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Facebook users aren't its customers, facebook users are its products. Better think again.

by gbaygon 14y ago

bennyg 14y ago
Yeah but it's a little bit trickier than that. If Facebook does things that alienate users, then those products will walk off the shelf - and not into someone's shopping cart.
- deleted 14y ago
  [deleted]
- pdonis 14y ago
  > If Facebook does things that alienate users, then those products will walk off the shelf Hasn't happened yet, from what I can see.
  - code_duck 14y ago
    Not yet, but one only has to look at the history of just about every widely popular digital offering to see that it is coming eventually. And, making decisions which alienate your users and make your service less enjoyable is a great way to speed that process along.
bilbo0s 14y ago
His point is still valid... just for the wrong reason. And you are wrong also, by the way, the Facebook product we are talking about right now is the ATTENTION of the users, not the users themselves. They CAN sell users... but that's not what the feed does. I told you all of that to tell you this... Facebook needs to sell a high quality product. Now the author's assertion is that he should be allowed to lower the quality of Facebook's product because it should be his right. I'm not sure I agree with that.
KaoruAoiShiho 14y ago
This "product" meme is inaccurate and misleading. You are the product in the same way that Lebron James is the NBA's product, the same way that a top partner at Goldman Sacs is the product, the same way that Justin Bieber is the product, and the same way that you yourself is the product every time you apply for a job interview or raise funds. Being the "product" gives you a great position in your relationship with the company and incentivizes them to treat you very well. Fact of the matter is, and is as demonstrably evident, FB can cares much less about keeping this advertiser happy than about keeping its users happy.
- gbaygon 14y ago
  Your examples are making money out of it... facebook users aren't. Maybe the "product meme" is misleading, but i think that the "customer" label is also misleading.
- king_jester 14y ago
  > This "product" meme is inaccurate and misleading. You are the product in the same way that Lebron James is the NBA's product, the same way that a top partner at Goldman Sacs is the product, the same way that Justin Bieber is the product, and the same way that you yourself is the product every time you apply for a job interview or raise funds. I think this comparison is valid, but realize that most people are not a Lebron James or a Justin Bieber and they have very little ability to influence a company directly. In fact, for record labels and the NBA, there have been numerous examples of smaller players getting a bad deal or being screwed over. Being a user or consumer of a service does not mean that the service provider is looking to treat you well.
- joezydeco 14y ago
  The NBA takes in ticket money and pays Lebron James a salary. Goldman Sachs takes in commissions and fees and pays their top partners a salary and bonuses. Justin Bieber's record company sells records and Justin Bieber gets a royalty check. What is Facebook paying me for the content they are selling advertising against? Is the ability to access their service my compensation?
- djloche 14y ago

Facebook users aren't its customers, facebook users are its products. Better think again.

by gbaygon 14y ago

Facebook users aren't its customers, facebook users are its products. Better think again.

Yeah but it's a little bit trickier than that. If Facebook does things that alienate users, then those products will walk off the shelf - and not into someone's shopping cart.

deleted 14y ago
[deleted]
pdonis 14y ago
> If Facebook does things that alienate users, then those products will walk off the shelf Hasn't happened yet, from what I can see.
- code_duck 14y ago
  Not yet, but one only has to look at the history of just about every widely popular digital offering to see that it is coming eventually. And, making decisions which alienate your users and make your service less enjoyable is a great way to speed that process along.

bilbo0s 14y ago

His point is still valid... just for the wrong reason. And you are wrong also, by the way, the Facebook product we are talking about right now is the ATTENTION of the users, not the users themselves. They CAN sell users... but that's not what the feed does. I told you all of that to tell you this... Facebook needs to sell a high quality product. Now the author's assertion is that he should be allowed to lower the quality of Facebook's product because it should be his right. I'm not sure I agree with that.

KaoruAoiShiho 14y ago

This "product" meme is inaccurate and misleading. You are the product in the same way that Lebron James is the NBA's product, the same way that a top partner at Goldman Sacs is the product, the same way that Justin Bieber is the product, and the same way that you yourself is the product every time you apply for a job interview or raise funds. Being the "product" gives you a great position in your relationship with the company and incentivizes them to treat you very well. Fact of the matter is, and is as demonstrably evident, FB can cares much less about keeping this advertiser happy than about keeping its users happy.

gbaygon 14y ago
Your examples are making money out of it... facebook users aren't. Maybe the "product meme" is misleading, but i think that the "customer" label is also misleading.
king_jester 14y ago
> This "product" meme is inaccurate and misleading. You are the product in the same way that Lebron James is the NBA's product, the same way that a top partner at Goldman Sacs is the product, the same way that Justin Bieber is the product, and the same way that you yourself is the product every time you apply for a job interview or raise funds. I think this comparison is valid, but realize that most people are not a Lebron James or a Justin Bieber and they have very little ability to influence a company directly. In fact, for record labels and the NBA, there have been numerous examples of smaller players getting a bad deal or being screwed over. Being a user or consumer of a service does not mean that the service provider is looking to treat you well.
joezydeco 14y ago
The NBA takes in ticket money and pays Lebron James a salary. Goldman Sachs takes in commissions and fees and pays their top partners a salary and bonuses. Justin Bieber's record company sells records and Justin Bieber gets a royalty check. What is Facebook paying me for the content they are selling advertising against? Is the ability to access their service my compensation?
djloche 14y ago