Easiest fix for Facebook: Break it up

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Occam's razor is a principle that says when something happens that can be explained in multiple ways, the simplest explanation is usually the right one.

The same is true of solutions: the simplest, most straightforward solution is usually the best way to solve a problem. In the US, social media giant Facebook Inc has become a problem. It makes its money - US$23.3 billion (S$32 billion) in adjusted earnings last year - by running roughshod over privacy concerns, selling users' data to advertisers.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on November 23, 2018, with the headline Easiest fix for Facebook: Break it up. Subscribe