The largest social network on the Internet, Facebook, is trying to allow users to be able to travel the web with their friends. The company is adding a new feature to its website called Facebook Connect, which allows its members to log onto other websites using their Facebook identification, and see what their friends have been doing on those different websites. This means that in the near future, you will be able to log into a website such as the Discovery Channel, and you will be able to see what your friends have recently done on that website. Along with being able to see the actions of your friends on these websites, members will also have the opportunity to share what they have been doing on these websites, right on their Facebook page.
The chief operating officer of Facebook say that everyone is looking for ways to make their websites more social, she really means that everyone is looking for ways to make their websites more profitable. The only real way to generate revenue on a website like Facebook is through advertising, but social networks are a very hard place to do this. In the past year, only 57 percent of users of social networks clicked on an advertisement on their website, and only 11 percent of those curious clicks actually led to a purchase from some website. One of the main reasons why everyone is so interested in Facebook Connect, is because they believe it could help a lot in terms of advertising. One of the major perks about advertising on Facebook, is that Facebook has detailed information about all of its users. Advertisers would be able to create more personalized ads, with information they had pulled off of their own websites, or those websites could tell Facebook which sites its users are visiting, so they can make their ads more targeted.
“It’s becoming very clear that advertisers don’t know how to advertise on Facebook,” said Charlene Li, an independent consultant and social media analyst. “But if you take a group of Facebook friends and put them on a travel site where they are spending more time and generating more ad dollars in a focused area like travel, that is an opportunity ripe for getting revenues back and sharing it.” Although there is a great opportunity for Facebook to create revenue, it is sort of scary to think that websites are watching your every move, and keeping track of what you are doing. These websites not only keep your information, but they also relay it to other websites, so they will be able to advertise as best as they can.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/01/technology/internet/01facebook.html?ref=technology
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It is really creepy to think that now my Facebook friends are going to be able to see what I am doing/have done on a website I have visited. I feel like every week I have to go to my Facebook settings and click another privacy box in order to prevent another addition that will create a mini-feed post every time I get up out of my seat or something ridiculous. Very hypothetical, but say someone was on amazon ordering inappropriate videos or books and then I went on and was able to see that. Obviously the person might be a sicko but still thats their business and I dont wanna know about it and for sure know they dont want me knowing. Dont get me wrong, I love Facebook, but seriously I cant stand all of the invasion of privacy issues it has just as long as someones my "friend" doesnt mean I need them seeing everything i do on the web.
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