My Facebook profile only has a single word in my bio. That word is ‘Married’. Obviously the most important piece of information about me and the most important person in my life for over 45 years.
Oh yes, there is one other piece of data I shared. When I opened my FB account, I used my actual birthday. So FB can remind my friends that they can write happy birthday greetings to me. Nothing wrong with this, of course.
But now FB has gone beyond mere “have a special day’ wishes. Look at what appeared in my notifications:
The idea is that I will create a fundraiser and my friends will supplement their birthday good wishes with some cash. Not for me of course; that would be gauche. But rather for a cause near and dear to me.
Facebook is supposed to be good at using algorithms to predict what my likes and dislikes are, so as to get more ‘likes’ and keep me on their site as long as possible. So FB should know that I would NEVER ask people to make donations in honor of my birthday. Perhaps Stoker will provide a little something to brighten the day, like a peck on the cheek or a glass of vodka or a take out pizza. But the rest of you can keep your wallets in your pockets.
And Facebook’s AI needs a reset. 3 of the 4 charity suggestions are good ones, and if I were setting up a solicitation, which I’m not, I would be happy to see them get some help. But the first suggestion left me dumbfounded. NPR?
The Facebook AI must never have looked at my blog. Even a casual perusal would reveal that, as a charity I support, NPR is right down there with the DNC or BLM or CNN, which has become a de facto non-profit badly in need of aid.
I can’t imagine what the AI was ‘thinking’. True, I am grateful NPR exists. I have gotten some wonderful material from them. Remember “Thinness as a byproduct of white supremacy”? So any readers who support NPR (there may be one or two) please continue to send them money. But not because I’m turning 69!
Rich Freggiaro Cycling Blog 
First, Happy upcoming Birthday. Second the FB algorithm is not THAT wrong. It is built to favor one thing and one thing only: to create a higher likelihood of response. By this metric it succeeded in spades: you created and entire blog entry dedicated to that, and I responded. No matter it is in different platform, you likely to share your post as well. And second: these charities are not supposed to be dear to your heart , but to the MAJORITY of fooled sheep, who have a memory span of a goldfish.
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