Facebook is Weaving More Deeply into the Blogosphere–Good or Bad?
This blog was designed and developed by LexBlog on WordPress so this Forbes story caught my attention. It’s no longer about me arriving at a destination. My social identity seamlessly moves from my blog to LinkedIn to Twitter. I like that. Then there’s Google+ and Facebook and other social networking players. These fish nip at my fins like a barracuda seeking (per Jeffrey Rayport) “to extend their influence over the entire Web by exporting their social features to all sites.” Do I want that? I guess the answer depends on the barracuda. Friend or foe? In Facebook Rolls Out WordPress Integration To Take Over Blogosphere, Forbes reports that:
…[The company] has launched a new Facebook for WordPress plugin which enables WordPress users to easily integrate Facebook features like social publishing, mentions and comment discussions into their WordPress blogs…Facebook is trying to weave its platform more deeply into the fabric of the blogging universe, which is dominated by WordPress.
The article goes on to say, “This new plugin puts it in a better position to compete with Google which owns Blogger, WordPress’s primary competitor. WordPress blogs attract more than 600 million unique visitors every month. By integrating its social features with WordPress, Facebook could see greater engagement on its platform, which could drive its social advertising revenue. Besides that, it could also stand to gain by analyzing the tons of usage data generated by users on websites integrated with its social plugins, and deliver better targeted ads to them.” Dan Campbell commented that he thinks “this plugin will help many WordPress blog owners because it provides capabilities that used to require many different plugins, plus add some new features that weren’t available before (like the “mentions” that you can do with it).” He even made a video to shows us how to use the plugin (thanks, Dan).
Let’s Recognize the Dangers Before Praising [Facebook] as Web’s Default Marketing Platform. Craig Daitch of Ad Age Digital
I understand the convenience but when is enough ENOUGH? Facebook defines itself a “social utility that connects people with friends and others who work, study and live around them.” Okay, I get that. But do I want more targeted ads in exchange for the ability to more easily blend my personal and professional life? I’m not so sure. I like the separation and integration I get with my blog, Linkedin and Twitter because I feel in control. I trust these platforms. But Facebook? I’m don’t know. There’s a credibility gap and trust issue related to leadership and values at Facebook. Things just seem to happen with Facebook that raises concerns. Case in point: In yesterday’s Huffington Post, Reuters‘ reporters–Dan Levine and Sarah McBride–wrote in: Facebook ‘Sponsored Stories’ Lawsuit: Company To Pay $10 Million Settlement, that the company:
[H]as agreed to pay $10 million to charity to settle a lawsuit that accused the site of violating users’ rights to control the use of their own names, photographs and likenesses, according to court documents made public over the weekend.
According to Levine and McBride, “the lawsuit, brought by five Facebook members, alleged the social networking site violated California law by publicizing users’ “likes” of certain advertisers on its “Sponsored Stories” feature without paying them or giving them a way to opt out, the documents said. A “Sponsored Story” is an advertisement that appears on a member’s Facebook page and generally consists of another friend’s name, profile picture and an assertion that the person “likes” the advertiser.” I get that Facebook needs revenue but at what expense? Do we need more integration with Facebook? I don’t want to interact with companies or brands on Facebook–that’s me–maybe you do. Time is precious–I’m already spread thin with my blog, Linkedin and Twitter. How do you feel about this? Are more “targeted ads” as defined by Facebook better? Better for who? Daitch again:
I still can’t shake the feeling that the “all things to all people” sovereignty over the Internet that Facebook has claimed in the name of social media is lopsided and should be the other way around. The web should be bigger than Facebook…
By the way, avoid hand-feeding or touching barracuda. Like sharks, some barracuda are reputed to be dangerous to swimmers. They may mistake spear-fishing snorkellers for large predators–following them in hopes of eating the remains of their prey (much like those “better” targeted ads following us around).
Image above right: is my photograph of part of a painting on the wall in Escala’s lobby. The painter’s name is Armano Alvarez Compean (2009). Copyright © 2012, Kevin P. McKeown. All Rights Reserved.