Facebook just pulled a Netscape. What the hell are they thinking? They just flipped off Google and others in this openness war – how? by being closed.
Most of the Facebook kids were not around when Netscape blew it to Microsoft. Now Facebook is making a blunder to fight Google on a frontal basis.
Here they write via their developer blog ….hold on let me get the violin out..”Now that Google has launched Friend Connect, we’ve had a chance to evaluate the technology. We’ve found that it redistributes user information from Facebook to other developers without users’ knowledge, which doesn’t respect the privacy standards our users have come to expect and is a violation of our Terms of Service. Just as we’ve been forced to do for other applications that redistribute data in a way users might not expect or understand, we’ve had to suspend Friend Connect’s access to Facebook user information until it comes into compliance. We’ve reached out to Google several times about this issue, and hope to work with them to enable users to share their data exactly when and where they choose.”
Kara Swisher please decode this for us? I think that this is garbage for Facebook to do this – Hello Beacon…
I have been following Facebook for some time and never got one response from their PR people. I’m tired of waiting. My opinion is that this move is bad. What a PR blunder.
Update: Mike Arrington has a detailed post from both companies. Nice post Mike!.
Facebook: Privacy my ass – This is a Facebook PR stunt backfired…this imho only hurts Facebooks platform development efforts because FB need to develop the platform and this petty shit has to stop.. ..Elliott’s 2nd day on the job. Nice job pal – NOT.
Silicon Valley Technology Blog - John Furrier 
Facebook has never once responded to media requests. They have one of the most arrogant PR cultures I have ever seen.
Andrew and Robert,
I’m not picking on Facebook. I’m just doing them a favor by pointing out the obvious. I love what Facebook is all about, but when I see them make these kinds of blunders..I just shake my head.
My point is that they just might lose the strategic competitive strategy when they have real work to do. My advice to Facebook is to focus the PR on the non-core features of your business especially when you’re vulnerable. Netscape had the same arrogance toward MIcrosoft and we all know how that turned out. If I were advising Zuck I’d be suggesting doing it different.
Facebook didn’t just “pull a Netscape”, aren’t they are the modern equivalent of Netscape? Consider: Uber-genius behind the company is named Mark and is seen as visionary and hailed as the next big CEO; company goes to market with next-gen / killer app and rides a tidal wave of valuation few could have predicted; the company is largely credited with ushering in the “next era” of technology; the uber-genius founder maintains arrogant public persona while trying to out-maneuver larger competition. The final FB chapter hasn’t been written, obviously, but we know how the Netscape story turned out. Lofty valuation was a high-water mark…eventual marginalization from competition…acquired…shelved…discontinued…
Bauer,
i am referring to the time when netscape’s arrogance was so high (as was their mkt share in browser – netscape navigator) that they basically told microsoft that they would crush them. They basically flip them the bird so to speak. Microsoft mobilized under Bill Gates then asssembled the most feared swat team of assassins to kill Netscape – they did that at all costs including leveraging their monopoly power. Netscape died so fast no one knew what hit them.
Today Google is Microsoft and Facebook is Netscape. Google will crush Facebook if Facebook tried to take a frontal approach to competing with Google.
That’s my point. I would not be advising Mark to compete against Google the way that they are. Certainly I would never advise the PR strategy that they are taking. PR Blunder because Facebook has no lockin yet on revenues.. they can get there but not by shining a big spotlight on their competitive maneuvers… I’m bullish on Facebook as a platform but not bullish on their stupid PR strategy…
agree. a frontal assault on GOOG with an expectation that MSFT will save them is wrong-headed on many levels, imho.
I’m Pretty Sure Facebook has a plan. Plus if how are people going to learn if they don’t make mistakes.
I’m just making a statement.
http://www.theMovementz.com