Last but not least: Justin Bieber for $15
Facebook is testing a new way to cash in on the social media behemoth. For a fee, users will be able to contact celebrities or other unknown individuals. They’re surely already thrilled—especially since they won’t see any of the money.
The future of Facebook is written in the stars. Probably not too rosy. The young find the network uncool, the old are annoyed by the lack of data protection and constant innovations. The changes are being made to make the social giant more interesting for the advertising industry. One cannot shake off the impression that the giant is being milked while it is still gigantic. Examples such as Myspace or SchülerVZ, whose imminent shutdown was announced today, show that things can happen quickly.
The latest example of eager monetization comes from the UK: Facebook is testing contacting prominent members of the network for a fee. The more fans, the more expensive the message. In return, the message does not end up in the "Other" folder like other messages from strangers, but in the correct inbox for friends. The regulation should apply to all users who are not part of your own friends list.
According to Focus.de This measure is intended to prevent celebrity mailboxes from being constantly overfilled and other spam from being sent around the world. The upper limit in America is 15 dollars - which is probably how much an email to Justin Bieber would cost. According to the NZZ, contacting Prince Harry's girlfriend costs as little as 71 pence. Whoever that is - a bargain! Interestingly, all the money goes into Facebook's pockets. This will certainly increase the motivation of celebrities to read any letters immeasurably, especially as virtually no star manages and maintains their Facebook profile themselves anyway. The idea of Justin Bieber reading and replying to your love letter for 15 dollars is likely to spur real Beliebers on even more.
The payment model and the associated reporting raises many questions. If paid messages no longer end up in a separate folder for strangers, coveted people can look forward to tons of fan mail in their inbox - mixed in with messages from friends. It is also not clear whether the regulation will also apply to (fan) pages. The only thing that is clear is that the days of paying for Facebook by handing over sensitive data and a little attention are numbered. (hae)
Teaser image: Keystone
