There’s this one scene in the movie The Social Network, (you know the movie about Facebook?) where one of the lawyers tells Jesse Eisenberg, playing Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg,
“You’re not an asshole, Mark. You’re just trying so hard to be.”
Well, it looks like currently, a major chunk of the world is echoing the same sentiment and it’s chiefly thanks to the most recent controversy that the social networking platform has landed itself in.
A whistleblower has revealed that Cambridge Analytica, a data analytics firm, harvested more than 50 million Facebook profiles and used the data to influence people’s choices in several political campaigns.
Facebook makes their money by exploiting and selling intimate details about the private lives of millions, far beyond the scant details you voluntarily post. They are not victims. They are accomplices. https://t.co/mRkRKxsBcw
— Edward Snowden (@Snowden) March 17, 2018
According to The Guardian, Christopher Wylie, an employee of the firm turned whistleblower and revealed that the data gathered without users’ knowledge was used to influence users’ choices in the Trump election and Brexit campaigns.
This massive data breach news has spelled poison for Facebook and CEO Mark Zuckerberg, with users loosing faith in the social media company’s privacy policies.
While the company has suspended the accounts of Cambridge Analytica and its parent company, and ensured investigation into the matter, users seem to think not enough is being done to protect their privacy.
And now, things have gotten even worse after WhatsApp co-founder Brain Acton tweeted that it was time for Facebook users to take a very drastic action—#DeleteFacebook
It is time. #deletefacebook
— Brian Acton (@brianacton) March 20, 2018
Acton, who sold WhatsApp to Facebook for $16 million, quit his role last year to work on his own foundation. Such a harsh statement, coming from someone so close to the Facebook family could only spell trouble.
Acton’s tweet has spurred a digital movement on Twitter, #DeleteFacebook, and there are lots of people who echo his sentiment that it’s time to bid farewell to this social network.
People have had enough of their privacy being breached so blatantly. It makes them feel like products themselves, instead of human beings. The hashtag trended on Twitter today and continues to gain momentum, with more and more people joining the fray.
1. Not comfortable with this thieving!
I am glad I deleted Facebook. I do not feel comfortable having strangers try to manipulate me psychologically by stealing my information and analyzing me. #DeleteFacebook
— Samantha Jo Cherry (@SailorCherry2) March 21, 2018
2. Allegedly, there’s proof!
If you need a good reason to #DeleteFacebook then how about this? Most of us don't need to buy popularity, but @Conservatives actually paid to have their Facebook posts liked. Over £100,000 every month. pic.twitter.com/X54OpVlpHu
— Rachael Swindon (@Rachael_Swindon) March 20, 2018
3. A huge middle finger!
https://twitter.com/dchintu5/status/976362781267013634
4. Even celebs are not happy about this either.
https://twitter.com/kumailn/status/975815976435331072
5. You’re not the customer….
Facebook: you don't have to pay for it because you're not the customer. You're the product. #DeleteFacebook
— Alan Ferrier (@alanferrier) March 20, 2018
5. Time to stop!
I think it’s time for a bad company to stop reaping the gains of network effect. I’m out #deletefacebook
— Dmitry Morozov (@dmitry_yunodo) March 21, 2018
6. Does this reason work for you?
I deleted Facebook over a month ago. This is what I wrote when they asked why: #DeleteFacebook pic.twitter.com/xs4c1o2hsN
— masha brown (@mashabrownie) March 20, 2018
7. Savage!
https://twitter.com/SkunkClones/status/976146829569069057
8. Would it?
https://twitter.com/JohnGaltReport/status/976192225825689600
9. Outraged!
Finally deleted my @facebook account. If you're angry about what facebook has done with our data then just #deletefacebook We all moved on from MySpace we can move on from facebook too. Remember we aren't the customers we are the product #CambridgeAnalytica
— Eric (@ecarpen) March 17, 2018
10. We’re done, Mark!
screw u mark zuck #deleteFACEBOOK pic.twitter.com/qwEbg3hFI9
— ROSIE (@Rosie) March 19, 2018
This severe backlash has definitely cost the company and how! Facebook shares fell by more than 9% over the last two days, with a decrease of almost $50 billion in the company’s valuation.
The skies look a little too overcast for Facebook right now, and it remains to be seen if users will #DeleteFacebook or simply let the rebellion die.