What is Facebook? Control.

Facebook goes public today and based on the numbers, investors think Facebook is worth more than Disney or McDonald’s. Is it the software, the servers, or the staff that are worth $100 billion? No, it’s you. For as long as Facebook can keep you logged in, your clicks, your eyeballs, and your information — both public and private — power the Facebook profit engine. Do you like being a commodity?

No, but I like Facebook

Social networking is the greatest cultural tool since email. But you don’t have to be a pawn to enjoy it. Maybe someday we’ll have a reliable and engaging non-profit dot-org social network (think Wikipedia meets Facebook). For now, all we can do is assert our independence.

Play or be played

So log off and move on. Go to Google+. Go to Twitter. Go to Path. Go to Pinterest. Go to Diaspora. Just go by July 4th. Download your data and leave a little going away present as your profile pic. Or for the hardcore, pull the trigger and delete it all. It’s easy to get your friends back on other social networks, and any connection not easily remade is not worth having.

A way to Occupy by not occupying

You can make the 1% sweat. Take control and spread the word. When we act collectively to assert our independence we can take down a $100 billion company with just a few clicks.