Thursday, August 11, 2011

The Facebook Killer: Why Google+ Could Take The Lead

I don't know about you but over the last two days, my Facebook feed has been clogged with updates like this.



























It seems our friends at Facebook have been at it again. This time pulling data from your phone book to sync the mobile numbers of your friends and display them in your Contacts. Their "auto-opt-in" strategy may be just the thing that drives away their 700 million user community into the arms of Google+. The social network giant is already collecting every bit of personal information they can about you under the guise of a more personalized experience. For instance, that's how that one person you can't stand keeps coming up in your "People You May Know" feature.



It might be time to rethink that strategy as users begin to fully understand the pitfalls of just how much data Facebook owns and how they use it. This is not the first time Facebook has published data that some would consider private. Remember when many a birthday was ruined because your dear friend Facebook published your shopping purchase? If these types of releases continues it could be the Tipping Point for Google+. With 25 million users in the just a few short weeks, Google+ is on track to give Facebook a run for the money. If Facebook makes enough of their users angry, they will start looking for options like Google+. It's boils down to trust.



What do you think?



Want to control your data online? Here are some articles to get you started:

A guide to controlling privacy info on Google+ via MSNBC



Facebook Privacy Tips: 9 Settings To Check Now via Huffington Post (Note: Does not include today's updates)



LinkedIn Privacy: What You Need To Know via PCWorld