First off let’s get our definition of social sorted out:

so·cial [ sṓshəl ]

adjective
Definition:
1. relating to society: relating to human society and how it is organized
2. relating to interaction of people: relating to the way in which people in groups behave and interact
the social sciences
3. living in a community: living or preferring to live as part of a community or colony rather than alone
social insects such as ants
4. offering opportunity for interaction: allowing people to meet and interact with others in a friendly way
a social club
5. relating to human welfare: relating to human welfare and the organized welfare services that a community provides
social services
6. of rank in society: relating to or considered appropriate to a rank in society, especially the upper classes
7. sociable: tending to seek out the company of others ( informal )
a very social person
8. growing in clumps: describes plants that grow in clumps or masses

noun  (plural so·cials)
Definition:
informal get-together: an informal gathering or party, usually of a particular group of people who meet regularly

Now can anyone please tell me HTF any of the above even comes close to relating to this marketing bullshit being put out by Facebook and their newly announced Social Ads; or even 99% of the crap that is being flown under the banner of Web 2.0 social this and social that.

Here we have a web company floating high on a paper valuation of $15Billion dollars that really is worth nothing more that the paper the valuation is written on who plan on taking on the AdSense money machine by using your data, making you a salesperson for which you won’t get paid for and on top of that they will be amalgamating one of the largest corporate databases of personal information that is updated daily to do with as they see fit.

Where in the hell is the social in that mess of corporate marketing doublespeak. As it stand right now the word social has become as bastardized as the word friend and companies like Facebook are making jumbo jet fortunes because we are losing sight of what it means to be a social being. Technology instead of bettering our society is turning us into faceless avatars occupying advertising networks imagining that we are making some sort of change.

While some bloggers feel that Facebook is selling out or others dread the idea of being faced with having Coca-Cola wanting to be their friend I am not surprised at all by Facebook’s move. It was inevitable - there were too many VCs wanting a return on their investment - and I am not surprised one bit that this is something that Facebook users will not be able to opt out of.

I have absolutely no problem with any company wanting to make money after all that is the whole idea behind having a business in the first place. Where I have a problem is with companies couching their money making behind a so-called cloud of social whatever and making that money without providing any remuneration whatsoever to those that are actually paying for the private jumbo jets. As far as I am concerned this is nothing short of a hoax on the grandest scale and a shell game that would make a street corner hustler proud.

Social my ass.

Listening to: Fiona Joyce - Behind Closed Doors - Down Where The Drunkards Roll

[tags]social networks, social ads, social, Facebook[/tags]

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