Light/Breezes

Light/Breezes
SUNRISE AT DEATH VALLEY-Photo by Tom Cochrun

Monday, January 30, 2012

HEY FACEBOOK-WHAT ABOUT THIS?

SHARE THE WEALTH WITH
THOSE WHO MADE YOU
As the world awaits the Facebook IPO, the
experts are predicting the market value of
the company could soar to $100 Billion. One
analyst said anything under $75 Billion would be
a disappointment.
Mark Zuckerberg's company is expected to raise
some 10 Billion in the stock offering making
it one of the 4 or 5 largest IPO's in history.
Well Mark, here's something you should do-share
some of that wealth with the folks who have made
Facebook valuable-those who use the social network.
I can urge this without a conflict of interest, because
I have refused to do Facebook simply because of
the economics.  
The company has a market value now that is likely to
skyrocket when openly traded as stock, because of
those of you who social network there.  It is you,
and your exchanges and posts that give the
computers the data to mine that in turn has 
a commercial value.  You, your life, your habits
and a whole lot more creates a huge information
field which is then captured, analyzed and marketed, so Zuckerberg and company become billionaires.  
Here's a purely capitalistic entreaty-
return some of that worth and value to the 
users.  You can do that in cash, stocks,
dividends or other means.  
Facebook should attach a value to the amount of 
data and activity that you create by your use and 
compensate you accordingly.
One could even imagine a cooperative idea, 
not unlike an REI, where, based on your use
you have a percentage of year end wealth.
Be creative Mark.  After all if people found
another venue to social network, or another
way to do what they do on Facebook-and those
venues exist-and abandoned your Facebook,
how much would you and the company be
worth?  
If someone creates a model that accomplishes
what Facebook does, but also compensates
the people who make it worthy, we just
might witness another 
communication revolution.


DAY BOOK
Birds of a Feather
Several specie share a few moments on Moonstone Beach in Cambria.



Not bad for a winter's day.
See you down the trail.

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