a place where you have a voice, no matter who you are in real life. It is a place where people argue with you, right or wrong, but that means they are listening.
Would anyone be willing to give all this up in return for a vague fear that you are pawns in a larger game?
Pepper Pages 