The past week must have been a busy week in the Facebook HQ. After all, any news on data and privacy breach on the biggest social media platform is a huge blow. With billions of users and their respective data, a single entity to get hold of it is like enjoying an all-you-can-eat-buffet for free.
 
Just to give you a background, Cambridge Analytica and a certain Aleksandr Kogan used an app to gather millions of data from users in 2013. Two years after, their app brought attention to Facebook and the social media giant asked Kogan and Cambridge Analytica a certification that all the data were already deleted.
 
Fast forward to 2018, it seems like the data were not deleted after all. Even worse, the data were sold. To what intents and purposes, we don’t really know for sure. Even Facebook can’t trace all that.
 
In a public apology posted by Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, he mentioned the series of events that led to this breach. He also mentioned that they’ll go over through the rest of the apps, check how much user data they’re getting, and what they could do to improve on this especially with data issues at hand.
 

#DeleteFacebook Campaign

 
The news of the breach ignited different reactions from users. Mostly, of course, were outraged. Who wouldn’t?
 
Thus, people started the #DeleteFacebook Campaign. It encourages users to delete their Facebook profile to prevent Facebook from sharing them further. This may not be the outright solution, but it’s the best option.
 
However, Zuckerberg shared that they are not focusing on the decline that much. He said that they are focusing more on resolving privacy issues. Although, he admitted, the decline could be trouble if it dipped further.
 

Should You Join the Campaign?

 
This is a big question for debate. Should you delete your account? Yes. Does this prevent Facebook from sharing your data? Not totally. Here’s why: Facebook is a data-centrist platform. The data you stored has left an imprint; an indelible mark.
 
Deleting your Facebook account would mean you can’t share further information. But your previous data has a bigger chance of staying with the platform.
 
Deleting your Facebook account also won’t prevent them from tracking your online use. They are not the only ones who gather your data. Google does, too. And with every search you make helps them track your online behavior.
 
But what good it would be to delete your Facebook?
 
For one, it could reduce the amount of data they can use. Probably, by the time they share it, it’s already an outdated one.
 
Another reason is simply the participation and influence it can have to others around you. Deleting your Facebook account and encouraging others to do the same might have a domino effect on others. With this, Facebook would have less and less data in their system. It might reach to the point that the amount of data wouldn’t be that enticing to advertisers anymore.
 
So, maybe it would mean Facebook would lose its business. But it might also help them to think harder on their business platform, on how pretentious the platform seems, and on finally being real and honest about their business and what they do with people’s data.
 
Word’s out now. Your move, Facebook.