Response to the Propaganda Paper and the Big Trade-Off

Hodgkinson's article was not only unprofessional, it was irresponsible. Hodgkinson seems like an activist. As such, I feel it is imperative that his writing be grounded with facts and a solid, rational argument. Although Hodgkinson used a variety of persuasive techniques (such as scapegoating and the strawman) his argument preoccupation with board members of Facebook seemed more like ranting. He started off with describing the life of a Facebooker as lonely and not genuine. Instead of researching this and supporting it with fact he targeted the board members. I don't agree with the political leanings of the board members who are getting more rich off of Facebook and supporting neocon groups. Unfortunately,many readers will dismiss Hodgkinson's argument as rantings.
Facebook does have the potential to be a useful tool for groups of many different political groups. I saw a post today from a "friend," that had a link that led me to a website about the Great Pacific Garbage Patch and a group that is trying to clean it up. I would not have known about this environmental problem if it weren't for Facebook- the trade-off.
When you sign up for Facebook, you sign away your privacy. People should know that. I was unaware of the ads that target my profile. This article illuminated that issue for me. I immediately went on to Facebook and looked at my profile. Interests include hiking and cooking. I looked at the ads on the sidebar: North Face, City Market, and culinary schools. What a powerful tool, except I barely notice that the ads are there. I have many 4th and 5th grade students with Facebook accounts. I wonder if they are aware of this? Room for a media education moment!