Published May 26, 2010
The other day, we discussed the idea of covering Facebook on Radio Boston. Just because it was founded at Harvard, I argued, it’s not a local story. Our executive producer, Iris Adler, replied: Facebook has 350 400 million users. It’s local for everyone.
Good point.
I’m following the company’s teleconference about privacy now (apparently so jammed, another producer can’t get on), and I will post updates here.
1:53: CEO Mark Zuckerberg is showing off the simplified privacy controls. Here is the gist of the new approach: Granular controls are still available, but top-level, one-click controls can change your privacy settings in one fell swoop. Everyone, Friends of Friends, Friends Only.
1:55: Users can completely opt out of the Facebook Platform, which allows other applications to “personalize” the experience by using your information. This is possible with one click, or with more granular settings.
1:56: Zuckerberg says Facebook needs to communicate these changes clearly, so they have revamped their privacy guide. Users will see a banner at the top of their Facebook home page summarizing the changes and linking to the new guide. “We’ve only ever done a few announcements at the top of the home page in the history of the company, so we take this really, really seriously.”
2:00: Journo asks, this is all well and good, but how can we trust Facebook anymore? Zuckerberg: We have made many changes over the course of many iterations of the site, some of which have been “disruptive.”
Zuckerberg: Speaking quantitatively, the company has seen no real change in traffic or signups or deactivation, despite bloggers’ suggesting people delete their accounts in protest. Qualitative change is another matter.
2:04: Zuckerberg seems to be suggesting people aren’t as unhappy with Facebook as they say they are. But then he adds, “People are really upset with us right now.”
“We try to learn from the past mistakes and then make new ones.”
2:06: WaPo journo asks what input 1) lawmakers and the U.S. government might have had on these changes and 2) advertisers might have had. Zuckerberg: We try to listen to everyone, but “the main thing we did was listen to users.”
Zuckerberg: “In terms of advertisers and partners … I think there is this misconception that we are somehow making these changes because it’s good for advertising. And honestly anyone who knows me knows that’s crazy.”
Zuckerberg says there is a misconception that sharing personal information more openly will help advertisers. He thinks the opposite is true.
2:12: The site has never been “closed” to only your friends, even when you first sign up. If the site didn’t share at least some of your personal info, he says, it would be very difficult to make new connections.
A link for user feedback on privacy: http://facebook.com/privacyfeedback
2:15: Zuckerberg rejects the notion that total privacy should be a default. He says users keep saying they want to share their lives. “I want to make sure I don’t get misquoted here. We really do believe in privacy and giving people control.”
2:17: Zuckerberg seems keenly aware of the vocal protests and discourse about his company.
2:18: Mashable writer asks, How will Facebook prevent this privacy issue from blowing up again? Zuckerberg: “I think one of the big takeaways is, Don’t mess with the privacy stuff. For a long time.”
2:21: Someone asks, does/should the “Everyone” setting mean the entire Internet or just on Facebook? Zuckerberg: “This means everyone on the Internet.” Zuckerberg doesn’t answer the should question.
2:24: How do these changes — and the negative press about them — affect ad revenue? Zuckerberg: “We really didn’t talk about revenue at all.” Call him crazy, he says, but they are focused on building a good company before raising ad dollars. He cites the example of being offered $1 billion to sell the company when was 22 years old. By the time you reach that point, he says, it’s not about squeezing money out of the bottom line anymore. It’s about doing something you care about: helping make the world more connected.
2:28: The NYT’s Nick Bilton asks, How will you approach the upcoming location sharing options? Zuckerberg says he definitely doesn’t want another fiasco like the one on the company’s hands now. He says the privacy controls introduced today are both retroactive, forward-active and all-inclusive, which means all future services will be included in a user’s privacy settings. Privacy settings are sitewide, not service- or app-specific.
2:30: Zuckerberg: “Facebook is not a solved problem. There is so much more that we have to do.” Not only on Facebook, but Internet-wide. It’s once again clear that Zuckerberg believes he is leading a global movement.
2:31: Zuckerberg’s portion of the teleconference is wrapping up, so I’ll wrap up, too. Will try to post a recording of the event, if one is available.