So Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg finally admitted that he screwed up his implementation of Beacon. Apologies get a bad rap these days (for good reason), and a lot of Facebook’s critics are having none of it. They’re right to stay focused on what Zuckerberg actually does to address users’ privacy complaints. But I think we should give Zuckerberg a little credit.Agree with him or not, Zuckerberg is taking risks and trying to craft a new business model for a market in which he’s a pioneer. None of us really know the full potential of social networking-and expectations for Facebook are running so high that there’s plenty of opportunity for it to crash and burn. And it will, if customers don’t trust him. As my colleague Kim Nash commented on Robert Scoble’s blog , Zuckerberg ought to get at least a few points for experimenting and then adjusting course when customers pushed back. Innovation is a bloody mess much of the time. Facebook is a work in progress-not just for Zuckerberg, but also for users. Drivers of the first automobiles had to wear goggles and cover-ups to keep the bugs out of their eyes and the mud off their clothes. And there weren’t any stop lights, either.I happen to like Facebook. But I also like to have a say over what other people know about me. I signed MoveOn.org’s petition against Beacon, and I’ve blocked the app for good measure. There’s evidence, beyond this brouhaha, that most people want both disclosure of how their personal information is used and control over what they reveal. There’s a leadership opportunity here, if Zuckerberg can recognize it and run with it. Related content feature Red Hat embraces hybrid cloud for internal IT The maker of OpenShift has leveraged its own open container offering to migrate business-critical apps to AWS as part of a strategy to move beyond facilitating hybrid cloud for others and capitalize on the model for itself. By Paula Rooney May 29, 2023 5 mins CIO 100 Technology Industry Hybrid Cloud feature 10 most popular IT certifications for 2023 Certifications are a great way to show employers you have the right IT skills and specializations for the job. These 10 certs are the ones IT pros are most likely to pursue, according to data from Dice. By Sarah K. White May 26, 2023 8 mins Certifications Careers interview Stepping up to the challenge of a global conglomerate CIO role Dr. Amrut Urkude became CIO of Reliance Polyester after his company was acquired by Reliance Industries. He discusses challenges IT leaders face while transitioning from a small company to a large multinational enterprise, and how to overcome them. By Yashvendra Singh May 26, 2023 7 mins Digital Transformation Careers brandpost With the new financial year looming, now is a good time to review your Microsoft 365 licenses By Veronica Lew May 25, 2023 5 mins Lenovo Podcasts Videos Resources Events SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER From our editors straight to your inbox Get started by entering your email address below. Please enter a valid email address Subscribe