As one guest on CNBC said "Oh my...there is gambling going on in the casino"
Of course Facebook is in the news on the back of data privacy issues and how it might have impacted an election, or buying behavior, or whatever.
Now I know it sound horrible, but I don't see this as being too surprising.
If I go to a Toyota page and click on Prius because I am interested in that car, am I surprised that Prius ads show up on my Facebook feed? No. I expect it. In fact I may want those targeted ads to show up.
If I read a lot of election news and post it to my Facebook feed, should I be surprised that I start getting even more stories about Trump or Hillary to my Facebook feed? No.
Should I be surprised that Cambridge Analytics targeted me because I am a Trump or Hillary supporter, and showed it on my Facebook feed because I share every true and untrue story about that candidate? No.
Now, there should be some controls. Taking money from known Russian sources, is across a line that should be monitored.
But targeted marketing has always been a way to sell something. It is much easier now because of the internet, which can be good for me too. I don't mind Prius ads.
If my, or your privacy is a real issue, don't post/share articles that make you a target. Instead, post stories about your family or favorite team or things like a Prius (or even a candidate), but understand the potential impact from marketers.
Heck, I know people who live for the next best story about Hillary or Trump. That is their choice. If a target marketer wants to send those people stuff (and pay for it because they know your are a primary target), great. That is what they want.
You can also choose to stop using Facebook, or Amazon, or iTunes, or the internet in total. Go to the store instead. Do your own research some other way.
Now it may be more complicated then what I say here, but I am not really surprised that some privacy is lost as soon as I go on Facebook and start posting, sharing, clicking or otherwise. That goes for Amazon, and Google and Twitter, and Toyota and any other site out there.
However, there is a benefit to my clicks too that I accept. That is hard to regulate unless you want to shut it down (and all of the internet as well).
Alternatively, the user can slow down on what they click. They can slow down on what they share.
Understand the downside to your actions as it relates to your "privacy". That is the price you pay for your actions in a modern world built on marketing through the internet.
Just my two cents...
