Re: For Google and Others, Few Good Deeds Go Unpunished

[David Farber <dave () farber net>]

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's
> users themselves who carry most of the high-value cards, for as I've
> noted before, Internet users can change their service allegiances
> essentially at the click of a mouse.  Our collective interests are
> best served by not belittling or devaluing the efforts of firms that
> try to move beyond the bottom line, especially in their treatment of
> their customers and users.


Brock N Meeks
Director of Communications
The Center for Democracy & Technology


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