Is It Time to Break Up With Facebook?

I know what you’re thinking, social media and social networking will be around forever.  Unfortunately, I’ve always considered social media more of a fad than a serious step in the advancement of the Internet.  Don’t get wrong, sites like Facebook, Twitter, Linkedln, and more have their uses, but outside of the obvious staying in touch aspect, I’m not sure the sites will offer up enough to stay relevant over the long haul (does anyone remember MySpace?).

That being said, Reuters is reporting that Facebook is developing a way to show users ads that appeal to their likes.  Of course, this can only be achieved by studying which ads users ‘like’ and which ads users ‘hide’.  A clever piece of programming to be sure, but that involves a certain amount of monitoring.

A report from earlier this year in the Daily Mail indicated that many (the report said millions but really who knows?) Facebook users are quitting the site over privacy fears and other concerns.  Apparently, those privacy concerns are bit well founded.

Still, the sticking point for me isn’t necessarily Facebook using the fact that I like pages or advertisements to insert ads I might clickon into my newsfeed, according to PCWorld.  As any business owner can tell you, the more tightly focused the ad campaign the better the money spent on it.  It's the shift to the mobile Internet, which is not a fad in my opinion, is where users should be a bit more concerned.

You see, it’s one thing to pepper everyone in a specific Zip Code with an ad, but it is another thing entirely to target a group of people that are KNOWN to walk by a certain area at a specific time of day.  We are after all creatures of habit.  Is that a legitimate fear?  Maybe and maybe not.  I'm not sure I'm comfortable with anyone knowing I walk or drive by a certain intersection a few times a day.

Users have always had control of what they like and dislike, which is why all those ‘Like’ links with those heart-tugging pictures gather so many clicks, but now folks need to be a little more focused on what exactly is going on with their profiles. 

So is it time to break up with Facebook?  Probably not just yet, but is it time to monitor what is going on specifically with your profile?  Absolutely.

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Posted by: Tukiyooo Is It Time to Break Up With Facebook? Updated at : 6:36 AM

Sunday, September 29, 2013