4 chapters across the catalog
The technical methods used by Cambridge Analytica involved exploiting Facebook's early "Social Graph" API, which allowed developers to access data from a user's entire friends list. While often described as "scraping," the process was a standard, legal feature of the platform at the time. The primary violation occurred when the academic researcher transferred this legally obtained data to a third party against Facebook's terms of service.
Facebook shuts down its Friends data API to protect its role as the "Rolodex of the universe." The hosts link this to the rise of "slave jewelry" like the Apple Watch and electronic monitoring anklets, which they argue are designed to track and monitor users constantly.
Twitter API Restrictions, Social Network Bots, Facebook Likes
Twitter is tightening its API restrictions, cutting off third-party developers to force users onto its official apps and website. The hosts discuss the prevalence of bots and fake personas on social networks, arguing that "likes" and follower counts are often manipulated by PR firms.
Facebook IPO Filing, Infrastructure Costs, and Site Glitches
Facebook experienced significant technical issues after pushing code on a Friday, breaking the JavaScript API for "Like" buttons and third-party logins across millions of websites. Analysis of the Facebook S-1 filing suggests reported revenue figures are misleading, with a significant portion derived from stock sales and a 30% cut from Zynga. The company also utilizes off-book transactions for infrastructure leasing and revolving lines of credit to manage costs.
