To Vote or Not to Vote…For Facebook, that is the Question.

Within the last week, Facebook has made history again, asking users to vote for the third time in the company’s eight-year existence; but there’s a twist. Facebook users are voting on their right to vote for proposed changes to the social service. Yes, you read correctly, you’re voting for voting rights on Facebook, and if you don’t watch it, you may just lose that privilege.

These proposed changes come in light of Facebook’s review of its governing documents including the Data Use Policy and the Statement of Rights and Responsibilities. According to Elliot Schrage, Facebook’s VP of Communications, Public Policy and Marketing, the social media site seeks to reorganize their governance process, given their recent growth amongst users and public traders. In a nutshell, Facebook has gotten so big that their current voting system is inadequate and they’d like to get rid of it. The proposal states that the site would replace the system with one that emphasizes the “quality” of a vote rather than the “quantity” of votes.

The problem lies in the previous sentence: Facebook would like to do away with the present voting process, but does not seem to have a
definitive alternative.  I guess deciding upon this alternative would require another vote; but, what system do we have in the meantime? Are we to leave our Facebook policies to be decided upon by this now “big-wig”, publically traded company?

At first glimpse of this story, I wondered, “What’s all the fuss about? At least you’re getting a chance to vote for your vote.” But, if  many people don’t turn out –as history has shown-then you and I are left in a lurch where our voting rights may be null and void. This is just my take on the matter, so don’t take it from me; just consider it food for thought…