Facebook’s CPO Claims Privacy Is Key To Site’s Success?

Over the weekend, a story emerged from the world of Reuters concerning the social site Facebook and the quandary that is privacy in the era of Web 2.0. For the piece, the news organization sat down to talk with Chris Kelly, Facebook’s CPO (Chief Privacy Officer), to discuss what he considers the major element to the site’s success up to now and going forward.

I’m sure you can guess what Kelly believes to be the secret ingredient to the Facebook recipe. Yes, you need only look at his title at the company find the answer: Privacy.

Of course, it’s absolutely ridiculous to think Facebook’s measures to ensure users’ privacy is the factor ensuring that it’s existence is chock full of sunshine and speedy growth.

The fact that the network’s members have a “right to be alone” and are in control of their information is hardly a sales pitch. Sites across the Net promise to keep one’s identity safe and secure 24/7/365. Apart from places where truly sensitive information is maintained (banking sites, shopping venues, etc.), users for the most part don’t closely inspect every locks and key every which way they go. After all, most anyone joining Facebook and the like (or having already done so) do not expect to be and do not wish to be left entirely alone in places meant to be social hubs for people all over the world devoid of physical restraints. Hence every Tom, Dick, and Harry’s incessant emphasis on the term “social.”

The real reason that Facebook has gotten to where it is today is very basic and it’s one anybody with a modicum of knowledge about the trends of the Web can second: It’s cool.

Whereas MySpace is very yesterday in terms of its feature set and its cultural allure (it was begun as a collegiate hang out on the Web, so it’s reputation is of a higher grade than the more juvenile and haphazardly managed MySpace), Facebook is above the fold, so to speak. The privacy features are definitely a plus, no doubt, but not for a moment do I suspect they play an integral role in individuals’ decisions to join or not to join.

So, you know, the trajectory we all see Facebook flying at today? Yeah, it’s very clearly why the numbers are going up: it’s popular. Sure, the site allows users to control their lists of friends. But it’s preposterous to think it’s registering millions every month because of “security”.