Facebook Food for Thought

Facebook is a pop phenomenal whether you like it or not. Businesses that have failed to heed the calling are not utilizing all the tools they have to the best of their ability. Personally I could care less about the personal profile section of Facebook but that’s largely because I’m simply not that vain. I have friends but I’m not that keen on sharing my most mundane and boring aspect of everyday life with everyone I know. Heck, I’m not even that interested and I’m sure they’re not either. I am also one of few that believe that when you’re online there is no such thing as personal nor should there be. If it’s publicized digitally it’s fair game. 

Allow me to explain my perspective. As a marketing professional, I live on metrics. Any and every bit of data I can extrapolate from any and all sources to hone my advertising, improve throughput and increase ROI are my primary tasks. The more information I have the better. The great thing about Facebook is that everyone on it has opted-in on sharing any and all information. Don’t think so? Read your usage terms. Facebook reserves the right to do anything; yes, anything they so choose to with your information. 

Before I go further let me highlight the data I have access to without Facebook. Should you visit a website I can extrapolate the city you live in, how often you visit the site, how long you’re on the site, what you looked at the longest, if you bought anything and if you interacted with any object and which buttons you pressed. I also know what type of operating system you have and even what your monitor resolution is. So you used your phone instead? Fine, I know what phone you have and what version of software you’re running. I could go on but you’re getting the idea. 

With all of this data I still may not know without some doubt as to who you are. I can anticipate and even track your every online move in a certain server space but I still may not have your name and address down exactly but I know you to within a few miles of your home. Yet, the moment you provide it for me I know nearly everything about you. I can even anticipate with a high degree of success what you will buy next and run a sale on it beforehand. Sounds familiar? Notice how your Internet ads are related to what you’ve been searching online for most recently? Another topic but highly related. 

Let’s say a stranger knocked at your door and introduced themselves as a new startup company gathering information on the locals. They ask for a list of all your friends and family, where they live, all your contact information and theirs. They ask for your music interests, for books you’ve read and about other interests. They ask where you work and how long you’ve worked there. They ask for a recent picture of all your friends and family. Then they ask for a transcript of every conversation you’ve had with your friends that they say will be kept forever. Now you’re thinking that no idiot would do such a thing. Why would anyone of sound mind and judgement give over that much information to a complete stranger without explaining how that information is used? Would you give that much information to a governmental entity? No you would not and they would not ask for that much information. Most people complain about the government census and see it as an invasion of privacy.  But you gave that information to a complete stranger without so much as a complaint. You did it willingly. You signed up for Facebook. The crazy thing about it is is that you like it. Not because there is some reward or  payoff but largely because it’s the in-thing to do. Everyone is doing it and you need to get on board. You signed up because your friends would love to read that you spilled coffee on your new suede shoes or you’re running late for work or got a promotion. 

If a total stranger walked up to you and asked for a picture of your kids but offered no clue as to how those pictures would be used would you give it to them anyway? No? You already have if you have a Facebook account. 

As a marketer, I admire the audacity and certainly the business model. Someone must have said, “Give it away free and they will come. They won’t ask questions because they won’t think it’s that big a deal. It’s free for Pete’s sake.” Facebook was right about the perception of free but unbeknownst to many it’s a very big deal. 

The next phase involves the use of the infamous API or application program interface. These are often tangent, associated applications designed to support the primary program in some other fashion. They may be add ons or stray widgets of code that allows interface with the base application such as a sign in box. Notice how several online companies are allowing you to sign in to your account or establish a new account using your Facebook credentials. Hmmmm? Curious. What do you think this is about? Think they want to make it easy for you? You’re thinking great, I don’t have to remember another password and login and they’re looking out for me? Think again. You just gave it to them. You just agreed that every single time you sign into Flickr, or Twitter or SmugMug or any other site that uses the API that you want to be tracked by Facebook. You just essentially signed that everything you look at and every time you sign in that you want Facebook to see what you’re reading, access your friends, see what your family is doing and determine what your and their next move will be. You want the site you’re signing into to see the same. Strangely they tell you what they're going to do and most people click "Authorize" anyway. 

It’s all about information gathering for some purpose or another. Every time you log on to some site you’re being tagged, tracked, traced, processed, cataloged and perpetually observed. With Facebook you volunteered for it so be careful what you’re giving entities of unknown intent access to. 

Will Apple Go the Way of Microsoft?

The old debate that churned for decades about Microsoft/PC being better than Apple/Mac or vice versa may be a little more difficult to have now. While Microsoft has historically been labeled the “forced” system, Apple has made great strides toward becoming the just as locked in or forced a system as Microsoft. It has become increasingly more difficult to know who's who as it pertains to operating system iterations.

First what do I mean by “forced.” I mean that you’re stuck with it. You’re tied to an endless cycle of upgrades you don’t want. Someone could argue and say you don’t have to upgrade. But if your system suffers a glitch you’re probably done for because technical support for that version is gone unless you want to pay an exorbitant price to speak to someone who is likely to be third party. Not to forget that all future iterations of peripheral software are optimized the latest OS and not the past. So even a third party software application you may have purchased for your current OS may not work with the newer OS. Or worse, your new software will not work with your older (current) OS.

I purchased my first Mac several years ago shortly after starting a graphic design business. Prior to that time PCs were all that I had known. It was the standard in every home, office and business across the country perhaps the world. I gambled and changed sides because even now as it always has been, Macs are known for their superior graphics, stable operating system, better process synchronization and support. All true. While a PC inwards might be comprised of components from a hundred different sources, system design and optimization did not go so smoothly and you found yourself scrambling to sort out from a list of different manufacturers to call to sort out your problem.  You weren’t sure or not if you should call the store or the manufacturer. Nor were you sure whether it was a software problem or hardware problem.

That was the appeal of buying directly from Apple; one support system for hardware, for software, for warranties, for customer support and for technical issues. Furthermore, you received a well-oiled machine with concept, design, build, and support offered from a single source or very few sources. Due to that intense quality control you received a system that runs extremely smooth and fast with little to no worry of viruses.

Additionally, Microsoft was changing OS seemingly every few months. They release a version too soon and before you know another iteration appear. Shortly thereafter you hear rumors of another and then another. Then Microsoft discontinues support and updates for all past iterations forcing you to upgrade. Microsoft had a stranglehold on the market so what’s a consumer to do.

Largely attributed to the success of the iPhone, Apple re-emerges as a contender for the desktop PC retail market due to an excitement about cutting edge new products and design.

If products are so great then what changed? Apple changed. As their market share soared their pockets seemed to grow hungrier. Now not unlike Microsoft, Apple discontinued an OS and brought in another. No problem but then within a year they introduced another and less than a handful of years later decided to discontinue the software for the upgrade. Now it’s only available as special order. If you’re wondering which OS I am referring to, it is Snow Leopard as an upgrade from Leopard. Now we’re being forced to upgrade to Lion. I’m not sure about Apple’s disturbing obsession with large felines. That’s another story.

But to make matters worse you can’t go from some past OS to the newest. Apple designed it so that you are forced to buy them in order. That sounds like Microsoft to me. In Apple’s new paradigm, you can’t purchase the latest OS without the application you get from the previously discontinued one. How horrible is that? In short if I have number 7 and the latest iteration is 10, then I must purchase 8 & 9 along with 10. Thanks a lot Apple.

It might be marketed as an improvement but why the forced upgrade? It reeks of just another company that gets their hooks in and then takes you for granted by sticking their hands deeper into your pocket.

All in all I am still stoked about the performance of my Mac over the years. It is the most stable, sound and secure system I’ve ever owned. Ironically, thru virtualization it runs PC based software with more stability than I could run on a PC natively. Don’t buy into the hype about not being able to run most of your over the counter store bought software. It’s just not the case on the newer Macs, which still operates with a more open-source sensibility than Microsoft. How long with that sensibility last is my concern.

I will take this as a wake up call. Just like Apple introduces an iPhone every few months and a new iPad only a short time after the first, software will follow suit. It is just business but it puts me in the right frame of mind to not get unnecessarily comfortable with any of these large corporations.