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The question and its answer succeed in getting Zuckerberg on record (in the Congressional Record, no less) as saying that his business model depends on advertis

The question and its answer succeed in getting Zuckerberg on record (in the Congressional Record, no less) as saying that his business model depends on advertising, with all that that implies about the relationship between Facebook and its users. Think of it as like when you're on the witness stand and the attorney asks you a question. It's not because he doesn't know the answer. It's because he wants you to say the answer, to make it part of the public record and to have the jury hear it. Speaking of juries, the arrogance of Zuckerberg's answer wouldn't win any points with a jury, either. He walked into a trap right there. It's fun to bust on our parents & politicos but I'm pretty sure anybody who managed to raise you, or especially get into the Senate, has a much more extensive and nuanced understanding of life (and politics) than you think.

nl 9y ago
Tv and newspapers is funded by advertising. Nothing shameful in that.
- kej 9y ago
  I've said this before, but I think most people don't have a problem with advertising, per se, but with the tracking required for super effective advertising. When Google first showed up and just tossed some ads at the top of your search results based solely on the search terms, that was actually helpful. It wasn't something that people were creeped out by until they were tracking you everywhere to sell even more targeted ads. Since newspapers and TV don't have that tracking capability, the advertisements are annoying but not unsettling, I think.
- drb91 9y ago
  Depends on your values, I suppose.
manigandham 9y ago
> Zuckerberg on record (in the Congressional Record, no less) as saying that his business model depends on advertising This has never been secret and has been "on record" for a very long time. I think most people will see the absolutely dismal lack of technical understanding by Congress rather than any arrogance by Facebook as they too get fed up with these aimless questions.
- EpicEng 9y ago
  >I think most people will see the absolutely dismal lack of technical understanding by Congress You really think most people have more technical understanding than these senators?
  - manigandham 9y ago
    That's not necessary to realize that these senators do not. Also yes, based on their questions and age, I do think most people have a better understanding. Just the expressions of the other audience members and staff in the room shows the frustration.
    - EpicEng 9y ago
      I doubt the hearing audience represents the general population, and I have yet to meet anyone not involved in software development who understands anything about how it works outside of niche, semi-related circles.
- jeffdavis 9y ago
  Have you ever written an introduction to a technical document before? You make statements in there that are obvious, not because the reader doesn't understand, but because you want to bring the reader into the right frame of mind with the right set of facts before them as context for the rest of the document. Questions like this are really just asking Zuckerberg to introduce his business in a controlled way.
  - manigandham 9y ago
    Alright that's fair, I guess I misinterpreted the original comment as if this was cleverly teasing the information out of him vs just repeating the fact as background for the hearing.
- rdtsc 9y ago
  > This has never been secret and has been "on record" for a very long time. Been a secret to "whom"? Not secret to technical people, no. There are plenty of non-technical people who still don't understand the "you are the product not a customer" trope. They see this free "talk to your family" service which sometimes shows ads which they ignore. They might answer the "how FB makes money question?" with "I don't know, maybe some people pay for it. Or maybe they are just nice and give it away for free". Other questions might have been stupid but that particular one was typical of how a police investigator might start questioning or how a lawyer might cross examine a witness. > I think most people will see the absolutely dismal lack of technical understanding by Congress Back in the day I used to think of lawyers asking witness questions on the stand the same way: "Why do you ask him if he knows the victim, of course he does, these lawyers are sure not very bright..."
deleted 9y ago
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dtornabene 9y ago
It's fun to bust on our parents & politicos but I'm pretty sure anybody who managed to raise you, or especially get into the Senate, has a much more extensive and nuanced understanding of life (and politics) than you think You say that, but I'd just like to remind you that Louie Gohmert (my home state fwiw) was a judge. And is now in the house.

nl 9y ago

Tv and newspapers is funded by advertising. Nothing shameful in that.

kej 9y ago
I've said this before, but I think most people don't have a problem with advertising, per se, but with the tracking required for super effective advertising. When Google first showed up and just tossed some ads at the top of your search results based solely on the search terms, that was actually helpful. It wasn't something that people were creeped out by until they were tracking you everywhere to sell even more targeted ads. Since newspapers and TV don't have that tracking capability, the advertisements are annoying but not unsettling, I think.
drb91 9y ago
Depends on your values, I suppose.

manigandham 9y ago

> Zuckerberg on record (in the Congressional Record, no less) as saying that his business model depends on advertising This has never been secret and has been "on record" for a very long time. I think most people will see the absolutely dismal lack of technical understanding by Congress rather than any arrogance by Facebook as they too get fed up with these aimless questions.

EpicEng 9y ago
>I think most people will see the absolutely dismal lack of technical understanding by Congress You really think most people have more technical understanding than these senators?
- manigandham 9y ago
  That's not necessary to realize that these senators do not. Also yes, based on their questions and age, I do think most people have a better understanding. Just the expressions of the other audience members and staff in the room shows the frustration.
  - EpicEng 9y ago
    I doubt the hearing audience represents the general population, and I have yet to meet anyone not involved in software development who understands anything about how it works outside of niche, semi-related circles.
jeffdavis 9y ago
Have you ever written an introduction to a technical document before? You make statements in there that are obvious, not because the reader doesn't understand, but because you want to bring the reader into the right frame of mind with the right set of facts before them as context for the rest of the document. Questions like this are really just asking Zuckerberg to introduce his business in a controlled way.
- manigandham 9y ago
  Alright that's fair, I guess I misinterpreted the original comment as if this was cleverly teasing the information out of him vs just repeating the fact as background for the hearing.
rdtsc 9y ago
> This has never been secret and has been "on record" for a very long time. Been a secret to "whom"? Not secret to technical people, no. There are plenty of non-technical people who still don't understand the "you are the product not a customer" trope. They see this free "talk to your family" service which sometimes shows ads which they ignore. They might answer the "how FB makes money question?" with "I don't know, maybe some people pay for it. Or maybe they are just nice and give it away for free". Other questions might have been stupid but that particular one was typical of how a police investigator might start questioning or how a lawyer might cross examine a witness. > I think most people will see the absolutely dismal lack of technical understanding by Congress Back in the day I used to think of lawyers asking witness questions on the stand the same way: "Why do you ask him if he knows the victim, of course he does, these lawyers are sure not very bright..."

deleted 9y ago

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dtornabene 9y ago

It's fun to bust on our parents & politicos but I'm pretty sure anybody who managed to raise you, or especially get into the Senate, has a much more extensive and nuanced understanding of life (and politics) than you think You say that, but I'd just like to remind you that Louie Gohmert (my home state fwiw) was a judge. And is now in the house.