[pedalpete]

Remember Beacon?

The News Feed is shared with people you know, and only people you have added as Friends (or sometimes one step removed when somebody you know comments on a photo or something).

Beacon was about selling your information to advertisers and 3rd parties whom you had a very loose connection with. The example being the guy who bought his engagement ring and had it broadcast via facebook before he was even engaged.

With the news feed, you control the information which is posted (with the exception of being tagged in photos).

Now Facebook is sharing your information with 3rd parties whom you have NO connection with.

I don't use Docs, Yelp, or Pandora, but they were given access to all my information.

Remember, they were 'given' access before Facebook announced what was happening. Before we had the option to opt-out.

[dcurtis]

Beacon was great because it showed that Facebook isn't scared to take risks. They later admitted it was a bad idea.

I'd rather a company like Facebook err on the side of innovation.

[seldo]

Selling my information to third parties without permission or prior notification is neither innovative nor brave.

[julio_the_squid]

I suppose you could say it's 'brave', though, in the same way that trying to swindle someone and hoping they don't notice is brave.

[jrockway]

That's not what "brave" means.

[marbletiles]

/pedant: it is, actually. Definition is "ready to face danger or pain". "Brave" is mostly used approvingly, but it's also completely proper in sentences like "He decided the app should be IE-only, which was a brave move but one he felt was justified by ..."

Similarly with "daring" -- you often hear of "daring robberies" and the like.

[orborde]

Interesting point. "Brave" is usually considered to be a virtue, and people don't want to attribute virtues to scoundrels.

[jrockway]

Ah, the joys of learning English from dictionary definitions instead of literary use.

[axod]

It's sometimes funny that people take this position.

Personally, I don't give 2 hoots if companies want to sell my information to each other. Good on them. I lose nothing by them doing it. Couldn't care less. (As long as it's stated in T&C that they are doing it).

It's especially ironic, since people moan at the music companies, saying that downloading music illegally isn't theft, since you haven't deprived them of anything.

[joubert]

scammy =/ innovative