I will not be advertising to my "friends" on #Facebook

At the celebratory #Wikipedia hackathon in Amsterdam we discussed using Facebook for the authenticating of people in a process that was not exclusively Wikimedia. To some this seems like an attractive idea because "everyone" is on Facebook.

In the past few days, new information became available that makes Facebook increasingly unpalatable.

• selling private information of the people who use Facebook like addresses to its clients
• Facebook "currency" to be used for any and all Facebook applications to start with games
• featuring you in targeted advertisements to your "Facebook friends"

True to form there has been a backlash against these modifications. It is however a matter of two steps forwards and a step back for now. It will hardly feature on Facebook's radar when I express my contempt on my blog. My hope is that while it may be convenient to use Facebook authentication, the unethical antics of Facebook demonstrate it to be spoiled goods. Something to stay away off.

In the final analysis Facebook is about making money for its investors. It does it by selling out the people who use Facebook to its customers.
Thanks,
      GerardM