For the last month Facebook has been embroiled in a privacy scandal that while shocking to some has also generated a few laughs along the way. Here are a few of our favourites and views on the future of the platform.
Facebook is having a time to forget at the moment. The embattled social media platform has been hit with a string of privacy blunders in recent weeks leaving it to tackle a maelstrom of criticism.
And rightly so. It goes without saying that it’s made some monumental errors and given far too much freedom to third party data miners like the much-maligned Cambridge Analytica.
Facebook is a complex beast and while I wouldn’t expect Joe Bloggs to know the ins and outs of ad targeting strategies and Facebook algorithms, I’ve been taken aback by the general level of surprise and consternation people have shown.
As Facebook users, we make a conscious choice to share intimate details of our lives, engage with brands and businesses and divulge our personal details. Yet we’re surprised to know that Facebook knows a lot about us and uses that information to make money from advertisers? Shock horror.
While we’ve every right to expect and demand that Facebook protects our personal data, it seems that Facebook’s business model has come as a surprise to a lot of people, not least of all the senators whose questioning CEO founder Mark Zuckerberg had to endure last week…
“How do you sustain a business model in which users don’t pay for your service?” We can only hope they got that senator back to the old folk’s home in time for bingo.
That might be a bit harsh but I wasn’t alone in my dismay, albeit without having the same level of wit to convey it.
In all seriousness. So, what’s next for Facebook?
Leading experts believe that Facebook will face some fines and potentially have new regulations to contend with but essentially is only looking at a slap on the wrist.
Reputationally, Zuckerberg has some work to do to restore the public’s trust in Facebook. I imagine that will involve a move which lets users feel that they’ve regained some control over their personal data.
I’ve already received a few notices from Facebook recently giving me the opportunity to review my privacy settings. I imagine we’ll see more of that and users will become a bit more aware of the information they share.
The #deletefacebook campaign has reportedly had little impact and Facebook, with its 2.2 billion users, marches on.
What does it mean for advertisers?
For businesses and agencies like The Clarity Business, it just reiterates the need to make sure you’re putting the right messaging in front of the right people. It’s about tailoring your ad campaigns and employing laser-like targeting to ensure you’re reaching the people who matter most to your organisation, or in our case – our clients.
Check out a previous blog of ours to learn about our starting point for maximising the success of social media ad campaigns.
If you have any questions about social media, please send us an email: welcome@theclaritybusiness.co.nz