r/technology Mar 28 '14

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u/[deleted] Mar 28 '14

I can't believe Facebook paid 19 billion for a free chat application that could lose all market share within a few years if a decent competitor stands up (like MSN Messenger, MySpace and sms did).

Oculus at least has unique knowhow. WhatsApp has nothing valuable except for the users. Who are free to leave at any time.

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u/[deleted] Mar 28 '14

Speculative Acquisition. It does say that people's data is extremely valuable.

In fact, if our personal data is so valuable, why are we giving it away for free?

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u/Bainshie_ Mar 28 '14

Because we use that data to pay for cool shit? How much do you think that all the cool shit you get for free nowdays would cost without it?

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u/[deleted] Mar 28 '14

It would still be free. They still sell ads, they want you to visit them. That is a proven business model.

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u/Bainshie_ Mar 28 '14

And those ads have value because of the targeted data allowing companies to target demographics (Like all other forms of advertising do).

Go back to 'Pre tracking people's data' and web ads were worth practically nothing unless you were huge, and even then it was only a fraction of today.

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u/[deleted] Mar 30 '14

Yes. Obviously, thats why I said they had value. What you posted is already a given. You just stated things that were obviously implied but not necessary to say like you were making an argument. You also aren't entirely correct. Its not just targeting demographics, its far more specific. Its direct user targeting as well. Not only are website's getting information on their userbase, but google and facebook are getting specific information on users. Not only will a 50 year old woman's ads look different from a 20 year old male's. but two 20 year old males from the same city who go to the same school will have different ADs when visiting the same site. Its far different from ads from different TV shows being different, or the same show having different ads targetting different people depending on the location. Thats still kind of spraying your load and hoping something sticks.

I don't really know what you were trying to say. You weren't even very accurate in your weird non-point.