Facebook will pay up to 400,000 people to temporarily deactivate their Facebook accounts during the election season.
Why? It’s all part of a research project the social media giant is participating in to determine how social media affects elections. According to the company, they’re partnering up with independent outside researchers. “The effort is a partnership between Facebook researchers and independent external academics. Externally, the project is led by Professors Talia Stroud and Joshua A. Tucker, two independent academics who serve as chairs of Social Science One committees. Professors Tucker and Stroud selected 15 additional researchers to collaborate on this effort, based on their expertise.”
According to media reports, the tech giant will pay users who agree to de-activate their Facebook and Instagram accounts up to $120 each.
Facebook said the company will have no control over the results of the study and they won’t use any of the data to target advertising to users.
And no, you can’t volunteer to be part of the study. The researchers will choose users at random and reach out to them with the offer.
Now, to me, this also sounds like a perfect opportunity for scammers to approach the unsuspecting. So be wary of anyone claiming to part of this research who wants you to pay money or hand over your Social Security number or banking information.
No, I won’t be bribed by Facebook to shut my mouth as I still have the freedom to express my opinion politically and I don’t agree with their liberal views.
Any time facebook wants to pay me to deactivate my account, all I can say is SEND ME A CHECK!!!!!!