- Facebook is a social networking website that was founded in February 2004 by Harvard University students Chris Hughes, Andrew McCollum, Dustin Moskovitz, Eduardo Saverin and Mark Zuckerberg.
- presence enables businesses to share information about products and services to established and potential customers.
- Searching for jobs. Facebook is often a way to look at the personal and professional lives of people and organizations to see if there is a cultural fit. Businesses also often list available jobs on the app.
- Selling goods and services. Businesses can sell goods and services directly in the marketplace. They can also push consumers toward their products via advertisements.
Facebook controversies
Over the course of its existence, Facebook has been the subject of many controversies. Several scandals were severe enough that Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg testified before the U.S. Congress about the company's practices. Here are some controversies of note.
Winklevoss twins
The origins of Facebook itself are mired in controversy with twins Tyler and Cameron Winklevoss, who claimed Zuckerberg stole the original idea for the site that became Facebook. The Winklevosses sued Zuckerberg, and a settlement was reached in 2008 that included a mix of cash and shares estimated at the time to be worth $65 million.
Beacon advertising system
One of the earliest controversies involving user privacy occurred in 2007 with Facebook's first attempt to monetize its site with an advertising system originally known as Beacon. The Beacon system shared user activity with advertisers without user permission or the ability to opt out. In December 2007, Facebook withdrew the feature, and Zuckerberg published a public apology, pledging to do a better job protecting user information and privacy.
Facebook two-factor authentication
In September 2018, Facebook admitted that it was providing user phone numbers to advertisers. Users originally provided their numbers to enable two-factor authentication. This authentication was intended to provide integrity to the Facebook login process, and user information was supposed to be kept private.
Cambridge Analytica
The Cambridge Analytica scandal broke on March 19, 2018. Cambridge Analytica was a political data analytics firm with an app used by Facebook users. Cambridge Analytica then accessed user data without user authorization. The collected data was allegedly used to influence the 2016 U.S. elections and U.K. Brexit vote. The scandal triggered an investigation by the Federal Trade Commission. Zuckerberg appeared before the U.S. Congress to address concerns about privacy practices.
Facebook Papers
Facebook has had many whistleblowers come forward over the years alleging wrongdoing at the company. Perhaps the most well known of them is Frances Haugen. In 2021, she leaked details on the social media giant's own research about the negative effect Facebook has on teen girls and others. Haugen testified before Congress on Oct. 5, 2021, about Facebook and its effect on children.
Facial recognition
In November 2021, Facebook announced it was shutting down some of its facial recognition capabilities to allay concerns about user privacy. There are multiple problems with the facial recognition that Facebook was using, including tagging users without permission.
Facebook dangers
As a community of users that share information and pictures, there is no shortage of potential dangers that can put users at risk.
Facebook has admitted to multiple risks and identified several safety resources to stay safe on the site. Users should think before they post, report things that are suspicious and never share their passwords. Here are some potential dangers for Facebook users:
- Social engineering. Users can be tricked into doing something that they originally didn't intend to do with a social engineering On Facebook, that could lead to fraud or other potential financial losses.
- Malicious apps. A Facebook app could gain access to a user's information, including contacts and activity. This could then expose the user to risk via a privacy violation or even malware.
- Identify theft. Users commonly share personally identifiable information on Facebook, and in the wrong hands, that information can be used to create fraudulent identities.
- Marketplace scams. There are myriad scams that occur in the marketplace where users sell goods and services. Scams include stolen, fake or counterfeit merchandise, among other forms of fraud.
- Social media addiction and mental health. An ever-present danger with Facebook is the social effect on mental health. Facebook's own research shows that its platforms, including Instagram, are harmful to teens' mental health. With the large volume of negative and disturbing news that can permeate the platform, there can also be a tendency toward doomscrolling. This is where users aimlessly scroll through reams of negative news, which can have a bleak effect on mental health.
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