Money Minute: Facebook users want a piece of the action [Video]

Should Facebook users get a taste of the company’s initial public offering? More than a few say yes.

The reasoning here is that because Facebook’s more than 800 million users make the site what it is -- and provide all that personal data that allows Facebook to prosper -- they’re entitled to participate in what’s sure to be a very lucrative IPO.

Dream on.

We heard pretty much the same when AOL purchased Huffington Post for more than $300 million. People who’d been blogging for free said they should now be paid for their output. Huffington said nope.

Welcome to the happy world of social media, where companies provide the platform and users provide the content. When things go bad, the company takes the hit. When things go good, the company reaps the benefits.

And you? Not so much.

But that doesn’t mean you’re married to these sites. Don’t forget: You can always take your data elsewhere.