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Zuckerberg Torpedoed My Startup and I Think It Was The Right Call

In 2016, Facebook announced they would shut down the BaaS company Parse, which they acquired less than 3 years earlier for $85 million. At the time that just did not make sense. In light of Mark Zuckerberg’s testimony to Congress, that decision seems obvious. It was the death blow to our app right at the time of finalizing development. Mark stated that they do not share user data with app developers. This was absolutely not the case in the days of Parse, when they had an API to do just that. To be clear, not aggregate data, but rather specific user data. Interestingly, Zuckerberg made a comment suggesting that he still feels that there are situations where users would want Facebook to share data between apps or sites while adamantly insisting they did not do that. And though he may have exonerated himself from that issue, Facebook does get user data beyond what users are volunteering to the site. I wanted to write this to quickly explain what a BaaS does, why they flew too close to the sun, and hit on a few security issues that I think everyone should think about. I think people generally understand there is an issue, but are not entirely clear what the issue is and I want to elaborate on the issue as I see it.

All Your BaaS Belong To Us

BaaS is a database hosting service or Backend As A Service. I have asked a number of developers to explain why a BaaS is better than just rolling your own. Parse was using a NoSQL database called Mongo, which is open source. So like MySQL, you can install and run Mongo for free without paying any kind of software license. So why Parse? It manages permissions and is made to work very easily with Javascript frameworks like React. It does other things, but as I understand it, the user permissions were the primary reason we wanted to use it. Facebook also had an API so you could let (and to some degree this still is happening) users log into an app with their Facebook account and thereby skipping filling out the form that comes with creating an account. It is super easy for users, but app developers were also getting access to user data. You had to give some notice of what data you were getting access to, but if people don’t read terms of service agreements, they likely wouldn’t notice this either.

It would have been beautiful

But wait! There’s more! Google is developing a JavaScript framework called Angular. And Facebook is developing a very similar JavaScript framework called React. Like Facebook’s Parse, Google has a BaaS called Firebase. And these tools make it really easy to write code for any device in 1 single language. Before that, you had to write one set of code for the iPhone and one for Android and one for desktop…these frameworks made it simple to develop in one language…JavaScript. Otherwise, you would need developers for each device you wanted your app to work on. And Google and Facebook were in an arms race to get developers on their frameworks and/or BaaS. The developers on my team sold the concept to me like this, “they could be developing a platform where the framework, BaaS, and the user data API all work together and that cuts our development time substantially.” You see, ultimately we wanted to build artificial intelligence tools that make recommendations. User data is key to that. Such a platform would be a shortcut to all the data we could possibly want. It was the data holy grail.

“I think the mistake we made is viewing our responsibility as just building tools…”

Shutting down Parse now makes total sense. It was the Silicon Vally version of shredding documents. All these app companies had evidence of Facebook user data on databases hosted by Facebook. If sharing user data is seen as an invasion of privacy, shutting down the database that had evidence of that was and is a no-brainer. Mark said multiple times that “…we do not share user data with anyone.” That statement is only true in the present tense.

I also want to explain why other statements were incredibly misleading, especially to a non-technical Senator. Mark said he thinks about user data in two buckets: user data on your profile like name, age, favorite bands, and images that users gave Facebook. The other is anything you post to be seen by others in the feed. But there is another bucket! The dark bucket! Mark alluded to a conspiracy theory (which Reply All has a fantastic episode on titled Is Facebook Spying On You?) that posit they are using mobile phones to record personal conversations to better target ads. He unequivocally denied that. As the Reply All episode pointed out, it would probably be too much data anyway. But then, how does Facebook know that you want Charcoal Toothpaste after only just hearing about it at a random marketing conference? I didn’t search that! Or browse to a page selling it! Answer: the data trinity: location data, browsing/search history, and knowing how you are connected with people around you. I was at a marketing conference and Facebook saw several people also at that conference searching for Charcoal Toothpaste and maybe one even bought some (which is actually pretty awesome after all) so they put all that together and now you see those f*&^ing ads all over the internet until you get you some. See, Facebook has data that extends beyond what you give that site and they get it from cookies on your browser when you search on Google or shop on Amazon. It’s like a venereal disease. That little detail was left out. Facebook has given us the internet equivalent of herpes simplex 10.

Shot Caller, the non linear story, and the character journey

Last night I watched a movie that I find myself still thinking about it a day later. Shot Caller. Two compelling aspects of this movie. One, the device used of non-linear storytelling. Second, is the metamorphosis of the main character who has a drastic Dr Jekyll / Mr Hyde while maintaining who he really is throughout.

The Non Linear Story

I am sure a lot of people would try to correct me and say non-linear storytelling is pretty common. Make a list. But exclude time travel movies. That is something else. And exclude movies that bookend another time or event. In those cases, 90% or more of the story is actually completely linear. And exclude two totally different stories told at the same time. The Godfather 2 is probably the only other non-linear story I could come up with, but those are two different stories in my opinion: one the story of Michael and one his father Vito. I am not saying you have a list, it is just pretty short by now. Memento is probably on there. I get why that was held in such high regard, but I always felt the story was a little to complex to enjoy. Watching Memento is enough work you might expect to get paid after.

In the case of Shot Caller, it is just good storytelling. There is no confusion as to where you are in the story timeline due to the drastic changes that transform Money throughout. You might make the mistake of judging money as a man that goes from a good man to an evil man. Or maybe overly privileged (as his nickname “Money” suggests) to something less than human that has had everything taken away. It is this jumping back and forth that prevents such a mistake.

From Jacob to Money

Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, best known as Jamie Lannister in Game of Thrones, shines in this movie. The emotional scenes with his wife, facing his fears, the anger he unleashes on his foes, losing everything, and ultimately achieving his goal. Nikolaj has shown a range in one movie that many actors never hit in a career. Amazing.

The real transformation of Money is not from good to evil but from a life with no clear goal or purpose to a life with only one purpose that matters. This is what I thought made this movie so compelling. Money’s objective is the same at the end as it was in the beginning. The only difference is his determination and heart and the method used to accomplish those goals. Jacob chooses a life to provide for his family that many choose. Money sees only one way to accomplish a goal and it means going to a dark place and drawing water from a well he did not know was there. As the story jumps between Jacob and Money you realize Jacob’s goal was so assured that he took it for granted and lost it. Money reaches deep down and does the unthinkable to do the impossible. The goal of Jacob and Money is the same: protect his family. That is the irony of tragedy. It seems that one never appreciates a gift until it is gone. Or until you come to that point that no price is too high. It is that paradox that Money faces at the end. He will never see his family again, but he knows how much they mean to him because he gave up any hope of seeing them again to ensure their safety. The movie ends with him in a cell alone with nothing but that thought and a few books given to him by a man he killed that solidify their safety and his imprisonment.

It’s your turn, Moneyman. I know you’re shitting bricks right about now. Trying to rationalize the morality. What would your family think of you? How will they judge you? All of that went through my head, too, when I first broke my cherry. Then I realized none of that matters. The only thing that matters is getting home to your family in one piece. The fact is we all started out as someone’s little angel. Then a place like this forces us to become warriors or victims. Nothing in between can exist here. And you’ve chosen to be a warrior. Now it’s up to you to remain one.

Episode 63: Through The Valley

colonel william reeder through the valley

I just finished listening to episode 63, “Through The Valley: My Captivity in Vietnam” with Colonel William Reeder on The Jocko Podcast. Not ashamed to say that is not the first of Jocko’s podcasts that made me cry. These podcasts have become increasingly more important to me and I wanted to say why. In part as a thank you. In part to share with friends and family why I think they are worth listening to. And in part to hear myself say it to strengthen the resolve to make changes in my life that seem to be reiterated time and again on this podcast.

These podcasts have had a tremendous effect on me. Initially, I was interested in a form of entertainment and to hear discussion on leadership from a special forces officer. That turned into something more important. Gratitude. Every Memorial Day you hear people talk about “the ultimate sacrifice” or of the risks men and women in the armed forces take. Not to belittle that, but it doesn’t have nearly the same effect of hearing first-hand accounts of true evil and the horrors of war. Or real loss or sacrifice or suffering or tragedy directly from the people that have really seen some truly terrible and evil things. So to hear those accounts first hand creates in me (and I am sure everyone that hears them) a tremendous sense of gratitude. I think that is important for me to hear and for those that have served to share. I was sober and active in AA for 9 years and have seen the life-saving power when one person shares those things with another. It can be life-saving for both.

This last episode made these podcasts even more important to me. Hope. I know conceptually I understand hope. But I know that I do not know hope the way Colonel Reeder knows hope. 1 Corinthians talks of faith, hope, and love. The definition I found for hope is lacking in that it does not mention a critical component: despair and suffering and pain and the real possibility that there is no way out of them ever. Otherwise it would just be synonymous with want or desire. So I feel now I do not want to know hope the way Colonel Reeder knows hope. The price is high and I am so grateful he paid it because it was not for nothing. It mattered.

“Every day is a gift.” I think the last bit of the podcast was the hardest to hear. I imagine everyone has the feeling that they are not truly hitting their complete potential. And it has become so cliche that I feel stupid for even saying it, but I really do not think any of us really appreciate how much we are capable of. Colonel Reeder breaks it down in 8 Steps of Survival. 1. Eat. 2. Personal Hygiene. 3. Exercise. 4. Do not give up the fight to stay alive. Take that chance. Fight for it. 5. Establish communication with others. 6. Follow code of conduct. 7. Keep the faith. In family. And God. 8. Maintain a sense of humor. I love that he ended that with a call to action. I am grateful but the real test will come when I treat every day like the gift it is.

I feel now that I got to a point where I worked through my demons and thought I was done. And in being done I haven’t done anything. Like I said when I started, I did want to say thank you to Colonel Reeder for his story and his sacrifice and also to Jocko for taking the time to share those these stories on his podcast. As I said, it has become so important to me. I also wanted to write this to strengthen my resolve to get after it again.

Open Response to Pete Sessions on Net Neutrality

Below is my response to this letter from Pete Sessions. Keep in mind, he is up for re-election next March.

Thank you for your response. Although you made some good points, I do not agree with the direction you and other members of congress are taking in regard to Net Neutrality and protecting the FCC. Furthermore, I am extremely unhappy with the service AT&T and other Internet Service Providers (ISPs) provide and wanted to elaborate on that. Additionally, Ajit Pai’s recommendation is one sided and is beneficial only to ISPs, not the consumer. I feel it is your duty, as our representative, to ensure our interests and rights our protected. As you emphasized, not just small business, but all business has thrived off of an open Internet that is definitely not free.

I feel that currently the FCC protects three basic rights and protections: no blocking, no throttling, and no paid prioritization. I have no doubt given many of Ajit Pai’s comments, that his priority is to undo those protections. These protections stopped Comcast from denying access to p2p services without notifying customers, AT&T blocking Voice Over IPs (VOIPs) services like Skyle, MetroPCS blocking sites like YouTube, multiple ISPs blocking products like Google Wallet, Verizon attempting to block tethering apps, and more. Clearly the reason these ISPs have taken such action, more than bandwidth concerns, are concerns that they would lose revenue from competing products.

Additionally, I think fundamentally “the press”, that is protected by our Constitution and fundamental to free speech has changed as has the public forum. If you take away protections and rights established by the FCC, you undermine free speech itself. This issue is greater than just the economy, it is fundamental to our underlining freedoms that have made this country so great. Your vote can either protect or jeopardize that freedom.

I also want to respond to your comment on innovation. The level of innovation resulting from the internet is staggering. Little of that innovation has come from ISPs. Additionally, they are using little to none of the proceeds of their ISP business to invest in new internet infrastructure. The majority of people in your district only have one choice for ISP. It is that monopolistic behavior that was fundamentally behind the creation of the FCC and the Telecommunication Act of 1996. Furthermore, I suspect AT&T has become a greater monopoly than Bell Telephone itself, which is ironic.

Email from Pete Sessions regarding Net Neutrality

Thank you for taking the time to contact me regarding net neutrality. I appreciate you taking the time to share your thoughts with me on this important issue.

The Internet has revolutionized how we learn, shop, communicate, innovate, and do business. Small businesses across Texas thrive off a free and open Internet. But since the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) took a drastic step during the closing days of the Obama Administration to apply a 1930s-era ‘Title II’ regulation to the Internet, costs for consumers skyrocketed, innovation was hindered and broadband deployment decreased significantly, particularly in rural America.

Simply put, these rules would have given the federal government unchecked authority over the Internet and destroyed the light-touch framework that has protected a free and open Internet for the past 20 years. Claims that Congress and the Trump Administration are disabling long-standing privacy regulations are simply inaccurate, given the Obama Administration’s decision was nothing less than a federal takeover of the Internet.

Americans’ data is regulated under Section 222 of Title 47 of the U.S. Code. The recent proposal unveiled by the new FCC Chairman, Ajit Pai, would end political uncertainty of internet regulation, restore the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) jurisdiction over privacy practices and unite privacy law under a single, clear framework. In case you were not aware, the FTC has previous experience overseeing consumer online-privacy rights and has been able to enhance innovation and jobs in its prior competitive state.

Please know that the new privacy protections have not yet been finalized, but my colleagues and I are working to ensure that any possible regulatory or legislative solution ultimately protects the principles of a free and open Internet. Most importantly, I believe it is imperative for the federal government to encourage marketplace consistency to ensure that the Internet is open, available, fast, and reliable for all Americans.

Again, thank you for taking the time to contact me and share your views on such an important issue. Should you have any additional questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me at 202.225.2231 or Sessions.LegStaff@mail.house.gov. I look forward to hearing from you in the future.

Sincerely,

Pete Sessions
Member of Congress

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