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Why a Facebook Watch Is a Bad Idea
Privacy is already an issue
By Charlie Sorrel Charlie Sorrel Senior Tech Reporter Charlie Sorrel has been writing about technology, and its effects on society and the planet, for 13 years. lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on February 18, 2021 04:05PM EST Fact checked by Rich Scherr Fact checked by Rich Scherr University of Maryland Baltimore County Rich Scherr is a seasoned technology and financial journalist who spent nearly two decades as the editor of Potomac and Bay Area Tech Wire. lifewire's fact checking process Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email Smart & Connected Life Mobile Phones Internet & Security Computers & Tablets Smart Life Home Theater & Entertainment Software & Apps Social Media Streaming Gaming Key Takeaways
Facebook’s watch is expected to launch in 2021.It will focus on health and fitness tracking, and messaging.Facebook is desperate to push its own hardware platform, as Apple shuts down its spying on iOS. Luke Chesser / Unsplash Facebook plans to launch a smartwatch next year. It will work without a smartphone, will be all about fitness and messaging, and—presumably—will harvest a ton of ultra-private data. According to The Information, the Facebook watch will have the same core features as the Apple Watch: health and fitness, and messaging. The watch will join Facebook’s other hardware efforts, the Oculus virtual reality headset, and its Ray Ban smart-glasses collaboration. But who, really, would wear a Facebook watch? "Facebook's entrance into the smartwatch market stems from its perceived need (but really, entitlement) to collect more data," avoidthehack! founder Ashley Simmons told Lifewire via email. "It's a user privacy nightmare. If we go by the Oculus example, Facebook will likely require its smartwatch users to create a Facebook account. In many cases, Facebook requires new users to 'validate' their accounts by sending in government ID." Not a Phone
Facebook has a reputation for taking whatever user data it wants, and also for leaking that data. And yet users keep coming back because Facebook offers a compelling proposal in return. All your friends are on Facebook, along with all your special-interest groups, and so on. If you want to stay in touch, you have to use Facebook, on a computer or, more likely, on a phone. A watch is a different proposition. You don’t need it to keep in touch, or to share posts, or to send messages. And a watch also feels more personal. It's a user privacy nightmare... In many cases, Facebook requires new users to 'validate' their accounts by sending in government ID. In reality, your phone goes everywhere you go. But wearing a watch feels more intimate. Facebook will have to come up with a pretty compelling reason to buy its watch over buying an Apple Watch, which comes from a company with a reputation for protecting your privacy, not for invading and exploiting it. In fact, Apple’s ever-more-protective measures on the iPhone might be one of the things that has pushed Facebook into hardware. Privacy First… On the Chopping Block
Facebook’s attempt to sell a Facebook phone failed, so it relies on other vendors’ platforms. Apple is slowly closing down the security holes that Facebook exploits to garner private user information, which is the lifeblood of its business. If Facebook can popularize its own hardware platform, its reach into the pot of personal data will be unlimited. "Currently, [Facebook] has a notorious reputation for selling user data to third parties with not exactly the best intentions, so a more invasive wearable product will be a difficult sell," Scott Hasting, co-founder of sports-betting software company BetWorthy, told Lifewire via email. Tyler Hendy / Unsplash "Facebook's privacy issues are no secret. Users are hesitant enough to trust Facebook with social data, but imagine if they start tracking your health, location, and text messages as well." Facebook is also intensely competitive; one might even say paranoid. Whenever another platform looks likely to rival Facebook in popularity, it buys or copies it. It bought Instagram, a social network for photos, and then used that to copy TikTok and Snapchat. When WhatsApp became the default messaging and group-sharing app outside the US, Facebook bought it. And now, watches are getting big. "It likely stems from Amazon's entrance into the market, and Google's official entrance with the acquisition of Fitbit," says Simmons. But in the end, it’s all about the data. "Facebook thrives off collecting data and corporate surveillance because its business model literally profits off us humans' need to connect," says Simmons. "Entering the smartwatch market means Facebook can collect a missing data point—health/fitness related data—about its users." Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit More from Lifewire The Meta Watch Is Dead: Here's What It Would've Been How to Fix It When Facebook Messenger Isn’t Sending Messages The 8 Best Facebook Alternatives in 2022 The 10 Best Ways to Watch Movies With Friends Online How to Untag Yourself or Someone Else on Facebook How to Block Searches of Your Facebook Profile How to Prevent Strangers From Seeing Your Facebook Profile How to Log Out of Facebook How to Disable Facebook's Facial Recognition Feature How to Recover Deleted Messages on Facebook Messenger How to Use the Off Facebook Activity Tool to Protect Your Privacy How to Turn on Two-Factor Authentication on Facebook How to PM on Facebook Facebook Watch: What It Is and How to Use It How to Fix It When Facebook Pay Isn't Working 6 Best Ways to Search for People on Facebook Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookies Settings Accept All Cookies