Begin forwarded message:
From: Brock N Meeks <bmeeks@cox.net>
Date: December 5, 2007 9:13:23 AM EST
To: dave@farber.net
Cc: ip <ip@v2.listbox.com>
Subject: Re: [IP] For Google and Others, Few Good Deeds Go Unpunished
Lauren's eloquent deconstruction of bomb-throwing tactics is wonderful; he covers a lot of ground in a short space. However, I believe one of the most valuable bits of wisdom in this piece is contained in the graf below, noting that it's "...users themselves who carry most of the high-value cards."
As most know, those cards are worthless if they aren't played from time to time. The almost immediate uproar by Facebook users to that company's poorly executed "Beacon" technology is a great example of users playing their high value cards. Moreover, Facebook blinked and its users can enjoy the sweet aftertaste of being empowered. It is a heady experience for users to become empowered; and companies like Facebook, et al, should be busy scribbling notes in the margins of their PDAs.
Another unexpected consequence from the Facebook dustup: it put the lie to the conventional wisdom that privacy issues among members of social networking sites wasn't a high priority. We know now those users care... and that they'll play that Ace up their sleeve if pushed hard enough.
On Dec 5, 2007, at 6:02 AM, David Farber wrote:
Ultimately, whether we're talking about Google or Facebook, it'susers themselves who carry most of the high-value cards, for as I'venoted before, Internet users can change their service allegiancesessentially at the click of a mouse. Our collective interests arebest served by not belittling or devaluing the efforts of firms thattry to move beyond the bottom line, especially in their treatment oftheir customers and users.
Brock N Meeks
Director of Communications
The Center for Democracy & Technology