Can Facebook Be Cut Down to Size?

When the government broke up the telephone system in 1984, the fact that AT&T could count most citizens as customers and that it was arguably the best-run telephone company in the world was not deemed compelling enough to preserve its monopoly power. The breakup would unleash a wave of competition and innovation that ultimately benefited consumers and the economy. Facebook seems to be in a similar position today — only with far greater global reach than Ma Bell could have imagined. It is the most powerful communications and media company in the world. And that power is being abused.

Competition might change the game. That so many internet users are concerned about their privacy may serve as an invitation for another company to challenge Facebook. At some point a government agency might be willing to break away some of its components and chop it down to size. After all, it’s happened before.