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Find out more about Michael: Michael Estrin has been writing about technology and the web since 2003. He first went online with Prodigy and is slightly embarrassed about that now. He counts skepticism as his No. 1 tech reporter quality. |
A plan to boycott Facebook because of its new redesign is picking up steam, with the Los Angeles Times reporting that as many as 4 million members of the site will refrain from logging in on Oct. 18 and 19.
The boycott, which is being spread via Facebook groups (of course), marks yet another user backlash for the social network.
Despite growing to more than 100 million active users, Facebook has seen users voice their protest several times in the past. Most notably, Facebook users initially balked at the idea of News Feeds, which update members on the actions taken by their friends. More recently, users rejected Beacon, a controversial advertising program that served ads based on information users had put in their profiles.
So is this a serious threat to Facebook?
Probably not.
The company issued this statement:
"We're flattered to have such passionate users provide feedback on the new site design, and we're pleased to see them sharing their views, which is what Facebook is all about. We are still working on the site and are committed to making Facebook better for all users."
The two-day protest (if it works) won't really hurt Facebook unless members find that they can easily stay away for good. But it should change the way the company plans its future design rollouts, given the fact that its members are practically screaming for greater input.
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