Facebook without targeted ads? That would be a “paid product” says COO Sheryl Sandberg
Facebook continues their PR blitz to recover from the dramatic fallout from the Cambridge Analytics revelations from a few weeks ago.
Last week Facebook COO Cheryl Sandberg appeared on a number of TV programs, interviewed at Facebook’s HQ.
In one interview with the NBC Today show’s Savannah Guthrie, Sandberg was asked by Guthrie “Could you come up with a tool that said ‘I do not want Facebook to use my personal profile data to target me for advertising’? Do you have an ‘opt out’ button? Please don’t use my profile data for advertising”.
Sandberg’s seven-second answer (shown below – see the full interview in context here) was telling.
It was the first time she stumbled in the whole interview. For most of her responses, she seemed to be replaying a heavily rehearsed set of lines. For the response to this question, she seemed to be sharing thinking that had not yet been made public.
Her response, including the verbal stumble was:
“We have different forms of opt-out. We don’t have an opt-out at the highest level, that would be a..a..a..a paid product.”
[arve url=”https://vimeo.com/263641464/” /]This to me seemed very telling. What Sandberg was saying in effect was: allow us to use your data for targeting (you are the product) and you can have Facebook for free. If we can’t target the advertising and have to serve generic advertising (as most TV shows do, as well as print publications), then you have to pay to use Facebook.
I immediately thought of my relationship with other services I already pay for. The £10 per month I pay both Spotify and Netflix ensure that I see no ads. The premium I pay Vimeo for hosting my videos ensures that none of the visitors to my website see any ads either.
Could there be a time when we have an option to pay Facebook? Possibly. I wrote recently about how Facebook’s whole business model was because of their total dependence on advertising.
Having users pay for Facebook AND STILL have to see ads goes against the “pay to remove ads” model that Spotify and Netflix have championed. Sandberg’s hint that they may have to offer a paid product model to appease privacy fears os very interesting, and I am sure that the other “free with ads” platforms (many also owned by Facebook such as Instagram and Whatsapp) will be watching this space very closely.
Would you pay for Facebook if it offered a “no-ads” or “no-targeted ads” option?
Time to rethink your GDPR and data strategy …
Many people have asked me how they can navigate the GDPR legislation and become GPDR ready.
For those in London, I have partnered with a GDPR expert to host a series of day-long GDPR workshops that will ensure you are GDPR ready.
Everything you need is included:
- Workbook
- Gap analysis questionnaire
- Readiness dashboard
- Action plan
- Checklists
- Full guide and toolkit
- Editable template documents
Head to practicalfutur.ist/get-gdpr-ready and take advantage of a 50% discount.
While you are here ...
Do you need a dynamic and inspirational keynote speaker, corporate trainer, facilitator or business strategist for your next event with success stories and client results to impact your team or senior executives?If this article and topic has struck a chord with you, it can be delivered as a keynote address, a live interactive group presentation, a facilitated workshop program or completely tailored to your team or company objectives as Andrew speaks regularly on topics such as this at conferences and events around the world.
You may wish to view Andrew's extensive speaking portfolio on the speech topics page, or watch selected video replays on the video page, read client testimonials, or make an enquiry about Andrew's availability and fees.
Andrew has also started a popular Podcast Series “The Practical Futurist Podcast”. You can access the podcast via the Podcast Page, use this smart link on your phone or simply search for “Practical Futurist Podcast” on your favourite app. In each bi-weekly episode, Andrew is joined by a global expert to answer the question “What’s the future of ...” with practical advice you can put into place next week.
You may also like to read other related posts listed directly above in the People who read this post also read these ... section or watch Andrew's 90-second speaking showreel below.
Andrew Grill's Keynote Speaker Showreel
About Andrew Grill
Futurist Keynote Speaker and former IBM Global Managing Partner, Andrew is a popular and sought-after presenter and commentator on issues around digital disruption and emerging technologies. He is a multiple TEDx & International Keynote Speaker. Watch his speaking showreel here, enquire about availability & fees here or listen to his latest Podcast - "The Practical Futurist Podcast" on your favourite app.