I read with interest a quote from Craig Key, SVP of media for digital agency space150 on this blog recently where he said;
“I anticipate that the endgame for Facebook is to be the source of our singular digital identity,” he said. “To earn our trust, Facebook must also be the most relevant source of information in your life, and the extended search changes are a step in that direction.”
This was in relation to the news that Facebook is now a searchable platform and is therefore, by default, a competitor to Google.
What troubles me most however is the fact that there seems to be a calm acceptance by many that Facebook can have access to every part of our lives with no restrictions. If you post it on the channel, even if it is to a close-knit group, Facebook can and will use that information.
I am in the process of writing a blog post about the year I have taken off Facebook and given this latest revelation I may well be tempted to extend my vacation. I’m not sure about you, but I really don’t want my personal content being searchable and I certainly don’t agree to the minutiae of my life being picked over.
I’ve written previously about Facebook and whilst there are elements of the platform that I love and admire I can’t help feeling that this is yet another ‘Big Brother’ move by a big corporation. Apple, Microsoft, Google and Facebook; not one of them can make a move without trying to intrude further into my life and frankly it’s becoming a worry.
The good news is that I know I’m a grumpy old curmudgeon and can see retirement on the horizon. It doesn’t however stop me worrying about how Facebook are going to try and sell me a retirement apartment, a seniors holiday and incontinence pants.
