Facebook Too Big?

Boyd

Administrator
Staff member
Site Administrator
Jul 31, 2004
9,504
2,766
Ben's Branch, Stephen Creek
C'mon, any of you other naysayers on this thread jump in yet?

You picked an interesting time to bump this five year old thread! :)

https://blogs.wsj.com/moneybeat/2018/03/19/facebook-stock-decline-knocks-it-out-of-sp-500s-big-five/

"Facebook Inc.’s share-price fall on Monday shaved roughly $35 billion from its market cap, enough to remove it from the ranks of the five biggest companies in the S&P 500. The social media giant’s stock was down 7.2% in intraday trade after disclosing that a firm with ties to the 2016 Trump campaign improperly kept data for years despite saying it had destroyed those records."


http://money.cnn.com/2018/03/19/technology/business/facebook-data-privacy-crisis/index.html

"The scandal also highlights a problem that is built into the company's DNA: Its business is data exploitation. Facebook makes money by, among other things, harvesting your data and selling it to app developers and advertisers. Preventing those buyers from passing that data to third parties with ulterior motives may ultimately be impossible."
 
  • Like
Reactions: 46er

bobpbx

Piney
Staff member
Oct 25, 2002
14,153
4,258
Pines; Bamber area
Yes, I saw that. We discussed this in a similar vein before, and we came to the conclusion that businesses will get what they need to target us so they can sell us things, be it products, services, loans, whatever. It won't stop. We have to just deal with it. Also, we all know that what we put on facebook is open to the world. If the Trump team can use that data to target people to convince them to believe in Trump's agenda, then they deserve what they get if they vote for him.
 

Boyd

Administrator
Staff member
Site Administrator
Jul 31, 2004
9,504
2,766
Ben's Branch, Stephen Creek
So, if some entity could use Facebook to sway a close election (in favor of either party), then do we all deserve what we get? I am not saying that this actually happened, just a question in principle regardless of your political orientation. I think it's a healthy thing that this issue is now being explored. If we don't take this seriously, then I guess we all do deserve what we get.

Also, have you ever wondered who else might be looking at those pictures of your cute granddaughter? I worry about that with mine sometimes....
 
  • Like
Reactions: 46er and manumuskin

bobpbx

Piney
Staff member
Oct 25, 2002
14,153
4,258
Pines; Bamber area
Well, I do think education should start playing a big part by discussing how young people are basically targets for many things, and how they should do critical thinking to ensure they are not believing in bull crap. But yes, so many people really may be gullible enough to sway an election one way or the other based upon the beliefs being driven into their pointy little heads. So yes, you do make a point, and maybe we should seriously try to keep out the schemers.

Regarding the granddaughter, I do think of that, but really don't believe she is being targeted since she has a happy home with both parents around. But move forward 12 years, and then yes, it will be a concern.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Boyd

46er

Piney
Mar 24, 2004
8,837
2,143
Coastal NJ
So, if some entity could use Facebook to sway a close election (in favor of either party), then do we all deserve what we get? I am not saying that this actually happened, just a question in principle regardless of your political orientation. I think it's a healthy thing that this issue is now being explored. If we don't take this seriously, then I guess we all do deserve what we get.

Also, have you ever wondered who else might be looking at those pictures of your cute granddaughter? I worry about that with mine sometimes....

It is really old news; the concept of mining social media data to get a leg up on an election began quite some time ago, around 2007 I think, and was touted as the new political advantage by one party, and FB eagerly cooperated. I have a feeling some class action attorneys are salivating watching this evenings news, and overseas it may become a bit more of a sticky wicket for FB. They are not as lenient as the USA is.
 

Sue Gremlin

Piney
Sep 13, 2005
1,277
233
61
Vicksburg, Michigan
Yes, I saw that. We discussed this in a similar vein before, and we came to the conclusion that businesses will get what they need to target us so they can sell us things, be it products, services, loans, whatever. It won't stop. We have to just deal with it. Also, we all know that what we put on facebook is open to the world. If the Trump team can use that data to target people to convince them to believe in Trump's agenda, then they deserve what they get if they vote for him.
I can tell you first hand, that marketing works. Holy cow. I have to stop buying shoes.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 46er
Top