We’ve all heard about how Facebook has changed the face of the planet, sucking even the most technophobic business dowdies into its vortex. I’m not going to debate the merits, or otherwise, of Facebook as an investment (ask Microsoft), as an application platform (ask Google), or as a waste of time (ask anyone).
What I do find interesting is the extent to which Facebook has managed to penetrate (there’s that nasty poking word again … you see what Facebook does to you?) various regions.
A fascinating, non-scientific, “study” (using the Facebook flyers application) places South Africa’s Facebook penetration at 1,25%, with 610 000 users out of a population of about 48-million, placing South Africa at seventh in terms of absolute Facebook users (behind the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, Norway and Sweden) and 14th on the global scale of “Facebook penetration”.
Canada has a whopping 22% of its population (every fifth Canadian) on Facebook, and now, seemingly, boasts more citizens poking and prodding each other, than any political party (for example) has voters. Astonishing.
Norway has nearly 20% of its citizens on Facebook, the UK almost 11%, Sweden more than 9% and the US and Australia about 7%.
Does Facebook represent potentially the single biggest broadcast medium, through which to poke, prod, inform, berate and irritate the masses?
I have no idea, but the numbers are telling … and Facebook is reaching more people than any one product in traditional media today. Across all sorts of geographical boundaries, networks and interests.
The lines are blurring
Facebook, at its heart it remains a social network, given to alleviating the boredom of the day for millions of people who seem to have nothing better to do than twitter away (like me).
But more and more people are using it as business tool (like me), migrating from the Xings and LinkedIns of this world.
It is only a matter of time before business starts to use these networks as marketing and/or sales platforms, as they have every other platform that’s come their way.
Enjoy the ride. But, just as in the real world, keep your wits about you … with all this poking going on, you wouldn’t want to get screwed.
It’s even more amazing that a College student started all this. We are not on Facebook. We think it’s overrated.
Oh its over-rated alright. As is television, the movies, sex, the web, magazines … bla bla bla.
But at some point, they can all hit just the right spot. And bingo … you get it.
Its over-rated only if you fail to find something useful in it.
There you go. I couldn’t agree more.
Let me qualify my previous “Oh its over-rated” remark …
At a US$15 billion valuation (for Facebook), I suspect that the Web 2.0 bubble is getting quite nice and taught … there’s going to be some popping going on in the not too distant future. But it’ll likely get bigger (the bubble) before it goes bang.
It is astonishing how short peoples’ memories can be, the ‘dot.com’ bubble having shaken things a mere 5 years ago.
As for finding something useful in Facebook, there’s no question about it … I find it extraordinarily useful. But probably in ways that have nothing to do with its social core.
Using Facebook as I do, primarily as a business network building tool, I am gaining insight into networks, people and associated connections that the Xings, LinkedIns and other business networks have singularly failed to give me.
I have created a larger network of accessible, professional people in 6 months on Facebook, than I managed to do in 5 years on LinkedIn.
They’ve got something right … and its the viral nature of social networking …
As for the REAL value … the jury is still out on that.
Does it matter that there is no ONE real value to Facebook? Facebook users (mostly young professionals) are not interested in how many business contacts they can connect with.
We’re interested in interacting with each other. We’re promoting ourselves. We’re poking that cute guy with the blue eyes and hoping he’ll poke back.
Nothing surprising about that. The real value is what YOU get out of it.
I want out of facebook. I really do.
The virtual world deprives us of a chance to live. Don’t you suppose it’s better to engage intellectualy rather than ‘just chat’. Atleast then spending time on the internet’s worth it.
Darren – very witty engagement with ‘poking’ but you’ve overlooked all the double entendre value of the much hipper form of FB flirtation: ‘Super-poking’. Yep, it’s poking with pictures and involves a multitude of options – throwing a chicken at, trout-slapping, cheering for, or engaging in all manner of lewd acts with your ‘friends’.
But on a more serious note, it is absolutely possible to engage intellectually on FB – how is it any less a potential vehicle for such interaction than blogging? I’m a journalism academic from Australia and I use FB to engage my current and former students in debates about politics, reporting and ethics. It’s also a vehicle for mentoring, career advice and professional interaction for them. And, I’ve witnessed relationships blossom in this space in a meaningful way – FB friendships are not all about shallow interaction!
There’s no point hiding from this phenomenon – social networking online is here to stay and instead of eschewing it, why not make it serve your professional, educational, intellectual and social interests? Putting your head in a hole never solves fear of the unknown.
I’ve blogged about all this myself if you’re interested:
http://www.j-scribe.com/2007/10/facebook-face-off.html