We haven't yet seen Facebook attempt to strangle a competitor that it cannot buy. If Facebook faces an existential threat, there is a lot of capital available to fund its defensive campaign. Buying is just cheaper.

A direct threat to Facebook is unlikely to succeed. More likely is a competitor based in a niche where Facebook cannot enter for structural reasons that slowly out-competes Facebook on Facebook's turf.

One possible niche is the privacy-focused community. Facebook can't flip all of those users, ever. If something privacy-focused emerges that has low-maintenance utility for the broader world, Facebook's days are numbered.

Privacy focused non-profit (open source?) social media platform that is easy to join, maybe there is a tool that scrapes your facebook profile and imports it automatically.

Can anyone help me brainstorm what features would be compelling for a privacy focused social media/event planning/group discussion platform?

To dance that dance, one should first be aware of https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Facebook,_Inc._v._Power_Ventur.... .

Facebook's network graph is its single most-valuable asset. Responsibly placing it back into the hands of its users will require some subtle care, both to avoid Facebook's ire and to avoid abuse.

I'd like to see you stare that Billion Dollars in the eye and say 'no thank you, these are my principles'.

Bonus points if you can do it with your spouse and children by your side.

I'm presuming you are talking about a generic "you", and not referring to me personally, because I've been working in (mostly) mission-driven companies for a decade. I do take a hit on my compensation and wealth for it, with my spouse and children by my side the whole time.

But granted, mission-driven people are less common. To the point that many people who are not fundamentally mission-driven truly do not comprehend that some of us are. We all have our own motivations.

Props to you. I suspect there are more of 'you' (the literal you) than you think, but - and that's the trick - they don't go advertising it.

Can you name some of the companies? Would love to hear some of them considering every company thinks they are “mission-driven”.

Instagram did that. However for social networks you make money from ads, so they’re rotten in a different way.

The hell they did. They took the money and ran.

https://dealbook.nytimes.com/2012/04/09/facebook-buys-instag...

I am dumb. I was thinking about Snapchat. Sorry.

What do you mean? Instagram was bought by Facebook in 2012 for $1 Billion. So they literally looked the billion dollars in the eye and said "OK!"

Most competing founders have a price. I would be morally torn myself if I had the choice between defending my ideals vs securing my family's financial future forever.