But okay, here’s Facebook’s business model. The company earns its bread and butter by trading in your data. You can say that nothing comes for free. Or: “If something is free, then you are the product.”
But why doesn’t Facebook offer us the option to buy off its spying? I think many people would be willing to pay a small monthly fee for this. Unfortunately, Zuckerberg seems intent on keeping Facebook’s data collection as extensive as possible.
If something is free, then you are the product
How far Facebook will go in its hunger for personal data is hard to estimate. Especially since the company is being vague c level executive list about it. Last month, Android users discovered that Facebook keeps track of who you call . Rumors also keep popping up that Facebook is listening in via your own microphone , although this is systematically denied.
Perhaps the worst thing is that Facebook has the power and ability to show us certain messages and not others. For this, Facebook has developed an algorithm that almost nobody knows how it works . As a result, each of us ends up in a ‘ filter bubble ‘ that narrows and directs our view of the world.
But the algorithm does something else remarkable. In recent years, Facebook has increasingly limited the reach of companies . A company that wants to reach australia database directory its audience is almost forced to buy ads from Facebook. Niche media are under pressure because of this. They don’t have the budgets. Result? Their journalistic voice is silenced among the shouting of the big boys.
All these are worrying developments that have a direct and indirect impact on our democratic process.
I have nothing to hide!
You might be shrugging your shoulders now. After all, isn’t it nice to see messages and advertisements on your screen that match your the influence of facebook on our democracy personal interests? Besides, what do you have to hide? I’ve seen this last argument a lot in the past few days. But is it true? Do we have nothing to hide?
