Tim Cook's statements about algorithms that do not look at ways to achieve goals are making girl. Not because Tim Cook is saying something new - many are the chroniclers and experts who have been calling attention to the fundamental problem of social networks for years - but because Cook leads Apple and, as such, has a unique ability to affect the social media business, with Facebook at the head. For those who have not followed this discussion, Apple revealed that the next version of iOS 14, the iPhone operating system, will warn users of the information that apps will track. And give the user a chance to block that tracking, which means that, for example, Facebook will no longer be able to know which sites users visit and what searches they do online. As a result, it is no longer able to sell targeted advertising - we all know how Facebook displays advertising according to our interests.
Now, it is exactly targeted advertising that has the most value for advertisers. And, as we know, the iPhone is one of the best-selling smartphones in the world and, as such, one of the biggest gateways to social networks.
The reaction of Facebook leader Mark Zuckerberg was strong and took the form of advertising pages in some of the most popular newspapers in the United States, in which Facebook accused Apple of putting Internet freedom at risk and attacking Small business.
The truth is that Mark Zuckerberg is well aware that much of Facebook's commercial success is based on the ignorance of users.
This reaction has several interesting features. The first is a curiosity: to have more impact, Zuckerberg chose to advertise in newspapers, on paper. In other words, it seems that the executive who leads the largest social network in the world believes that newspaper ads are more efficient than online ads.
Another is the obvious contradiction: Facebook accuses Apple of jeopardizing freedom when what Cook's company is doing is precisely giving users freedom to choose. It is important to note that iOS 14 will not automatically block anything, but inform users of the data that will be tracked and let people decide.
This brings me to the third point, which I consider most important: what Facebook is not saying. The truth is that Mark Zuckerberg is well aware that much of Facebook's commercial success rests on users' ignorance. I am not referring to this fundamental problem of algorithms, created to reinforce preconceived ideas and wrong information (because, of course, false and spectacular news generates more audience).
But rather, the fact that most users are unaware of the tracking they are targeting. Now, when we are notified of the type of data that will be recorded by Facebook, the probability of blocking that access grows exponentially. Worse still for Zuckerberg, Apple's decision could give rise to a snowball effect, prompting other brands, notably Google and its Android, to take similar actions.
Basically, what Zuckerberg doesn't want is for us, the users, to realize the maxim: if the service is free, users are the product.
0 Comments