The Evolution of Facebook's Business Model

Initially, Facebook's core goal was audience growth, with no specific business model in place when the platform first took off. As financial concerns became paramount, the company began to shift towards a model centered on data collection and user engagement, which led to the development of persuasive technology designed to amplify user interaction. This evolution in strategy not only increased Facebook’s profitability but also influenced the type of content that thrived on the platform, favoring sensational and polarizing material over factual information. The eventual emergence of a controversial business model based on user data commodification has prompted significant ethical concerns surrounding the genuine impact of these platforms on democracy and human behavior.