Facebook's takeover of the Internet

Lysander

Lysander

Lysander

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A few weeks ago I finally got an invite for the Canvas closed beta, which I had been waiting for for a long time. On trying to sign in I was told that I could only do so with a Facebook account. I don't have a Facebook account, don't intend on getting one, so Canvas goes out the window. That's access to an entire website disabled because I don't have a Facebook account.

I was just on Photobucket now and a big white box appeared under a picture saying I could comment on the picture through Facebook. Spotify has Spotify social enabled through.... yes, Facebook. These days more and more places have Facebook integration and now you can even get a Facebook email address.

The thing is, for a lot of people Facebook is the Internet so how far will it go? It's getting harder and harder to get away from it.
 
I've got a facebook account, I've never used it for facebook though, nothing is stopping you just having an account.

In this case it's just other sites taking advantage of a service they provide to make their lives easier.
 
Lysander said:
A few weeks ago I finally got an invite for the Canvas closed beta, which I had been waiting for for a long time. On trying to sign in I was told that I could only do so with a Facebook account. I don't have a Facebook account, don't intend on getting one, so Canvas goes out the window. That's access to an entire website disabled because I don't have a Facebook account.

I was just on Photobucket now and a big white box appeared under a picture saying I could comment on the picture through Facebook. Spotify has Spotify social enabled through.... yes, Facebook. These days more and more places have Facebook integration and now you can even get a Facebook email address.

The thing is, for a lot of people Facebook is the Internet so how far will it go? It's getting harder and harder to get away from it.
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Just make an account with the bare minimum of details, access Canvas closed beta then delete your account.
 
Sounds like it's perhaps easier just to create a facebook account and not use it in the traditional way (i.e. adding friends).
 
FB can be great if used correct and privercy and security settings set correct. I use it solely to stay in touch with old school friends and people who have moved away from where i live. you can disable and block so many other features and keep you personal information set to a minimal.
 
probably go downhill went the novelty wears off and people move onto the next big thing.

i barely ever use facebook i dont see what all the fuss is about , maybe its alright for keeping in touch with family who you dont really have a lot of stuff to say to but for friends surely you see them all the time and want to have somrething to talk about when you actually meet them
 
simulatorman said:
Join FB and don't use it, is it a matter of principle?
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Or, join it and categorise people and preferences to suit your needs.

I get no spam because I've opted out and when I add someone they are put in lists so I control what they can/can't see.

I don't use my primary email address and don't publish my date of birth. Simples.
 
I love it when people spite themselves, it might be a matter of principle but at the end of the day, Facebook doesn't care that you don't use Canvas :p
 
I see the issue here, the risk that people who don't use a proprietary website become second class citizens on the 'net. OK, so you could also argue the same about having an email address, but email is based on open standards and is not run by any one company - don't like GMail, use Hotmail or any of the many other services.

BTW, what is Canvas anyway?
 
simulatorman said:
Join FB and don't use it, is it a matter of principle?
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The_Police! said:
Just make an account with the bare minimum of details, access Canvas closed beta then delete your account.
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This is all very well but my question was where do you think it will go? Making it compulsory to have a Facebook account to access a completely unrelated website seems odd to me.

scorza said:
BTW, what is Canvas anyway?
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It's supposed to be a worksafe 4chan, as far as I can see. Same founder.
 
arknor said:
probably go downhill went the novelty wears off and people move onto the next big thing.
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People have been saying that for ages..... its not like when bebo/hi5/fb/myspace were all fighting for people anymore. people dont just jump between them because others are.

i barely ever use facebook i dont see what all the fuss is about , maybe its alright for keeping in touch with family who you dont really have a lot of stuff to say to but for friends surely you see them all the time and want to have somrething to talk about when you actually meet them
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Some people have friends that they dont see all the time. Have you not made friends in other areas of the country / world?
 
Lysander said:
This is all very well but my question was where do you think it will go? Making it compulsory to have a Facebook account to access a completely unrelated website seems odd to me.
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Yes it is very odd. I think all these websites are getting on the Facebook bandwagon.

I might be wrong but couple of months back (?) Facebook were going to allow app developers access to personal information even though the privacy settings forbade this.

Needless to say, they backed down but I am guessing that using Facebook integrated within websites must be a data mining heaven for Facebook to see what websites you have been browsing.
 
Facebook already has a huge database of users. Why should every other company create their own separate database when they could all just use the same one and save time (and money depending on if and how much FB charge)?
There was a talk from the Foursquare creator at SXSW this year saying that they now have a huge database of locations, so rather than other companies having to setup their own database they can just use the Foursquare API and have access to the data. It makes so much sense really rather than every website/app/software having to create and run their own databases.

From what I understand it this is essentially the reason why you can sign into so many other services using a FB account, it does also give you the medium to share information with people you have on FB and whatever else it may do but anything decent would make this entirely optional.

The social side of FB isn't really relevant seeing as you can have an account with no friends or information attached.
 
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arknor said:
i barely ever use facebook i dont see what all the fuss is about , maybe its alright for keeping in touch with family who you dont really have a lot of stuff to say to but for friends surely you see them all the time and want to have somrething to talk about when you actually meet them
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andy_mk3 said:
I find the anti-facebook comments quite funny!
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Exactly, it's like saying "I don't see what all the fuss is about" when referring to mobile phones, or email, or television. It's another method of communication.
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I can sort of see the OP's point. I dont mind Facebook but it is sort of becoming.. the internet. Last year when the local bus services were delayed due to snow (I couldnt get my car out) the only way of following service updates was using the bus companies facebook page - they had removed the live update page on their own website in favour of a facebook page.

It's this sort of thing that frustrates me, and in the long term, is more and more companies placing their net presence into the hands of a private company really that prudent?
 
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