Some days, I dream. I dream that all viruses will disappear, and at least some of the technology companies will embrace their users with (relative) honesty.
Today is not one of those days, as I have to think about Facebook. You may not know that Apple has forced iOS apps to display a notification asking if you want them to track you across the web.
Facebook is of course unhappy with this, because it makes money by following you across the web and hopes to do so until the sun goes down.
So, as observed by former White House senior adviser Ashkan Soltani, Facebook is trying to scare its users on its iOS Facebook and Instagram apps.
He has posted his own little warning that aims to make iOS owners consent to monitoring. The alert is based on the huge enthusiasm of users for more personalized ads and mentions the sad reasoning that tracking is done to help small businesses in particular.
But there is a third happy message: "Help keep Facebook free." The same threat appears to Instagram users.
Cynicism is so cold that we could admire it.
Facebook does what it knows very well: It lies and tries to make money. It is trying to make more iOS users want to keep track.
How much more honest would a relationship be if Facebook charged for its products? It would be a business like any other that offers services and gets paid. Users of the social network would finally become customers. They would buy the product instead of being the product.
They will be able to wait for service, unlike news that automatically appears where convenient with algorithms. They could also understand how Facebook privacy checks really work and would require even greater simplicity in wording.
But all of the above could be another dream. Could it possibly become a reality? Does Facebook charge for its services? Do not worry Mark Zuckerberg has been very good at them for years.
He is not only worried about making money, but he is also trying to make a lot of money, which will perfectly match his selfish plans.
Yes, it is for those who are not interested in privacy but are offered simple ways to do something about it.
When someone threatens in this way, believe them. Not the threat itself, but the fact that he can become ruthless.
Zuckerberg designs for you, and in the end he will get them.
George is still wondering what he is doing here….
