You may have noticed I don't have links to Facebook, Instagram, or Messenger and that's because I don't use those social applications. My friends and family have asked why I don't use Facebook or Instagram. Indeed, some businesses expect a Facebook account and when they don't find one, it raises a red flag. I'm not anti-social media because you can find me on social media on Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube. I'm just anti-Facebook because I don't trust them.
Facebook Business Model
Mark Zuckerberg, Founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, explains the Facebook Business Model in an Understanding Facebook's Business Model article on the Facebook News Room web site. Facebook's business model is based on collecting and monetizing data.
Facebook collects data that users willingly provide (name, email address, etc) when creating a Facebook account. I contend Facebook collects data that users do not willingly provide through the Facebook "pixel" placed on users systems by partner advertisers. This pixel is the mechanism used for tracking and collecting data which is robustly analyzed to provide a better advertising experience. Facebook doesn't sell user data directly, but they do sell access to users News Feed through for targeted advertising. It uses News Feed data to show specific ads that it thinks user's will click on.
Technology Flaws
There are flaws in the technology that supports this model as evidenced by the Cambridge Analytica scandal that exploded in March 2018. Cambridge Analytica harvested the personal data of millions of people's Facebook profiles without their consent and used it for political advertising purposes. The scandal opened public discussion on ethical standards for social media companies, political consulting organizations, and politicians.
We Are Logged and Tracked
I know and accept that I'm being logged and tracked by internet web sites run by individuals, companies and institutions. Web site logging is expected and required in order to manage and maintain web sites, to comply with regulatory requirements, and to control the world wide web (or is it world wild web?)
In addition to normal web site logging, companies like Google, YouTube, Twitter, Yahoo, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn, require us to provide Personally Identifiable Information (name, address, phone number, etc.) and those companies can track our web site activities and analyze and correlate that data for advertising purposes. That data collection is governed by increasingly by restrictive data protection requirements, regulations, and laws.
Logging and recording my activities doesn't bother me. But collecting, tracking and correlating my data without my consent does bother me.
What does Facebook Know and What do they Think they Know?
Facebook uses different types of tracking software to follow consumer activities on millions of non-Facebook sites all over the world wild web. Even non-Facebook users (such as me) can be tracked and activities analyzed through the use of Facebook tracking code (the Facebook "pixel") and Facebook.Artificial Intelligence (AI) systems. Facebook learns about a user by using AI to analyze behavior.
I'm concerned about what Facebook knows about me and what they think they know about me through their correlated AI data. What's more concerning is there's little I can do about this. I don't have a Facebook account so I resort to do what I can by not signing up for a Facebook account to try to find out more.
Signing up for Facebook would provide them more personal data to understand my behavior so they could provide me with a "better experience" for me (or is it for them) on their advertising platforms.
No, thanks.
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