Just two weeks ago Facebook, in a desire to translate its popularity into profits, announced a new advertising system called Beacon. As Louis Story and Brad Stone write in their New York Times article, Facebook Retreats on Online Tracking, the controversial advertising system was designed to send messages to users’ friends about what they are buying on the web. Designed with no easy way for users to opt out, Facebook member began to protest, culminating in more then 50,000 Facebook members signing a protest demanding a one click opt-out feature. Facebook has responded to the protest, announcing last week that they will not send messages about users’ internet activities without first getting explicit approval each time.
Like many companies online who have nurtured the principle of Give and You Shall Receive, Facebook have invested in the ‘Give’ and are now trying to figure out how to start generating income for the ‘Get’. Here’s hoping the next effort will be less clunky and that Facebook users continue to be forgiving.
December 6, 2007...2:16 am
Facebook Does an About-Face
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