Facebook & Identity: The Continued Push Toward Becoming Your One True Login

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1 point·rwwmike··3 comments

We should really worry about Facebook entering the retail market, taking from Amazon a considerable number of consumers. I fear that one day, Facebook will have its own version of Amazon, where products are suggested based on the buying habits of the people you know.

"Hey X, did you know that Y's birthday is in three days? You should consider buying Product A for her! Buy it now and we'll take off 20% AND throw in free shipping!!!"

It's coming.

Would this matter that much if a person didn't share much on Facebook? After all, Facebook does not force anyone to share intimate details of one's life. On the other hand, constantly updating or changing the privacy controls and policy ensures that the majority of people don't keep up with it. No one likes to read the terms and conditions of any site.

Part of what Facebook has done has continually push what we're willing to share online, I think. And really, the entire Internet has changed what we're willing to share online, not just Facebook. As we're able to do more and more online, we need to provide more and more information online. It's just whether or not that information remains under our control that's really the big question, I think.

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