Facebook Inc (FB): Has It Sold Its Business Soul for Revenue?

Facebook Inc (NASDAQ:FB) is back in the news this week. But it isn’t just because a large share lock-up is being released today (the largest yet since the company’s IPO in May), it’s because the Web site has annoyed Dallas Mavericks owner and tech billionaire Mark Cuban for perhaps the last time. When one of the most visible and outspoken sports figures calls out your company for business practices, that generates attention. And Cuban’s frustration has led to one blogger considering the question – has Facebook sold its soul for the almighty dollar now that it is a publicly traded company? Are the investors in the company, like billionaire George Soros of Soros Fund Management, investing in the socially aware company or the financially aware one?

The very heart of Facebook Inc (NASDAQ:FB) has been “It’s free and always will be.” But the company can’t tell hat to Cuban anymore, who finally blew his top when Facebook asked Cuban to pay $3,000 for his post on the Dallas Mavericks Facebook page to reach all 1 million-plus fans. Cuban went off, saying that Facebook (FB) was alienating its various brands and partners. And Cuban’s rants have led to the begging of the question – though CEO Mark Zuckerberg has said that the IPO wouldn’t change Facebook Inc (NASDAQ:FB) or what it was about, did the decision to become a publicly traded company forever alter the company? is is truly a different company because it has shareholders and investors, of is it different simply because of the poor showing from the IPO?

There is no doubt that Facebook Inc (NASDAQ:FB) had been under some pressure to create some consistent revenue to appease jittery investors, even though the company is expected to bring in $5 billion this year – not a small sum. But with Facebook feeling the need to develop consistent advertising streams, it has had to resort t some ideas that involve getting some money out of those users who believed that Facebook is “free and always will be.” Has Facebook become a different company? If so, what do you think caused it – just becoming a public company, or because of the disappointing IPO? If you read what Cuban said, does he have a point about Facebook and how it operates? It’s you turn to voice your opinion!