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Facebook criticizes Apple’s iOS privacy changes with full-page newspaper ads

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Re: Facebook criticizes Apple’s iOS privacy changes with full-page newspaper ads

#101
post #83

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Many people prefer looking at the companies Facebook page, rather than the website. Sometimes, websites are designed poorly and can confuse the visitor. Meanwhile, the Facebook page shows customer ratings, posts, comments, reactions, and other useful information.

That just seems like an opportunity for competition in the space of website builders for small business.

But people already know Facebook and know the concepts (pages, comments, posts, users, profile pics, groups), so there's much less friction.

To many people, "making a website" sounds like a big complicated scary thing that only big serious players do.

Re: Facebook criticizes Apple’s iOS privacy changes with full-page newspaper ads

#102
post #19

I have zero sympathy for Facebook. If they claim to care so much about small businesses, they should start by committing to change how they respond to any upstart social app that dares encroach on what they see as their territory. That being said - and it pains me to say this - but there is absolutely truth to the fact that the style of targeting now possible on FB & Instagram has enabled an entire world of very smal…

If a business exists solely due to the fact that general population isn't aware they are being tracked across the web, then it is game over. No business built on unawareness is long term sustainable.

This presupposes that consumers are unaware rather than apathetic. Only one in six baby boomers have ever even bothered[1] to adjust the privacy settings on their phone. That takes all of five minutes, and most can't be bothered.

[1] https://www2.deloitte.com/us/en/insights/industry/retail-dis...

Re: Facebook criticizes Apple’s iOS privacy changes with full-page newspaper ads

#103

I know my comment will get downvoted. But there's a lot of misconception about Facebook, and the other counter-arguments are worth mentioning too. Facebook does not sell our data, in fact, they keep it very secure. Facebook merely allows advertisers to target you based on your interests (which it learns from your activities). Advertisers cannot identify anyone, they just select categories for which they want their ad…

Facebook doesn’t sell your data, they sell your future behavior. Being identified the advertisers hasn’t been the point for years. Facebook knows that, so they make a righteous play by saying they keep it safe from advertisers.

Facebook doesn’t sell your data, they sell your attention, and that’s much more valuable.

Re: Facebook criticizes Apple’s iOS privacy changes with full-page newspaper ads

#104
One proper way of looking at this ad is in the context of the big-tech antitrust wave that's sweeping Washington and the EU. Facebook doesn't expect this ad will get individuals to opt in to tracking or to buy an Android phone instead of an iPhone. They don't try and make the case at all that Apple's privacy protections are actually bad for the end user. So really, this ad is targeted at politicians, and what Facebook wants to achieve is shift antitrust interest on Apple, either to saddle the company with regulations that effectively prevent it from limiting what Facebook can do on iPhones, breaking Apple up so that there is more competition in the phone OS market, or most likely, just to divert the attention of politicians and regulators from Facebook's antitrust issues.

Re: Facebook criticizes Apple’s iOS privacy changes with full-page newspaper ads

#105
post #48

One of the least-liked brands tries to smear one of the most-liked brands. Facebook will not come out ant better from this. It may even remind people how much spying facebook does to them.

that was my thought too. It'd be interesting to know the scenario planning that went on before FB decided to place these ads:

1. What's the risk that it backfires? It's pretty much guaranteed apple will respond if there's any sense of negative apple sentiment (i.e. FB's ads gain any meaningful traction). Apple is on pretty strong ground I'd imagine: "Here's why we did what we did - let us explain what FB is doing...". So FB's ads might actually create an escalating war of words that has the side effect of increasing consumer awareness of tracking.

2. It's such a material risk that FB have to do something, even given the backfire risk

3. FB is so resolute in it's belief that what it's doing is fine, and society just needs to suck up the reality of a post-privacy world

4. Something else.

Whatever the answer (and it's probably far more nuanced than any above), it's clearly hurting them. Can't say I'm sorry about that.

--

EDIT: fixed typos

Re: Facebook criticizes Apple’s iOS privacy changes with full-page newspaper ads

#106
post #50

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I prefer ads that are relevant to my interests. A third party company that buys ads will decide on the content. What ads you see will be aligned with their interests, not yours; e.g. if you're a "high earner", you might see ads for more expensive products and no cheap alternatives. If you're "expecting a child", the ads might scare you into buying more child safety products than you need; etc.

It's in Facebook interests to show you ads that you like seeing, or feel are relevant. Facebook gives you a lot of control to manage your 'interests'. You can do so here: https://www.facebook.com/ads/settings If you're scrolling your feed and see an ad you don't like, you can click the three dots, and select "Hide this Ad". Facebook learns from this.

That’s the problem. It’s in Facebook’s interest to show me ads. And I don’t want to see ads. Ads are merely professionals paid to convince me I need things and should buy them from their client, placed at the edge of my perception when I’m getting a dopamine hit from something else. It’s psychological manipulation and it’s morally wrong.

Re: Facebook criticizes Apple’s iOS privacy changes with full-page newspaper ads

#107
post #19

I have zero sympathy for Facebook. If they claim to care so much about small businesses, they should start by committing to change how they respond to any upstart social app that dares encroach on what they see as their territory. That being said - and it pains me to say this - but there is absolutely truth to the fact that the style of targeting now possible on FB & Instagram has enabled an entire world of very smal…

To me personally there's a faulty assumption baked into your comment that traditional advertising is needed for this interaction at all. For example, if I'm searching for a good dog leash I would much rather go looking for the best one that fits my needs based on reviews, community comments, maybe some YouTube impression videos, etc. rather than trust that the one thrust into my face via an ad is actually the best.

Re: Facebook criticizes Apple’s iOS privacy changes with full-page newspaper ads

#108

I know my comment will get downvoted. But there's a lot of misconception about Facebook, and the other counter-arguments are worth mentioning too. Facebook does not sell our data, in fact, they keep it very secure. Facebook merely allows advertisers to target you based on your interests (which it learns from your activities). Advertisers cannot identify anyone, they just select categories for which they want their ad…

> I don't see anything immoral about this.

What's immoral is that they collect and use data about my interests without my explicit consent. Having a stalker following you and recording your every move doesn't stop being creepy if he pinky swears to keep that data to himself.

Re: Facebook criticizes Apple’s iOS privacy changes with full-page newspaper ads

#109
post #83

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That just seems like an opportunity for competition in the space of website builders for small business.

But people already know Facebook and know the concepts (pages, comments, posts, users, profile pics, groups), so there's much less friction. To many people, "making a website" sounds like a big complicated scary thing that only big serious players do.

Yes, which is a situation begging for new entrants to make that scary thing easy.

Re: Facebook criticizes Apple’s iOS privacy changes with full-page newspaper ads

#110
post #19

I have zero sympathy for Facebook. If they claim to care so much about small businesses, they should start by committing to change how they respond to any upstart social app that dares encroach on what they see as their territory. That being said - and it pains me to say this - but there is absolutely truth to the fact that the style of targeting now possible on FB & Instagram has enabled an entire world of very smal…

To play the devil's advocate, most small business in my area of Europe(bars, cafes, bands, jazz/rock halls, shops, restaurants and even dentists) rely on Facebook for reaching out to their customers or audience, organizing and advertising events and even for customer support via Facebook Messenger to the point where their Facebook page has replaced their main website as it's more alive since it's easier for their sta…

It's obvious that people like having access to a service like Facebook. This does not mean that Facebook has to systematically extract every shred of user data across the Internet and sell it to the highest bidder. We can very easily have one without the other.
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