Peoplearebeinglured(引诱)ontoFacebookwiththepromiseofafunfreeserviceanddon’trealizethatthey’repayingforitbygivinguploadsofpersonalinformation.Facebookthenattemptstomakemoneybysellingtheirdata(资料)toadvertisersthatwanttosendtargeted(目标的)messages.
MostFacebookusersdon’trealizethisishappening.Eveniftheyknowwhatthecompanyisuptotheystillhavenoideawhatthey’repayingforFacebookbecausepeopledon’treallyknowwhattheirpersonaldetailsareworth.
Thebiggestproblemhoweveristhatthecompanykeepschangingtherules.Earlyonyoucouldkeepeverythingprivate.ThatwasthegreatthingaboutFacebook—youcouldcreateyourownlittleprivatenetwork.Lastyearthecompanychangeditsprivacyrulessothatmanythings—yourcityyourphotoyourfriends’names—weresetbydefault(默认)tobesharedwitheveryoneontheInternet.
AccordingtoFacebook’svicepresidentElliotSchragethecompanyissimplymakingchangestoimproveitsserviceandifpeopledon’tshareinformationtheyhavea“lesssatisfyingexperience.”
SomecriticsthinkthisismoreaboutFacebooklookingtomakemoremoney.Itsoriginalbusinessmodelwhichinvolvedsellingadsandputtingthematthesideofthepagetotallyfailed.Whowantstolookatadswhenthey’reonlineconnectingwiththeirfriends?
TheprivacyissuehasalreadylandedFacebookinhotwaterinWashington.InAprilSenatorCharlesSchumercalledonFacebooktochangeitsprivacypolicy.HealsourgedtheCommissiontosetguidelinesforsocial-networkingsites.“Ithinkthesenatorsrightlycommunicatedthatwehadnotbeenclearaboutwhatthenewproductswereandhowpeoplecouldchoosetousethemornottousethem”Schrageadmits.
IsuspectthatwhateverFacebookhasdonesofartoinvade(侵犯)ourprivacyit’sonlythebeginning,whichiswhyI’mconsideringdeactivating(撤销)myaccount(账号).FacebookisahandysitebutI’mupsetbytheideathatmyinformationisinthehandsofpeopleIdon’ttrust.Thatistoohighapricetopay.
【小题1】WhatdowelearnaboutFacebookfromthefirstparagraph?