shots fired - apple/fb

[Drastic]

https://www.inc.com/justin-bariso/tim-cook-may-have-just-ended-facebook.html

"Technology does not need vast troves of personal data stitched together across dozens of websites and apps in order to succeed. Advertising existed and thrived for decades without it, and we're here today because the path of least resistance is rarely the path of wisdom.

If a business is built on misleading users on data exploitation, on choices that are no choices at all, then it does not deserve our praise. It deserves reform."

zing.

With apple's new privacy stance, I'm actually thinking about buying an iphone for the first time ever.

[Rupert]

With apple's new privacy stance, I'm actually thinking about buying an iphone for the first time ever.

I think you are at least the second to say that, and I have certainly thought it.  I feel like washing my mouth out every time!!!

[ergophobe]

I mentioned it earlier. I said I've always been anti-Apple, seeing it as a walled garden of overpriced proprietary hardware that props its prices up through cult-like adoration, but these current moves make me rethink that. They are also a company that has no real need to track and target and are able to take stances like this.

I've had an iPhone for years, but only because my former employer gave me one and never took it back (they only reprovision phones if it's the current or previous version). It finally died and I was on the fence between Android and iPhone, but I think I'll buy a used iPhone 10.

I have to say that I have really had to rethink my attitudes toward Tim Cook and Bill Gates over the years.

The one thing I can say is that even at their worst, neither were ever a threat to democracy or to the mental health of billions of people.

[littleman]

Good for Apple!  Doubt I'll be buying anything from them soon, I'd rather have a ten year old device running Linux.

Facebook needs to be burnt to the ground though.   

[rcjordan]

>Facebook needs to be burnt to the ground though.   

I think that's more of a male response.  Females I know are totally immersed in FB.  I'm even seeing young teen girls being purposely indoctrinated/inducted by their female elders.  They tend to combine 2 platforms -texting & FB- to handle the bulk of their socialization.  Text is for quick, personal interactions and FB for family stuff.

> Doubt I'll be buying anything from them soon. 

Same, as I've basically given up carrying a phone. (Giving up text for direct business contacts with local contractors was the hardest, though.)

^{phone privacy related:}
Did you notice how many of the capitol rioters were doxed using their phone data?  Location data & embedded gps info in their posted photos pretty much nailed it down.

<+>
>2 platforms

And definitely NO email!  As Rumbas mentioned, even berating them to "Check your f@#$ing email!!!" doesn't work --female or male.

[ergophobe]

Facebook needs to be burnt to the ground though.   

What is a single, concrete action that an individual can take that makes a difference if

1. you've already quit all social media except The Core ;-)

2. You are an active user for Facegram or Tiktwit or whatever

[littleman]

>burnt to the ground

It's 50% look at me Living My Best Life™ and  49% a demonstration of how vulnerable the average human is to misinformation. 

> a single, concrete action

Part of me hates the opinion I have today, but I believe the only way to clean up social media is to legislate in host responsibility for the propagation of misinformation.   If a shared anti-vaxxer video could be partially responsible for someone's death then companies like FB should be able to get sued for allowing that video to be propagated on their platform.

[rcjordan]

"Facebook on Monday will begin urging some iPhone and iPad users to let the company track their activity so the social media giant can show them more personalized ads."

Facebook strikes back against Apple iOS 14 IDFA privacy change

https://www.cnbc.com/2021/02/01/facebook-strikes-back-against-apple-ios-14-idfa-privacy-change.html

[Travoli]

> Doubt I'll be buying anything from them soon. 

There is a significant trend of local small business owners abandoning their domain/website and instead rely on their Facebook digital presence. No cost and easy to update. I see it the most with restaurants, but it's also happening with boutique shops. If Facebook doesn't completely screw up, the site will start to look more like Shopify. We know Facebook is good a copying competitors, but can they create their own compelling shopping experience?

[buckworks]

>> see it the most with restaurants

I see it in the wedding sector too.

[Brad]

I see a lot of new businesses not even bothering with a website/domain from the start.  They have even abandoned Twitter.  It's FB all the way.  I'm acquainted with some of these business owners and my suggestion they have at least a brochure website just falls on deaf ears.

FB is trying to paint Apple as the bad guy in this, but it only helps consumers and only hurts FB and Google.  I think Google's response is to opt out of Apple's unique identifier option with some sort of nefarious new Google scheme to identify iOS users, if I'm remembering that right.

[rcjordan]

> nefarious

"So quietly, in fact, that even industry insiders hadn't heard about it."

Google's Quiet Preparations For Apple's IDFA Change Offers Hints On The Future Of Its Own Mobile Ad ID

https://www.adexchanger.com/mobile/googles-quiet-preparations-for-apples-idfa-change-offers-hints-on-the-future-of-its-own-mobile-ad-id/

[Rupert]

at least a brochure website just falls on deaf ears.

That used to be easier, Buy a domain, throw up a page an it's done.  Now you have to pay for HTTPS as well thanks to Google.

Then there's the tracking, keeping it updated....  If you are already doing that on Facebook, where your customers can see the latest menu in their feed, why have a website?

[Brad]

> why have a website

Yeah all that. That's the answer I get.  Plus domains alone keep getting more expensive.  Suggesting that FB may start charging businesses for a FB Page someday does not register. 

[ergophobe]

>>Now you have to pay for HTTPS
https://letsencrypt.org/


>>why have a website?
https://seths.blog/2021/02/chasing-the-cool-kids/