By
Paul Boutin,
12:34 AM on Sun Dec 2 2007,
2,448 views
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People say the craziest things to
New York Times reporters. In an attempt to explain that
Facebook CEO
Mark Zuckerberg wasn't, you know,
lying when he implied to NYT staffer
Louise Story that Facebook's Beacon ads wouldn't report on users' purchases and other activities unless they opted in to the system, "Matt Hicks, a Facebook spokesman, said
Mr. Zuckerberg had meant that users would be given the opportunity to opt out of having information sent out by Beacon, and the company had assumed that anyone who didn't say no meant yes." As Story reports, Coke is having the same "Huh?" reaction, and has withdrawn from early participation in Beacon ads. I confess: I'm biased. I went to MIT, so whenever a Harvard man like Zuckerberg opens his mouth, I start listening for the bullshit. I wish I were wrong more often.