Zuckerberg breaks silence as Facebook privacy crisis grows
Facebook is to further restrict developers’ access to user data in response to the growing scandal around Cambridge Analytica’s misuse of the company’s information, the social media site’s founder Mark Zuckerberg announced this morning.
“This was a breach of trust between Kogan, Cambridge Analytica and Facebook,” declared Zuckerberg in a post on his site.
Zuckerberg: ‘A breach of trust between Kogan, Cambridge Analytica and Facebook’
Trust is such a rare commodity and one that our industry consistently dismisses in pursuit of achieving optimal communications performance metrics (whatever that’s worth). When platforms or publishers break that trust then boardrooms quite rightly get nervous. Ask yourself, would you want your brand seen on Facebook right now or would you entrust it with a traditional premium publisher?
At what point do Australian brands, either led by a brave CMO or pushed by the CEO or Board of Directors, withdraw their advertising spend to send Facebook – and more importantly their customers – a clear message that such a breach of trust is not consistent with their company’s values.
When the ad dollars starts to walk out the door, they’ll really start listening.
The only thing I’ve been surprised out of all this, is people’s surprise itself.
I don’t see what they’ve done as any different to what literally every other company in the world does. In fact, I think some data companies sell far more intrusive and sensitive data than what an individual shares on Facebook. Looking at you credit card companies.
I agree this should be discussed in the public domain but rather than based on legality this should be a conversation on ethical use of data.
I think you are giving people too much credit. The everyday Australian has no idea how their data is being commercialised.
@ I Do Say…
Sure, but what about that van with the satellite dish parked out the front of your house?
Mark has been assuring us our data is safe since the start of the website.
Not sure I trust him.
Advertisers and all their agencies have been targeting and leading people to their preferred outcomes this entire time, which is why the advanced capabilities Facebook provided was so attractive. Cambridge Analytica used these capabilities in a particularly insidious way but let’s not all pretend we are unmarked innocents. When we package McDonalds and Coke to kids are we complicit in their obesity? When we target consumers for Nespresso pods are we complicit in the excess plastic and waste they create? “Consumer choice” has been a thin illusion we have all been carrying to try and absolve us. Unless you work for a social good brand, I wouldn’t be throwing any stones.