Facebook's 'pivot' is less about privacy and more about profits

Facebook's 'pivot' is less about privacy and more about profits

5 years ago
Anonymous $Dftgs0JzgE

https://phys.org/news/2019-03-facebook-pivot-privacy-profits.html

Zuckerberg has chosen an interesting metaphor to describe this change. He claims that people are shifting from publicly broadcasting their activities and views in a digital "town square" – and would rather discuss issues in a more secure, privacy-protective online "living room." His company already owns platforms representing both venues: Facebook is the town square, the largest platform for sharing widely, and WhatsApp is the living room, the largest platform for sharing in small groups.

As a former partner in McKinsey's strategy practice and now, as a scholar of strategy at Tufts' Fletcher School studying the effects of digital technologies in 80 countries, I have been analyzing Facebook's changing strategies for several years. I see Zuckerberg's latest move as Strategy 101: a market-driven shift of focus. That, by itself, is welcome. What is not so laudable is trying to package the move as a revolutionary solution to his company's widespread problems with privacy, facilitating fake news and underhand deals to share user data.

Facebook's 'pivot' is less about privacy and more about profits

Mar 14, 2019, 4:28pm UTC
https://phys.org/news/2019-03-facebook-pivot-privacy-profits.html > Zuckerberg has chosen an interesting metaphor to describe this change. He claims that people are shifting from publicly broadcasting their activities and views in a digital "town square" – and would rather discuss issues in a more secure, privacy-protective online "living room." His company already owns platforms representing both venues: Facebook is the town square, the largest platform for sharing widely, and WhatsApp is the living room, the largest platform for sharing in small groups. > As a former partner in McKinsey's strategy practice and now, as a scholar of strategy at Tufts' Fletcher School studying the effects of digital technologies in 80 countries, I have been analyzing Facebook's changing strategies for several years. I see Zuckerberg's latest move as Strategy 101: a market-driven shift of focus. That, by itself, is welcome. What is not so laudable is trying to package the move as a revolutionary solution to his company's widespread problems with privacy, facilitating fake news and underhand deals to share user data.