Facebook Considered Charging for Access to User Data • Hacker News Board

Re: Facebook Considered Charging for Access to User Data

#31

Post by ryacko » Thu, Nov 29, 2018, 5:41 AM UTC

the_duke wrote: post #25

RandomGuyDTB wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The problem is market price would be less than a penny per megabyte of data. EDIT: Okay, I admit I pulled this figure out of my behind but my point is data is incredibly cheap.

That's a completely useless metric. 200 bytes can easily contain name, adress, phone number, occupation, age and list of interests for one person.

The first 200 bytes are free then.

Re: Facebook Considered Charging for Access to User Data

#32

Post by raverbashing » Thu, Nov 29, 2018, 6:08 AM UTC

RandomGuyDTB wrote: post #22

JeffreyKaine wrote: post #7

I'd actually be down with this, but only if facebook gave user's the ability to lock their own data down at fair market price. That way the user pays for a product, or decides to be the product. It's clean and cut & dry; and there wouldn't be any illusions of a "free" service.

The problem is market price would be less than a penny per megabyte of data. EDIT: Okay, I admit I pulled this figure out of my behind but my point is data is incredibly cheap.

Winning lottery numbers for the next draw are less than 8 bytes.

Re: Facebook Considered Charging for Access to User Data

#33

Post by nov29man » Thu, Nov 29, 2018, 6:22 AM UTC

Like Google employee Facebook employee would have done something, if they were any good.

Sorry for being harsh.

Reference: https://www.cnbc.com/2018/11/27/read-google-employees-open-l...

Hanging more good quotes in the facebook's office wall doesn't make you any good, you are part of an organisation that creating more problems in the world, you are the reason. Unless you act and do your part.

Re: Facebook Considered Charging for Access to User Data

#34

Post by tgsovlerkhgsel » Thu, Nov 29, 2018, 7:02 AM UTC

RandomGuyDTB wrote: post #22

JeffreyKaine wrote: post #7

I'd actually be down with this, but only if facebook gave user's the ability to lock their own data down at fair market price. That way the user pays for a product, or decides to be the product. It's clean and cut & dry; and there wouldn't be any illusions of a "free" service.

The problem is market price would be less than a penny per megabyte of data. EDIT: Okay, I admit I pulled this figure out of my behind but my point is data is incredibly cheap.

That would be good under this model, wouldn't it, because you could buy back your privacy at a very low price.

I don't believe this to be the case though.

Re: Facebook Considered Charging for Access to User Data

#35

Post by angott » Thu, Nov 29, 2018, 7:10 AM UTC

nijave wrote: post #8

How is this different than any other company in any other industry? https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Information_broker This is credit agencies' entire business model and you can't even opt out/close your account

I believe the major difference here is that credit bureaus are open about their business models. Can’t say the same about the ways in which Facebook monetizes data.

Re: Facebook Considered Charging for Access to User Data

#36

Post by onion2k » Thu, Nov 29, 2018, 7:32 AM UTC

RandomGuyDTB wrote: post #22

JeffreyKaine wrote: post #7

I'd actually be down with this, but only if facebook gave user's the ability to lock their own data down at fair market price. That way the user pays for a product, or decides to be the product. It's clean and cut & dry; and there wouldn't be any illusions of a "free" service.

The problem is market price would be less than a penny per megabyte of data. EDIT: Okay, I admit I pulled this figure out of my behind but my point is data is incredibly cheap.

Data delivery is cheap. The data itself can be very, very expensive.

Re: Facebook Considered Charging for Access to User Data

#37

Post by mrweasel » Thu, Nov 29, 2018, 7:46 AM UTC

whatshisface wrote: post #24

RandomGuyDTB wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The problem is market price would be less than a penny per megabyte of data. EDIT: Okay, I admit I pulled this figure out of my behind but my point is data is incredibly cheap.

Then I would have no problem paying, and Facebook would be glad to make 10x what they would have otherwise.

Facebook currently make $60 per user in the US, a little less for the EU, and basically nothing per user in the rest of the world.

It seems doubtful that to many people would pay $60 per year for Facebook, at certainly not $600 if they where to make 10x (minus the overhead of running ad sales)

Re: Facebook Considered Charging for Access to User Data

#38

Post by dragonwriter » Thu, Nov 29, 2018, 7:53 AM UTC

icinnamon wrote: post #6

Isn't their ad product already effectively charging for access to the user data? In a slightly more obfuscated way, sure, but broadly the same?

No, Facebook sells attention of relevant users, which is a product which Facebook uses user data as a tool to craft. That's not the same as selling user data, in the same way that, say, investment houses aren't selling Microsoft Excel.

Re: Facebook Considered Charging for Access to User Data

#39

Post by kgc » Thu, Nov 29, 2018, 8:09 AM UTC

Profit sharing would be interesting.

Re: Facebook Considered Charging for Access to User Data

#40

Post by black_puppydog » Thu, Nov 29, 2018, 8:54 AM UTC

nijave wrote: post #8

How is this different than any other company in any other industry? https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Information_broker This is credit agencies' entire business model and you can't even opt out/close your account

It's the same in many ways, but that's no defense for facebook, quite the contrary.

edit: it's even the same in that with facebook, opt out is not a realistic way in many cases. even if you go ahead blocking all their servers ( uMatrix! <3 ) you'll find the web broken in many exciting ways.