#DeleteFacebook: Mozilla, Sonos join the bandwagon
Mozilla has announced to temporarily distance itself from Facebook. This comes in the light of the recently started #DeleteFacebook movement and the ongoing Facebook-Cambridge Analytica scandal that highlighted Facebook's lax terms of service regarding data privacy and security. Due to this, data analytics firm Cambridge Analytica could obtain user data of 50 million people from Facebook without their permission.
We are pressing pause on Facebook advertising: Mozilla
"We're taking a break from Facebook," Mozilla said in a blog post, reasoning that the social network's "current default settings leave access open to a lot of data." However, the company is not deleting its Facebook page yet. "When Facebook takes stronger action in how it shares customer data, specifically strengthening its default privacy settings for third-party apps, we'll consider returning," it added.
Elon Musk deleted Tesla, SpaceX pages on Facebook
Last week, Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk deleted both the companies' Facebook accounts after he responded to WhatsApp co-founder Brian Acton's tweet urging people to support the #DeleteFacebook movement. He has deleted his own Facebook page too.
Sonos pulls down advertising from Facebook, Instagram
Further, German bank Commerzbank has put Facebook advertising "on hold," and Sonos, the electronics company known for making speakers, is pulling the plug on advertising on Facebook, Instagram, Google, and Twitter for a week. "The Cambridge Analytica scandal raises questions about whether Big Tech is doing enough to balance its own interests with one of its biggest responsibilities--safeguarding your privacy," it said.
But Facebook seems to be downplaying the blow
However, it seems like Facebook is undeterred by the actions of these businesses. "Most of the businesses we've spoken with this week are pleased with the steps we've outlined to better protect people's data, and they have confidence that we'll respond to these challenges and become a better partner and company as a result," it said.
Facebook and advertisers, both need each other
According to Allen Adamson, the founder of brand marketing consultancy firm Metaforce, neither these actions will affect Facebook's bottom line, nor will advertisers be able to keep away from the platform for long. "Companies can take a short-term hiatus to get some positive spin on the market, but there's no other alternative for digital marketing today," he said.
