So, in light of all the opposition, Facebook has modified Beacon to require that I opt-in before the system shares what FB refers to as a "story" (a newsfeed item declaring my allegiance to a particular Facebook partner brand...like eBay).
That's fine, but even if I give Beacon permission, it's still not word of mouth marketing, no matter how hard it claims to be. It's "Facebook is acting like Big Brother and prying into my buying habits" marketing, but now only with permission granted.
I'm sorry, but if I want to share something, let me be the one taking the initiative and not some advertising platform doing it for me, with or without my permission.
Just because a brand such as Overstock and Facebook decide to partner up and pass money from one hand to the other, I should not be the go-between, the pigeon or the peon that sanctions their union.
And, to borrow a phrase from Tony Soprano, "Where's my taste?" Shouldn't I get something out of the deal? I mean, after all, if I'm going to shill for Overstock because I bought a cheap coffee maker (and, yes, I know they've now opted-out of the program, at least for the time being), shouldn't I recompensed? At least, let me be the one initiating the conversation. "Paul bought a cheap, friggin' coffee maker at Overstock." Is that what the newsfeed would read? God, that's embarrassing! Facebook, I love ya, but leave me the heck alone!
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