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I can see a few (a lot) of differences between a phone book and Facebook in this analogy.

• viro 5y ago
  well yea, they aren't "really" the same thing. It was just phone numbers weren't considered all that private back then.¯\_(ツ)_/¯ just a hot take
  • relaxing 5y ago
    Back then you could ask the phone company to unlist your number... and they actually did it.
    • MadameSow 5y ago
      Also, back then, it wasn't feasible for random people online to put your information into endless databases to be called on repeat by auto-dialers. Back when phone books were prevalent was not the same world. It is an excellent point that phone numbers (and even addresses!) were considered public for a long time. However, I think there is plenty reason for the conscious consumer to want their number to be more private, in light of where we are today. Today, someone can use your phone number and address to steal your identity, harass you, use it to get more information, etc.