Should we boycott Facebook?

PROS

Facebook hogs users' personal data

Facebook is unreliable

Facebook is a propaganda tool

Facebook is an all-powerful company

There are free alternatives to Facebook

The moderation policy is wrong

Facebook is harmful to its users

Facebook is a cynical, criminal company ready to spill blood for pure greed.

CONS

Facebook is a tool for expression

We all need to keep in touch with those around us

There's no more reason to boycott Facebook than other web giants

Facebook is the social network used by the majority of people

Keywords: Facebook, Boycott.

Warnings

This article aims to present all the pros and cons of the debate “Should we boycott Facebook?”, to help everyone form a critical, informed opinion.

Learn more: Founding Principles

This debate is under construction. Arguments are missing or not written. The introduction and bibliography need improvement.

Feel free to complete them.

To understand the debate

Where does Facebook come from?

Facebook is an American company founded by Mark Zuckerberg in 2004, and whose name comes from the English word "facebook", meaning "face book". The company's rapid growth has made it one of the biggest in the world. Today, the Facebook group, which has since acquired numerous other companies such as Instagram and Whatsapp, has annual sales of $34 billion (2017).

News from the debate

In the wake of the Cambridge Analytica affair and the various accusations against Facebook over its use of its users' personal data, many voices are calling for a boycott of the world's most widely used social network. Facebook is facing controversy from within. Former employees have criticized the social network as "destructive to the way our society works", in the words of Sean Parker, ex-president of Mark Zuckerberg's company. In an article in the French newspaper "Le Monde", he expresses his concern and regret at having played a part in the success of a company that "prioritizes the collection of data from its users rather than protecting them from abuse", in the words of another former employee. Beyond the obscure treatment of personal data, users are sceptical about the benefits of using Facebook. A hobby that some describe as unhealthy and depressing. The content shared is not representative of the real world, and could lead to disillusionment or even withdrawal. Distrust has spread, and a keyword has been coined: #deletefacebook. But is it really possible to leave Facebook altogether? Isn't reasonable use of social networks enough?

See also: Facebook on Wikipedia

Pros

What are the pros of ?

• Facebook hogs users' personal data
• Facebook is unreliable
• Facebook is a propaganda tool
• Facebook is an all-powerful company
• There are free alternatives to Facebook
• The moderation policy is wrong
• Facebook is harmful to its users
• Facebook is a cynical, criminal company ready to spill blood for pure greed.

Cons

What are the cons of ?

• Facebook is a tool for expression
• We all need to keep in touch with those around us
• There's no more reason to boycott Facebook than other web giants
• Facebook is the social network used by the majority of people

Further reading

Bibliography

“Pro” side

• Ippolita, J'aime pas Facebook, Payot, 2012
• Jacques Séguéla, Le diable s'habille en GAFA: Google, Apple, Facebook, Amazon, Coup de gueule, 2018

“Con” side

• David Kirkpatrick, La révolution Facebook, JC Lattès, 2011

Neither “pro” nor “con”

• Jérôme Colombain, Réseaux (a)sociaux : Faut-il quitter Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram ?, Qapla, 2018

Webliography

“Pro” side

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“Con” side

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Neither “pro” nor “con”

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Videography

“Pro” side

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“Con” side

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Neither “pro” nor “con”

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