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Making Control Simple

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Re: Making Control Simple

#51

Post by izendejas »

ryanwaggoner wrote: post #42
izendejas wrote: post #35

Earlier quoted context omitted.

wouldn't it be great if instead, you could turn it on and it was turned off by default? give people a compelling reason to use a product (in this case to turn it on), or you have no product--period.

That's true...if only new computers shipped without an operating system, and operating systems didn't come with a browser installed, and you had to turn on every feature in every application or website that you signed up for. If only the world was "off" by default and I had to spend lots of time and energy trying to get things into a usable state, instead of having the settings set to usable levels by default. You mi…

I fail to see how the examples you provide have any parallels with the "opt in" by default settings in a social application.

Having everything by default is the very reason people chose to use this application in the first place. That's the product people bought into--with their data and attention--and now that product is getting changed, in many cases, without their knowledge and/or without their understanding of what's at stake.

Re: Making Control Simple

#52

Post by axod »

Has anyone else been caught with random popups on facebook "offering" to link your profile interests to public pages?

It's really scammy. Once it pops up, you're trapped. Click on the facebook logo, and it doesn't take you home. There is no way out unless you either agree, or manually go back to facebook.com yourself.

What are they thinking doing crap like that...

Re: Making Control Simple

#53

Post by indigoviolet »

expertcs wrote: post #47
indigoviolet wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Facebook doesn't require you to make your data public to target ads to you. Advertisers don't ever see your actual data -- they target to demographics, and Facebook acts as the intermediary, displaying those ads to the appropriate users. Here's a related FAQ: http://www.facebook.com/help/?topic=privacyupdate

So, are you saying that instant personalization was adding no value to their revenues? Making status updates public was in no-way an answer to twitter and generate a real-time news source? Linking interests to direct pages otherwise blank pages was making them no money? I know you work for FB, and it seems a lot of fb employees are following this thread and trying to generate a positive vibe. I am not against FB, but…

Of course the things you're suggesting will allow Facebook to add features to the product, and indirectly perhaps add revenue.

That is very different from this: "The only way they can do it is by selling users data one way or another.". People often claim that Facebook wants to "sell" your data to advertisers, and I'm simply saying that claim is wrong.

(I've never been secretive about the fact that I worked at Facebook, it's on my profile. )

Re: Making Control Simple

#54

Post by izendejas »

nano81 wrote: post #37
izendejas wrote: post #34

"If you simply want to turn off instant personalization, we've also made that easier" would read a whole lot better if it read: "If you simply want to turn on instant personalization, we've also made that easier." If "personalization" is such a great feature, people will turn it on. "opt in" by default, please! I see absolutely no changes here, except that privacy settings are now tabbed, and that instead of a dropdo…

Absolutely no changes? Seriously? This lets people control their privacy without needing to go through dozens of granular controls, which is a change. It also lets you completely opt out of platform in its entirety, which is a change. It also no longer requires pages and friends to be public, which is a change. If you want to criticize that's cool, but stick to things that aren't completely false.

"absolutely" is a hyperbole, but you're right, let's not add to the misinformation--it's self-defeating.

BTW, are you a facebook employee? I went through your comments and a good 90% (no hyperbole this time) are comments related to Facebook posts, and some looked pro-facebook. Nothing wrong, of course, just curious.

Re: Making Control Simple

#55

Post by expertcs »

indigoviolet wrote: post #53
expertcs wrote: post #47

Earlier quoted context omitted.

So, are you saying that instant personalization was adding no value to their revenues? Making status updates public was in no-way an answer to twitter and generate a real-time news source? Linking interests to direct pages otherwise blank pages was making them no money? I know you work for FB, and it seems a lot of fb employees are following this thread and trying to generate a positive vibe. I am not against FB, but…

Of course the things you're suggesting will allow Facebook to add features to the product, and indirectly perhaps add revenue. That is very different from this: "The only way they can do it is by selling users data one way or another.". People often claim that Facebook wants to "sell" your data to advertisers, and I'm simply saying that claim is wrong. (I've never been secretive about the fact that I worked at Facebo…

The problem here is that FB makes more money by making user profiles more public. They have shown it already. And, I doubt you will disagree with me on this fact.

Now, you can argue that making private information public to generate revenues is not selling, however, IMO, it is, given the fact that they started out as a completely private social network.

Re: Making Control Simple

#56

Post by marltod »

indigoviolet wrote: post #44
marltod wrote: post #36

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The more content is private the fewer pages of targeted advertising Facebook will serve. So if everything was private facebook would make less money. By tricking users into making more information public they get more hits and get more opportunities to 'share' your data with 3rd parties.

Which part of "Facebook doesn't require you to make your data public to target ads to you." are you disagreeing with?

I didn't disagree with that statement. I'm just explaining why Facebook wants users to "share" more data.

What is your explanation for why facebook removed the ability to make your profile picture private to non-friends?

Re: Making Control Simple

#57

Post by jokermatt999 »

kilps wrote: post #8
singer wrote: post #6

I suppose this might put an end to the Diaspora dream.

I sure hope not - decentralised social networking (whoever makes it) is the only logical way forward. Imagine email was controlled by one company.

Someone mentioned the other day about the need for a standard file for exporting social networks, like there already is for email. Perhaps this is an idea for a startup, unless it already exists. It's obviously not going to be easy, but it's definitely something that's needed.

Re: Making Control Simple

#58

Post by [deleted] »

marltod wrote: post #56
indigoviolet wrote: post #44

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Which part of "Facebook doesn't require you to make your data public to target ads to you." are you disagreeing with?

I didn't disagree with that statement. I'm just explaining why Facebook wants users to "share" more data. What is your explanation for why facebook removed the ability to make your profile picture private to non-friends?

[deleted]

Re: Making Control Simple

#59

Post by indigoviolet »

marltod wrote: post #56
indigoviolet wrote: post #44

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Which part of "Facebook doesn't require you to make your data public to target ads to you." are you disagreeing with?

I didn't disagree with that statement. I'm just explaining why Facebook wants users to "share" more data. What is your explanation for why facebook removed the ability to make your profile picture private to non-friends?

Here is Facebook's explanation: http://www.facebook.com/privacy/explanation.php#basicinfo

Basically, if your profile picture were private, it would be hard for someone (who is your friend/acquaintance in real life) who isn't friends with you (on Facebook) already to find you on the site.

Re: Making Control Simple

#60

Post by jayair »

axod wrote: post #52

Has anyone else been caught with random popups on facebook "offering" to link your profile interests to public pages? It's really scammy. Once it pops up, you're trapped. Click on the facebook logo, and it doesn't take you home. There is no way out unless you either agree, or manually go back to facebook.com yourself. What are they thinking doing crap like that...

Found it incredibly annoying. I haven't visited my profile since.
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