Don’t say we weren’t warned.

Facebook went public in 2012. The day after the official announcement, that is almost exactly eight years ago, a J. Macke described with great accuracy the status of Facebook users today, in 2020, and in the near future too. Besides discussing the purely financial sides of the initial public offering (IPO), Macke wrote that:

Facebook is going to sell its users for 120 bucks each …

“…Wall Street bankers will get a cut of this figure, with Facebook getting the bulk of the money. FB users get nothing.”

If you feel exploited now you ain’t seen nothing yet.

“Post-IPO, everything you “Like”, suggest or link is going to be packaged and sold. Anyone you “Friend” will be pitched stuff you like. People with whom you have common friends will be sold goods on the basis of your unwitting recommendation. You won’t just be connecting with people anymore, you will be infecting them with spam, pop-ups, and network. If that sounds something like a social disease it’s because that’s exactly what it is."

This, in 2012. For more of the same from me, more recently, you may want to read:

• Facebook is a tobacco company
• The myth of PASSIVE social media users
• Social media infer a lot, and it’s all YOUR fault