Is better late than never really better?

People are finally waking up about Facebook. Sorry, too little, too late.

Why these people didn’t see this coming ages ago blows my mind. Seriously, I’m trying to wrap my brain around it. Once the ease, coolness, etc. is stripped away from Facebook and one takes a serious look at Facebook, it’s easy to see. There is nothing else left to see. Before Facebook launched their advertising goals users couldn’t get their data out - but these people still pimped Facebook didn’t they?

And the truly sorry part of this: what Facebook did isn’t even revolutionary. Can you say AOL? Yeah, AOL did something very similar. At one time AOL was the top dog for social interaction. Hell, I met some of my good friends I still talk to today via AOL. Let’s look at what Jason said on this blog about Facebook:

1. They are collecting and republishing user data on a level not before seen by users.

2. They are allowing advertisers to use this data to reach these users.

3. They are not giving this information–information that has put their value at $15 billion–back to their users.

Now let’s look at AOL:

Did AOL collect their user data and republish it? Haha, yes, we all know they did at least once.
Did AOL allow advertisers to use this data to reach users? You bet they did. Want to know how I know? Because I started getting customized emails from their advertisers with unique information on it - that they only could have gotten via AOL.
Was I ever able to get all the content I put on AOL out of AOL? Nope.

Some more dirty facts:

Did AOL have a strong and loyal user base at one time? Yes.

Although people were using screen names did AOL know exactly who owned those accounts? Yes…it was a subscribed service so they had a level of information that Facebook doesn’t have on every user - exact address and contact information, banking and credit card information, etc.

Did AOL know who your friends and family were? Sure did - because we gave it to them via AIM, email, referrals, etc.

Speaking of referrals, any idea how many companies made a living off of AOL, referrals and marketing? Anyone remember PowerTools? How many people bought that software because they saw someone else using it? Isn’t that the exact same thing as developers making tools to use in Facebook?

Remember how notoriously hard it was to delete an AOL account? Think deleting an account on Facebook is that much easier?>

Did any of these techniques work for AOL? No. Think in the long run they will work for Facebook? At one time it was hard to believe that AOL would drop from the height it once had to what it is today.

Here we have a case where history has repeated itself and the veterans missed it. The ones that supposedly shape the internet, the people with the voices led everyone right off the cliff. Good job! Pat yourselves on the back. Yes, I know you veteran people are only human, everyone makes mistakes, yada yada blah blah.

Saying it now, I don’t expect you veteran bloggers to fall for it a third time. Then it’s not a mistake, you’re just being stupid.

So, what do we do now? How can we undo this mistake (because pointing fingers really doesn’t get anyone anywhere)? It’s easy really.

Stop using Facebook and shift the balance of power…because Facebook isn’t anything without users. And realize Twitter is next.

But that’s not going to happen. Want to know why? Because the average user doesn’t realize they screwed themselves over and worse, they don’t care. Remember Facebook has been mocking these people forever. The entire point is that 20 yr. olds don’t have the wisdom to figure it out. Read it yourself…from the NYT article. A quote from Chris Kelly, the chief privacy officer of Facebook:.

“We are fairly confident that our operation is well presented to users and that they can make their own choices about whether they want to affiliate with brands that put up Facebook pages,” Mr. Kelly said.

And let’s not forget quote McGeveran’s quote:

“It’s unclear that today’s teenagers and twentysomethings will be too upset by this,” said Mr. McGeveran.

Translation: Facebook users are so naive and trusting they don’t know any better.

Tyme Said