The popular social networking site, Facebook, celebrated its 10-year anniversary Tuesday. As one of the most profitable businesses in its field, Facebook has already stood the test of time.
"Thefacebook," founded by Mark Zuckerburg, started as a social networking site open only to Harvard University students. It was a simple way to search for people in the school a particular class.
Zuckerburg envisioned using the site as a way to help share information with his classmates. During an art history course, Zuckerburg uploaded more than 500 photos of classical work to share with his friends. By commenting, sharing and discussing the works on "Thefacebook," the class was able to significantly raise their average exam scores.
However, in recent years, the purpose of Facebook has changed.
In 2006, users were greeted with the "News Feed," and in 2009 saw the addition of the "Like" button. Most recently in 2012, sponsored posts began springing up. It may feel like the Facebook we know and love has been around since day one, but this is not the case.
Facebook, now open to advertisements, is entering the awkward teenage years of development. I think it's safe to say all of the ads, the videos, the games and the sharing are getting a little excessive. This might be why many users have stopped using the site.
According to GeekWire.com, 25 percent of Facebook's teenage market stopped using the site and are instead choosing sites such as Tumblr and Twitter and working professionals are choosing LinkedIn as a way to network in their field.
The future of Facebook will depend on the company's ability to balance the need for profit through ads and the quality of the user's experience.
Facebook paved the way for social networking companies to monetize their site. There may be some problems, but this is a totally new experience for all parties involved.
Still, despite its flaws, Facebook is a must-have for this writer. Where else can I do my research on a person before going out on a first date? Where else can my grandmother bombard me with embarrassing childhood photos? Just like going to the bathroom, Facebook is a daily chore for more than 1.2 billion users.
In celebration of the anniversary, Facebook has released a personalized video for each user, chronicling your most popular activity on the site. Simply visit http://ift.tt/1c2dYVE to view your video.
I hate to admit it, but my heart was heavy during my video. Facebook is the place where we store our pictures and even memories, where we talk to our friends and where a relationship becomes "official." To see how we've grown in the past 10 years is astounding.
So congratulations Zuckerburg. You've changed the world in a decade. And to think, it all started in a dorm room.
via Technology - Google News http://ift.tt/LxdH62
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