You’ve heard of the Facebook experiment: in which the social-media site conducted an emotional manipulation experiment on 689,003 unknowing users.
Now one group is asking users of the social network to try one of their own: a Facebook fast. The Dutch nonprofit initiative is called 99 Days of Freedom, and it asks users whether they’d be happier without Facebook.
Facebook earlier this month admitted its study that manipulated people’s news feeds in order to test their reactions — without their explicit permission.
It was controversial, and the fallout continues, including a senator’s call for the FTC to take a look. A government inquiry might inch the fallout level a little higher, but it seems the real test is whether users care, and this campaign, which started as an office joke at a creative agency in the Netherlands, which says its employees are “fiercely loyal” Facebook users, is an effort to find out.
The Washington Post points out studies that have shown people do quit Facebook. But the social network’s account-holders use the site for keeping up with the Joneses, (and their families and friends), as a news source, a photo album and more.
No reports say its users have run for the hills in the wake of the controversy. But will this new campaign gain traction? It was launched July 11 and as of Friday, nearly 25,000 people had signed up for “freedom.” Facebook has more than 1 billion users.