Psychology of the Facebook Betrayal

I never really understood the Facebook attraction. I can’t figure out why saying “Hi” to someone online makes you a sudden best friend, and that means you can now share personal information. I have a couple of good friends, as do most of you, and the rest may be classed as great acquaintances.

So Facebook now claims that it knew about the use of your personal data for mining by other companies, and your friends’ data as well, and that they are sorry and trying to fix the problem. But here are some points to consider if you are still active on Facebook. Psychological factors may stop you from ever using this platform again.

1. You really don’t have a lot of friends. The people that follow you are virtual acquaintances not true friends.

2. Whatever you put online is always open to view by anyone, and that includes data miners that will try to sell you something.

3. No one will trust big data again. If someone wants to mine your medical records, as governments now say they want to, say no. Do we really have that choice?

4. Other online companies will be next. Twitter, Instagram, where will it end?

5. Use services within other applications. One example is what we do at ExerciseMD.com. We don’t sell any data and you can have true friends join your group to discuss exercise or other matters in a closed environment. Only those you allow into your group are able to join and see what you talk about. You can kick them out at any time. You can also stop us from using your wearable data, such as fitbit, just by changing your fitbit password at any time – or any other wearable that you gave us permission to review to adjust your exercise program.

6. Trust is something that is built up over time, and once breached or broken almost impossible to repair. Trusting any online platform with personal information is a bad idea. Very soon many of these companies will be an after-thought because they just can’t be trusted.

7. Today Facebook states they are building a system where you can pay to be safe from data mining and theft. Isn’t that a business model Tony Soprano used to protect restaurant owners from harm – I think they called it “protection money” on that great HBO show?

8. Take this as an opportunity to spend time on what really matters to you in life and what is most important. Being on social media is in most cases a waste of time. Read a good book instead, call someone on the phone or better yet, turn off all devices and have them over for coffee or tea or some other beverage.

It’s what real friends used to do. It will be the next trend.