I mean, it's trumpeted from the rooftops here that if you don't pay you are the product. What is the alternative if not charge the user for the service?

Paying for the service doesn't automatically mean you aren't the product.

Also, not paying for a service doesn't mean you're the product e.g. open source software

> Coming soon, Facebook Pro(TM)! Literally putting a price on your privacy.

I imagine that will play out like Apps on iOS and Android that you buy the Ad-Free version of only have have Ads show up a year later.

You buy your privacy and they change the ToS sothat you're not.

It's a pretty sensible solution no?

Facebook isn't useful to customers without wide adoption.

Facebook can't have wide adoption if it's paid.

Facebook needs revenue.

People want to guard privacy.

I caught that too, can only imagine what the public at large will think of this were it to happen.

From how the stock market is reacting, some people clearly don't think the public at large will care

They won't; people spend a lot of money to farm virtual crops. That same group of people will do whatever it takes to keep farming.