Facebook’s Plan to Make Money From Messenger (Hint: More of Your Data)

When Facebook rolled out their freestanding messenger app, one of the pitches was that people and businesses could message each other ad-free, but that’s then and this is now. Now, businessinsider.com reports that an ad exec at TechCrunch Disrupt revealed that Facebook is working on a new type of ad called ‘click to message.’ It revolves around businesses designing ads about their company or product, and Facebook putting a little ‘message’ button at the bottom. If you click the button and send a question or comment to the business, they pay for the click. Facebook already has call to action buttons on its pages, claiming people really don’t want to mess with websites, or make phone calls or email any more. Every click and like gives them more of your data, to serve more targeted ads. Install the Ghostery browser plug in, and you’ll minimize the ability of Facebook and other sites to do this.

Volvo has come up with a novel plan to eliminate a stinky job…using robots to collect garbage. The car maker is partnering with a couple universities and a waste management firm to design robots that would collect the refuse, while a human operator supervises from the more comfortable and less smelly cab of the garbage truck. First tests should start in 2016. So far, they aren’t looking at robots to take out the trash to the polycarts and bins, which would please wives and girlfriends a lot more.