My name is Matt
Bigelow and I am a journalist, writer and producer living in Nashville, Tennessee, where I work as the Online Content Manager for a medium-sized custom publishing company. I graduated from the Facebook’s Social Ads uses the wrong approach
November 9th, 2007 by Matt
A lot has been said regarding Facebook’s controversial advertising scheme dubbed Social Ads. Here’s my problem with it: it uses its users instead of empowering them.
No way to opt out
One thing I’ve read thus far is that there is no opt out option for the Social Ads program. This fact overlooks another interesting one: there’s no opt in. Why not build the program and ask users if they even want to participate, and then share the revenue with its users.
Now, I’m sure there are a ton of issues with this route as well. But, I think it’s better than what Facebook is doing. What do you think?
November 15th, 2007 at 9:50 pm
i think you need to flesh out your ideas a little more, matthew grant bigelow. you’re popping off here. (this is my first visit to your site, so maybe popping off is what you do. but public musing carries a responsibility, dammit. live up to it.)
November 15th, 2007 at 10:00 pm
What do you mean?
Is there something about the post you don’t understand?
I simply think a lot of attention has been paid to Facebook’s Social Ad program, and the controversy surrounding the fact that it turns its users into billboards without an option to opt out.
I’d like to turn that argument on its head and ask the question, “What if Facebook created the program and gave its users the option to opt in?”
I think it would be every bit as revolutionary, but empowers its users rather than uses them.
I think it’s an interesting idea, and worth of adding to the public discourse. Do you disagree?