By Austin King
As Facebook prepares to begin selling stock with an initial public offering (IPO) of $100 million for their social network, criticism of its effect on internet privacy continue to become stronger.
That criticism is unwarranted because Facebook is simply molding their view on privacy around our generation – a generation that doesn’t just devalue privacy, we are immune.
Instead of asking for a phone number in casual conversation, many ask, “Are you on Facebook?” Being disconnected from Mark Zuckerberg’s social network might as well make you a phantom.
Boasting a user total of 845 million, advertising is the primary revenue source of Facebook according to recently released documents with their IPO filing.
In 2011, advertising was $3.1 billion of $3.7 billion in total profits. These advertisements are displayed on the side of your “News Feed” and most recently your photos, when browsing.
Many have voiced their concern about the uncanny relevance of those in-page advertisements, which use information you have provided to cater the ads specifically to you. For example, by “liking” a pizza chain, you may soon find an advertisement for 15 percent off a large pepperoni pizza.
If a merchant is offering a discount that is pertinent to your interests, what’s the problem? You can’t be concerned about privacy while also posting your name, photo, interests and more on a social network.
Being able to network online fills a need that many share, a need to be connected with others at all times. Many feel the void might be worth sacrificing online obscurity. If you feel differently, the best way to voice that concern is to avoid signing for websites that require you to “accept” those terms before joining.
Facebook, Twitter, and Google+ will always be places consumers can use to interact with their friends and family, but as with any company, they will always have profits in mind.
We enter an online “marketplace” every time we power on our computers. Once we recognize this, our concerns with privacy will fade away.