When I joined Facebook as a user back in 2007, it was all about social networking with friends, sharing personal photos and videos, and enjoying the ones that were shared by friends.
Of course, it was obvious right from the beginning that this would create a lot of privacy issues. In fact, back in 2009 I wrote a Facebook app that would ask for a user's permission to access all of their photos. I noticed users were very easy going about giving the access which would let my app download and keep any photo they had ever uploaded. Why would the users never (or rarely) complain about privacy though? I think it was because what they were getting back was more than what they were giving up. Facebook would give them access to a new social world that they were enjoying to the full extent. I even remember people worrying back in the day that gradually there will not be physical interactions between friends but it will be all Facebook. If you remember, back in 2009, Obama warned U.S. teenagers to be cautious when using Facebook.
Things changed gradually. It was hard to make money for Facebook out of only personal photos and videos. Gradually News became a big part of Facebook. At some point, when I would login into my Facebook it would look mostly like if I am reading the CNN website. Why would I login to Facebook with all of its privacy issues to read news. I would rather do it without opening any apps on the news tab of my Pixel phone (or iPhone for that matter)!
The other phenomena that hardly hit Facebook was that the landscape of the virtual world of social networks started to change around 2013. Two new concepts started to come into existence: Snappers and Influencers. The rise of Snap Chat and Instagram led users to share short story videos with augmented text and emojis instead of old school photos. The media that users would use to communicate started to change from static and boring photos to live and dynamic videos. This gradually led to the creation of the Influencers. Users and celebrities with millions of followers who would share private moments or interesting experiences. Social network users started to be less interested in what their cousin was eating for the day, but rather liked to be a part of Kylie Jenner's daily life.
Long story short, right now in the virtual world, two phenomena have started to rule: News and Influence. News could be found right on our phone without no need to open an application. Already personalized and up to date. Influence is created by sharing live videos as the main media of communication, and this is not what Facebook is good at. Instead, Youtube, Instagram, and maybe Twitter are the main platforms that are doing great on this front.
If Facebook wants to find its lost position in the virtual world, it should find out what it really stands for. It cannot do everything at the same time and be bad at all of them. Right now Facebook is offering news, live stories, photos and video sharing, events, applications, and even selling used items online! The day that Facebook added Ebay like tool for selling items was the day that I realized it has lost its way.
P.S.: Back in 2013 I did an interview at Facebook for a research scientist position. I remember one of the high profile managers who interviewed me tried to convince me to join by telling me that "this company would be around at least for the next couple of years. And if ever anything happens great talent could move to other companies." This was around 5 years ago. But since then Facebook has been doing so great that no one looks at it as a short term phenomena anymore. It has become a part of our daily lives...
Of course, it was obvious right from the beginning that this would create a lot of privacy issues. In fact, back in 2009 I wrote a Facebook app that would ask for a user's permission to access all of their photos. I noticed users were very easy going about giving the access which would let my app download and keep any photo they had ever uploaded. Why would the users never (or rarely) complain about privacy though? I think it was because what they were getting back was more than what they were giving up. Facebook would give them access to a new social world that they were enjoying to the full extent. I even remember people worrying back in the day that gradually there will not be physical interactions between friends but it will be all Facebook. If you remember, back in 2009, Obama warned U.S. teenagers to be cautious when using Facebook.
Things changed gradually. It was hard to make money for Facebook out of only personal photos and videos. Gradually News became a big part of Facebook. At some point, when I would login into my Facebook it would look mostly like if I am reading the CNN website. Why would I login to Facebook with all of its privacy issues to read news. I would rather do it without opening any apps on the news tab of my Pixel phone (or iPhone for that matter)!
The other phenomena that hardly hit Facebook was that the landscape of the virtual world of social networks started to change around 2013. Two new concepts started to come into existence: Snappers and Influencers. The rise of Snap Chat and Instagram led users to share short story videos with augmented text and emojis instead of old school photos. The media that users would use to communicate started to change from static and boring photos to live and dynamic videos. This gradually led to the creation of the Influencers. Users and celebrities with millions of followers who would share private moments or interesting experiences. Social network users started to be less interested in what their cousin was eating for the day, but rather liked to be a part of Kylie Jenner's daily life.
Long story short, right now in the virtual world, two phenomena have started to rule: News and Influence. News could be found right on our phone without no need to open an application. Already personalized and up to date. Influence is created by sharing live videos as the main media of communication, and this is not what Facebook is good at. Instead, Youtube, Instagram, and maybe Twitter are the main platforms that are doing great on this front.
If Facebook wants to find its lost position in the virtual world, it should find out what it really stands for. It cannot do everything at the same time and be bad at all of them. Right now Facebook is offering news, live stories, photos and video sharing, events, applications, and even selling used items online! The day that Facebook added Ebay like tool for selling items was the day that I realized it has lost its way.
P.S.: Back in 2013 I did an interview at Facebook for a research scientist position. I remember one of the high profile managers who interviewed me tried to convince me to join by telling me that "this company would be around at least for the next couple of years. And if ever anything happens great talent could move to other companies." This was around 5 years ago. But since then Facebook has been doing so great that no one looks at it as a short term phenomena anymore. It has become a part of our daily lives...
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