Facebook "Free"
Not so long ago I wrote about [leaving Google](/privacy/social%20media/2019/01/23/google-free.html), they are shady and their main business is around spying. They need to get more data to be able to sell more ads effectively. The more data they get, the more data they need the more nefarious they become to get that data.
Facebook is no different. Also primarily an ad selling company they need to employ pretty much the same tactics as Google. Not only is Facebook in the business of getting as much data about you as possible, but they have business and political agendas that they want to push on you.
Have a look at the recent video Project Veritas released below;
I’m still blown away by the number of stories that have come out about Facebook in the last little while with little to no impact on their business. As a society, we are so hooked on Facebook crack that we just cannot call it quits.
I think the internet needs is less social media that is BIG and more personal ones. A lot of people want Facebook to stay connected to family and friends that they cannot just quickly pop in to visit. I think being able to set up your own little social network for exactly that makes more sense that signing over all your data to an ad selling company.
I remember seeing an app not so long ago trying to tackle that very problem, JoinDiaspora*. So you can join an existing pod that is hosted by someone or host your very own and have the people you want to be involved in your pod on it. So you could make a pod for your family or friends and share confidently knowing that your data is not feeding an ad machine or being misused to guide voters in an election.
I have not used Diaspora yet but I’m not sure I have a need for one. I have been off Facebook for a while now with no regrets. You quickly get over that FOMO that you’re missing out. I also have decided not to use Instagram or WhatsApp specifically because they are owned by Facebook. I don’t know if I’m strange but I really have very little need for social media, it mostly seems fake to me.
