Facebook: ‘You can check out anytime you like, but you can never leave’

While the Web site offers users the option to deactivate their accounts, Facebook servers keep copies of the information in those accounts indefinitely. Indeed, many users who have contacted Facebook to request that their accounts be deleted have not succeeded in erasing their records from the network.

I’m one of those many former users of Facebook. After deciding I wanted nothing more to do with Facebook, I went to delete my account and ended up ‘deactivating’ it.

Once I realized that ‘deactivate’ meant ‘we’re going to keep your data’ I initiated an exchange of emails with Facebook customer service. I was told that it was Facebook policy to retain ‘deactivated’ profiles ‘in case I were to come back.’ In order to remove my data from Facebook, I was forced to ‘reactivate’ my account and delete everything on it: pictures, info, friends, groups, and comments.

Obviously I provided Facebook with all that data in the first place. It was a good lesson: Once you put data online, you relinquish control over it even though it may be yours. For example, it seems Facebook is intent on selling its users information on the free market:

The network is still trying to find a way to monetize its popularity, mostly by allowing marketers access to its wealth of demographic and behavioral information. The retention of old accounts on Facebook’s servers seems like another effort to hold onto — and provide its ad partners with — as much demographic information as possible.

Another interesting article related to Facebook that I saw on Andrew Sullivan’s page is the idea of a Facebook phone:

http://www.newscientist.com/blog/technology/2008/02/towards-facebook-phone.html

Also, some readers may have noticed the new iPhone TV advertisements that explicitly target those who want to be on Facebook all the time.

Developing…

I don’t recall ever signing a consent form for Facebook to sell my information, JUST like we have to check a box that asks us if we are OK with “Site X” sending us promotional offers via email every time we sign up for anything. If Facebook is able to slip by this requirement, and sell personal data for a profit, oh boy is it a slippery and dangerous slope…

Google has provided an excellent example of how to use information and provide non-intrusive advertisements that are at least somewhat relevant to the consumer and profitable for Google (see: Gmail). Of course there is no box to check with Google, but it is still a smart example Facebook COULD learn from.

Then again, Facebook was on the right track with this with things like the sponsored March Maddness brackets… but knowing Facebook, they will cross the line eventually (see: the applications where you vote on your sexiest friend).