[chillingeffect]

This is generally very true, especially for facebook, but there are cases of pure altruism and fraternity, such as open and free software. Some people really do want the world to be a better place and dedicate small or large amounts of their life's work to improving it for the others.

Some free things are actually wholesome. So we have to learn how to discriminate between whether something free is actually good for us.

[lmilcin]

Fully agree. But a large for profit company with investors has an obligation to turn profit. There can't be really true altruism within those rules unless what appears as altruism supports for profi goal of the company becuse they for some reason are aligned with your goals. If you are not paying it then its interests are not likely aligned with yours. I don't want to say for profit companies can't do good, because they do. You just have to be constantly vigilant that your goals and the company goals stay aligned.