Facebook - Free And Always Will Be?

[mushroom25]

there have been frequent rumours about Facebook seeking to charge its users, these have always been rebuffed with the comment that "it's free and always will be".

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2305396/How-people-going-like-Facebook-starts-charging-UK-users-10-send-messages-celebrities.html

seems that now, free doesn't exactly mean free, and in a move reminiscent of Animal Farm, the rebuttal now seems to read "it's free and always will be, except when Mark Zuckergerg says so".

Will Facebook users "Like" this?

[Maydup]

It might help people to keep it in proportion if they had to pay. But no doubt a free rival would emerge if Facebook were to charge and people would shift over.

[bibblebub]

They are also trying to get into politics and reckon that they should be heard because they are big and powerful and have lots of money (that's paraphrasing what they say). So users shouldn't be surprised if their fb activity gets used for political ends in the future.

[bibblebub]

(I used 'they' to mean Facebook)

[emmie]

i don;t use it, but did hear this on the news, not free then, no...

[rockyracoon]

Just seen this on the news, they say it's to stop spam but I can honestly say I've never had any in my inbox, has anyone on here? It won't affect me anyhow as I rarely message people who are not on my friends list and I most definitely won't be paying to do so.

I fancy Friends Reunited will be rubbing their hands with glee at this news, they may well see an increase in user activity.

[emmie]

one website says it's a hoax, one that has been around a while..

[boxtops]

wouldn't bother me, I've no intention of sending messages to celebrities.

[friedgreentomato]

Surely it only affects those that want to get in contact with celebs inboxes!

[Gromit]

Facebook with their new Home initiative are clearly competing for your eyeballs with Google/Android who are an advertising business.

Expect Facebook to remain free but more adverts creepy in.

[DangerUXD]

They should charge, if people are stupid enough to sign up to this sort of rubbish then it'd be rude not to charge for it!

[AB Editor]

"Surely it only affects those that want to get in contact with celebs inboxes!"

Or companies you've never heard of who want to contact you.

I spotted this the other day when trying to get in touch with someone - it seems fairly legitimate to be honest, and you can send a "free" version (it just doesn't go to the normal inbox by default)

[EvianBaby]

I don't really see what the fuss is about. The main functions of the site are still completely free and how often do you try and message someone you don't know any?

Even if you are really desperate to contact a celeb (other than being a bit creepy) there are other ways you can do that for free. They all have their own websites.

It might actually help stop stupid little kids 'cyber bullying' other kids for a bit of fun.

[EvianBaby]

Why do people who don't use social networking sites feel the need to bother commenting about them, just to say they don't use them?

[rockyracoon]

"It might actually help stop stupid little kids 'cyber bullying' other kids for a bit of fun"

This will be the absolute best result out of this, I know the headteacher at my kids school will breath a sigh of relief when it rolls out.

[EvianBaby]

But you're just saying you don't use it. you're not really contributing to the actual question.

[bazwillrun]

Theres always plenty of mugs that will pay to message "non-friends" "celebs" etc

This was a comment from somebody from an article about FB

pretty much sums FB up

""You have to admire the Zuck, he has conned millions of people into believing that you have to post inane, uninteresting, incredibly dull self-important detritus of the minutiae of your life to achieve a sense of affirmation from like minded people who also post inane, uninteresting, incredibly dull, self-important detritus of the minutiae of their lives.
While this goes on he harvests your details and sells this information to the highest bidder.......and what a salesman, he was even able to convince normally intelligent people to buy into his dream..."

[youngmafbog]

Good article Baz, really sums it up.

I would expect facebook to be continue to be free for the core product but bombarded with adverts and your details to be posted to every man and his dog around the world.

For no adverts I suspect there will be an offering; for a fee.

Also expect to pay for the frills as they are released.

Facebook is a commercial entity now. It has to make money for it's shareholders. It won't be around forever, something else will come along so they have to milk the stupid while they can.