The Check Is In The Email

Which books? Ohh, THE Facebooks!

If you aren't paying for a product, then YOU are the product.  That is the business model that Facebook has been built around, and that has never been a secret.  Facebook's corporate bottom line is no different from any other business—profits generally supersede most other considerations (although those considerations are still . . . well, considered).  In this case, pursing that bottom line goal, Facebook was able to be deceived.  They did not deliberately deceive their users.  They were themselves deceived, and their model allowed that deception to take place. 

This is not to say that Facebook isn't at fault.  They are.  Or maybe it's better to say that they're responsible.  They learned about the deception and then did nothing, because . . . profits. It was a simple matter to deceive them, and their corporate culture balanced that deception against their profits, and profits won out, which is why it took an insider leak to the media to bring out the story.

But their entire model is based off personal data that we willingly give to them, and the sale of that data to analytics companies who can then sell us stuff.  Anyone who thinks differently should ask themselves how Facebook pays for all this?

Before I was picked up by my first publisher, I was pulling back from Facebook.  Those people who wanted to connect with me had other avenues to do so, and in those earlier days it was much, much easier to offend and lose friends—which I have.  But as an author, I take advantage of the vast reach and depth that Facebook offers me to connect not just with friends and family, but with other writers, potential readers, and experts in various fields who can assist me with my end goal—telling good stories.  I've met some wonderful people and engaged with some great readers.  I wouldn't have been able to do that without this platform.  I'm certainly no more or less tech-savvy than the next average Facebook user.  I am, however, always a bit skeptical when it comes to the information that various apps are asking me for so that I can play their games or, in this case, take their personality test.  I could stand to be more skeptical, and less apt to give away all my various secrets.

So, understanding all the aspects of this particular set of events, and weighing the benefits I gain against the potential for manipulation, I will for the time being remain a member and active user of Facebook.  What I have gained and continue to gain using Facebook as a primary social platform remains worth the trade-off of information that I provide on a daily basis.