[CompiledCode]

I don't know... Data in itself is not valuable, you have to be able to monetize it.

How much is it worth to know everything about a 20-something buried under a mountain of student loans, who is not inclined to buy expensive furniture, stereo systems, or cars anytime soon? Hundreds of dollars? Really? Add to that that the tech trendsetters and early adopters are not enthusiastic supporters of facebook anymore and seem ready to jump on the next big thing.

When I read the story yesterday about the company wishing to mine data how many people have sex in the bathroom after hooking up through the site, I figured this whole obsessive data collection thing has jumped the shark a bit.

Maybe it makes sense for the moment - as in the absence of revenues, user profiles attracts VC - but it does remind me a lot of the bubble in early 2000.

[dasil003]

They are monetizing it. No one knows how far they can push it and what additional data they can acquire. They are actively working to change privacy norms on a cultural level.

To declare unilaterally that Facebook is overvalued is a failure to see what's happening right before you. Note that I'm not saying it isn't overvalued, but just that Facebook is making money today, and they have a lot of upside that no other company has right now.

[sokoloff]

A great many 20-somethings ARE in fact inclined to buy expensive furniture, stereo systems and cars.

Whether they should be or not, in your and my opinion, is not germane to the value that they have because of the fact that they are.