[srcreigh]

FB has exclusive possession/control of digital connections to most of your friends and family. Apple doesn't have network effects like FB. Network effects + high switching costs = monopoly.

Why doesn't FB let other businesses else access friend lists via API? or send people messages via API? Same with Google and all their data about you. They just can't do it.

https://stackoverflow.com/a/50103448/1997590

[_arthur_]

At one time, they did have a very permissive API. Which got abused by Cambridge Analytica.

[bryan_w]

Exactly, the second Facebook publishes a new API, no matter how many permission dialogues you have to jump through, the NYT will be champing at the bit to write another "data sharing agreement" story.

They love to take the most bad-faith reading of the API docs to say that Facebook is giving your data away (see their story about netflix/messenger, or Microsoft's Facebook client for Windows phones)

[srcreigh]

The data is being abused by FB too. It's a little too convenient that a public scandal means FB is the only one who can use the data.