As I found myself looking back on that 2014 note about Facebook. A lot’s changed since then. GDPR came along, giving people more control over personal information on paper, at least. There’s also been more awareness about how data is used, especially with AI training on user-generated content. Yet, at the core, things haven’t shifted much. Our data still fuels these platforms.
What really got me thinking about all this again was seeing the front row at Donald Trump’s second inauguration. It wasn’t just politicians sitting there: it was tech billionaires. The very people who run the platforms that shape our interactions online. Their influence feels greater than ever.
Even with more regulations, the model remains the same: platforms collect and use data to generate revenue. And every so often, you’ll see someone post a declaration: “I do not give Facebook or Meta consent to use my data.” These posts would spread quickly in reaction to some new T&C or policy change, but legally, they don’t change anything for the users. Once you agree to the terms, there’s no undoing it with a status update.
It all brings me back to the original question: what can we actually do? I don’t have a simple answer. But I know that asking questions, challenging the status quo, and talking about these issues is a start. Even if the world hasn’t changed as much as I hoped, it’s not too late to keep pushing for better practices and more accountability. If only I had been more active in this 10 years ago.
Jonathan Pay - email marketing consultant 