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Where is the suit against Google for doing the same thing with Nest? I will not be holding my breath.

_iyig 6y ago
While there are concerning similarities, Google backed off from their “real names” policy years ago. Facebook continues to enforce such a policy despite its much-noted dangers and disparities [0], while also more aggressively (compared to Google) banning users for having multiple accounts, making posts Facebook doesn’t like, or not behaving like a “real user” according to their entirely opaque algorithms. In my direct personal experience as an Oculus/Facebook/Google account-holder, Facebook’s polices have had a much larger negative impact on consumers. I’m glad they are the (first) target of this probe. [0] https://boingboing.net/tag/real-names https://boingboing.net/tag/real-names
the-dude 6y ago
What is your point? That Germany is biased against FB, but not Google? Or the EU? Or regulators in general? The EU has hit Google with considerable fines already.
ocdtrekkie 6y ago
Might still be coming... But a particular bad mark in Facebook's case was Palmer stating, as a representative of the company, that they would never require a Facebook account. Consumers might've bought the product based on that statement.
- metalliqaz 6y ago
  Palmer wasn't lying when he said that. Facebook was lying to Palmer. Of course, savvy users didn't believe him anyway. Zuck: "I have altered the deal. Pray I do not alter it further."
  - ocdtrekkie 6y ago
    Who was lying isn't material. That Palmer clearly stated Facebook authorized him to make that commitment is all that matters. So it's very hard for Facebook to now go around and claim they didn't promise that. Palmer, at the time, acting on behalf of Facebook, made that promise. And that probably puts this case in a much more solid legal territory than, for example, Nest.
mbreese 6y ago
Google is in a much better place here as any person can have multiple Google accounts. That’s something that is explicitly against the Facebook terms of service.
delecti 6y ago
Things can't all happen simultaneously. The fact that it hasn't happened yet doesn't mean it's not happening. The fact that it's similar doesn't mean it's similar enough to also warrant a similar probe. Situations are different, and it does no good to always have this whataboutism thrown into every discussion.

While there are concerning similarities, Google backed off from their “real names” policy years ago. Facebook continues to enforce such a policy despite its much-noted dangers and disparities [0], while also more aggressively (compared to Google) banning users for having multiple accounts, making posts Facebook doesn’t like, or not behaving like a “real user” according to their entirely opaque algorithms. In my direct personal experience as an Oculus/Facebook/Google account-holder, Facebook’s polices have had a much larger negative impact on consumers. I’m glad they are the (first) target of this probe. [0] https://boingboing.net/tag/real-names https://boingboing.net/tag/real-names

the-dude 6y ago

What is your point? That Germany is biased against FB, but not Google? Or the EU? Or regulators in general? The EU has hit Google with considerable fines already.

ocdtrekkie 6y ago

Might still be coming... But a particular bad mark in Facebook's case was Palmer stating, as a representative of the company, that they would never require a Facebook account. Consumers might've bought the product based on that statement.

metalliqaz 6y ago
Palmer wasn't lying when he said that. Facebook was lying to Palmer. Of course, savvy users didn't believe him anyway. Zuck: "I have altered the deal. Pray I do not alter it further."
- ocdtrekkie 6y ago
  Who was lying isn't material. That Palmer clearly stated Facebook authorized him to make that commitment is all that matters. So it's very hard for Facebook to now go around and claim they didn't promise that. Palmer, at the time, acting on behalf of Facebook, made that promise. And that probably puts this case in a much more solid legal territory than, for example, Nest.

mbreese 6y ago

Google is in a much better place here as any person can have multiple Google accounts. That’s something that is explicitly against the Facebook terms of service.

delecti 6y ago

Things can't all happen simultaneously. The fact that it hasn't happened yet doesn't mean it's not happening. The fact that it's similar doesn't mean it's similar enough to also warrant a similar probe. Situations are different, and it does no good to always have this whataboutism thrown into every discussion.