While the Facebook vote on terms of use are not specifically highly technical, they reveal an interesting tension point for subscriber-based websites who are dependent on advertising revenue. Who are you loyal to? Subscribers, Advertisers, or Shareholders?
As always, the answer lies somewhere in between. In this case, Facebook treads murky water, as their subscription base’s information is what gives advertisers the ability to ultra-segment and target with their ads. In other words, Facebook has the win the trust of the people who they exploit for advertising sales.
The takeaway:
Unfamiliar challenges require unprecedented solutions. Facebook creating a democratic vote on their terms of use are barely short of revolutionary. Even if both the choices of pre-approved, and it requires a 30% turnout, it is still beyond what any large-scale social network or site has done before. Consider what other ways you can maintain profitability while retaining subscriber trust.
