That's Tom Hodgkinson talking, not me. (My feelings about Fakebook aren't that strong.) Hodgkinson has a long and interesting article in the Technology section of the Guardian Unlimited that sets out his many reasons for reviling the vastly popular — what? — tool, environment, fad?
His points are, roughly:
- It's unnecessary. Why would you need to connect to people through the mediation of "a bunch of supergeeks in California"?
- It's isolating. The connection is more imagined than real.
- It perverts true friendship, encouraging lying about oneself and competition as to the number of "friends" one has.
- It's got incredible mass appeal. If everyone's doing it, and I mean everyone, then he doesn't want to.
- It's an expression of a "particular kind of neoconservative libertarianism." Capitalism creates the illusion of individuality in order to make money. The owner, Thiel, is a really right wing enthusiast. All of which, I think, comes down to his last point which is…
- It's profoundly cynical and exploitive. Under a banner of freedom millions of sheep are shovelling personal data into the system that then feeds them back ads (and may do who knows what else with the data).
Read the whole essay, whether you agree with his view or not, because Facebook isn't going away in a hurry and whether you're in or not you're going to need to think about it at some point.
Respond: make a comment | read the 4 comments
Share:
Email
|
Save as PDF | Print
|
Bookmark & Share
|
|
More: in Technology | from Simon Fodden
|
the count:
8227 posts | 11407 comments
recent comments  
There is good leagal content that doesn’t necessarily come in the neat packages that we usually look in. Though our commercial legal database subscriptions have linked, vetted, edited, and easily. […] »»Research When you need to collaborate on a document displayed on your screen, it’s great to have a colleague from down the hall come into your office and look over your … »»Technology You should assess whether you can accept the financial risks associated with taking the matter, just as clients will assess whether they can (and will) pay your fee. Spend time at the beginning of the. […] »»Practice
-
Available online today are four new chapters of the publication Women in Canada: A Gender-based Statistical Report, which explores the socio-demographic and economic circumstances of Canadian women in general.
-
The bill amends the Constitution Act, 1867 by readjusting the number of members and the representation of the provinces in the House of Commons.
-
-
Blueseed plans to buy a ship and turn it into a floating incubator anchored in international waters off the coast of California.
-
Under Prime Minister Stephen Harper, the flow of information out of Ottawa has slowed to a trickle.
-
-
"…the IPC has exclusive jurisdiction to decide whether a record is in the custody or control of a university in the context of an access request…"
-
-
John J.L. Hunter, Q.C. of Vancouver has been elected President for 2011-2012
-
Detailed results from 321 members.
These summaries of selected recent cases are provided each week to Slaw by Maritime Law Book.
More information.
-
Banks and Banking - Liability of banks to third parties - Negligence - General
The plaintiffs were the former shareholders of a company that failed. They sued the defendant bank alleging that it breached its contract with the company and the plaintiffs and breached a duty ...
-
Actions - Cause of action - General principles - New or extended cause of action - Opening of floodgates
The plaintiff and defendant worked at different branches of the same bank. The defendant’s common-law husband was the plaintiff’s ex-husband. Over a four year period, the defendant ...
-
Aliens - Definitions and general principles - Immigration consultants
The Canadian Society of Immigration Consultants (CSIC) had been designated as the sole regulatory body of immigration consultants in Canada from 2004 until June 2011. On June 30, 2011, Bill C-35 came into force, which significantly amended ...
-
Criminal Law - Sexual offences, public morals and disorderly conduct - Public morals - Obscenity - Possession of child pornography
The accused was convicted of making child pornography available and two counts of possession of child pornography (see [2010] Sask.R. Uned. 197). Subsequently, he was sentenced ...
-
Criminal Law - Procedure - Charge or directions - Jury or judge alone - Directions regarding pleas or evidence of witnesses, co-accused and accomplices
Rowe was convicted by a jury of five offences. He appealed.
The Ontario Court of Appeal allowed ...
-
Narcotic Control - Offences - Possession - General
The accused wished to access marijuana for medicinal purposes but did not have an authorization to possess marijuana issued under the Marihuana Medical Access Regulations. He was notified that a package of marihuana addressed to him had been ...
-
Narcotic Control - General - Legislation - Exemptions - Medicinal marijuana
McCrady, who had an application pending under the Marihuana Medical Access Regulations (MMAR) to possess and grow marijuana, was convicted of possession of marijuana (Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (CDSA), s. 4(1)). Hearn pleaded guilty ...
-
Criminal Law - Sentence - Trafficking in hashish or marijuana (incl. possession for purposes of trafficking)
The accused pleaded guilty to one count of possession of marijuana for the purpose of trafficking. He was sentenced to 30 days’ imprisonment to be served intermittently and 11 months’ ...
-
Municipal Law - Powers of municipalities - Particular powers - Imposition and collection of taxes or fees
Catalyst Paper Corp. operated a paper mill in the District of North Cowichan. Catalyst objected to the tax rate that it paid compared to residential ratepayers. In 2009, the ...
This is a listing of a few upcoming events in Canada of interest to lawyers, law students, legal librarians, and others involved in the practice of law.
Clicking on any event in the list below will give you access to more information and to links allowing you to see the full entry and to add the event to your own calendar.
Click this link for a fuller version of the TalkLaw/ParLoi calendar of events and for instructions as to how to add events and calendars to your own calendar.
|
Thank you for pointing this out. He dislikes Facebook for largely different reasons than I do. I expect he doesn't use it (or at least, not that much), whereas I am still there, checking in regularly. The things I don't like are gradually outweighing the things I do like. Some day I will explain more fully.
Cheers,
Connie
Simon, you and I talked about the coming facebook backlash in an email last year. Shall we declare this the beginning? :)
For me, it's got nothing to do with functionality. My number one complaint is that FB is a closed network, and provides nothing of value outside FB. It's a modern day AOL. And that closed aspect, philosophy wise, goes against everything I believe the Internet should offer.
@Steve "It's a modern day AOL"
Stephen Fry has a nice take on this
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2008/jan/12/1
I'm not convinced that FB has staying power. It might have a bit more durability than some of the fad-ish predecessors, but ultimately, the limitations mentioned above (and those not mentioned above) will combine with the next big thing to make FB passe.