FaceBugged ?

Ms AR aka TS : seriously seeing facebook lagta hai u live life online.Go get a life Tan...

This is what was the tipping point that convinced me to do this writeup. Facebook's popularity has surged over the past year or so, and my college is no exception, and what this has done is, its revived the age old discussions of pros-cons of online social networking.

The very notion of Facebook being just social networking site is wrong in the sense that I believe its absolutely criminal to categorize Facebook along with other sites such as Orkut, LinkedIn etc etc. Orkut never went beyond coming across as just a medium of meeting up old friends. LinkedIn- the "Professional Networking Site " seems to me just another naukri.com or monster.com. With all the past info up on display, what experience I have had with this site is that it serves no greater a purpose than putting up your resume on any job-search site.(Note please that LinkedIn actually has a feature where you can upload your resume to build your profile info). And i have also never understood why Twitter is the "IN-THING" today...? 140 characters is all you have.. Facebook can do that and better.. ?

Which brings us back to Facebook.So how big exactly is Facebook ? First things first. Has it been a success or is it merely hype..?

Mark Zuckberg, the founder of Facebook is the world's youngest billionaire, and his wealth has multiplied four-times over the past year or so.As people are making a beeline for the company, major financial institutions have valued it at more than US $ 15 Billion.So thats settled i guess.Facebook is a financial success (for now atleast).

Since the darling of the age seems to be Google, a comparison with it seems apt.How does Google function ? You type in some keywords press search and you get a plethora of relevant links. That is -You are searching for Information. How does Facebook function ? You log on to see that a friend of yours has shared an highly informative article with you. Or perhaps the coolest Ad that he mite have come across. Or perhaps the newest movie trailer.Point being - Information has come to YOU, and you can easily pass on the information to others. Did anyone say something about the popular hindi saying of knowledge increasing by sharing.. ??

Quoting from a renowned business magazine "You know about the famous Speaker's Corner in London's Hyde Park? You know the one where everyone can stand and address the world ? Well Facebook is my Speaker's Corner.No other medium has existed where I could broadcast my thoughts to 5000 friends at the click of a mouse(or type of few mobile keys).Thoughts that everyone notices.Whether or not they LIKE or COMMENT does not matter.."

Anyways talking about commercialization.Companies are lining up to put up their ads in Facebook.Ever wondered why ? Have a look at this data

Years an idea took to reach a market audience of 50 million

Radio - 38 years

TV - 13 years

Internet - 4 years

IPOD - 3 years

Facebook - 2 years.

And just to drill in the point have a look at the google analytics page for Q-BIT our college quizzing blog

ALSO HAVE A LOOK HERE



Ok.Point made.

For an introvert as I must admit I am, facebook has been more of a boon. Its helped me link up with all the SUPER-SENIORS (as a friend puts it) whom i couldnt know earlier. Hell I credit facebook in helping me know my future colleagues and seniors way before I actually join them up at work. Its made me say Hi to that friend that I didnt know. Its made me smile, coming across someone relatively unknown, who had shared the "awesomest" link the other day or played the most idiotic of quizzes.Its made me poke fun at the person I defeated in the online game and apps thats on Facebook. We may be 1000kms apart, but we connect at stupid flash games..

Its thus been the icebreaker.

Last but not the least,coming to the "addiction part". See,Too much of studies is bad.Being too much of an introvert is bad.Being too much of a party animal is bad.Too much of Cricket is bad. So is too much of Social Networking. The key is maintaining the perfect balance. With cybercrimes on the rise, its essential to draw a line with regards to online behavior.Thats why many offices dont allow social networks and blogs in offices.

But can a case of few bad apples ruin the whole standing of FB as a whole... ?

I must also point out to a very shrewd observation by one of my close friends..

Me : m i hyper active on FB...??

Mr.T aka AR aka IS : Jo aisa bol raha hoga (FB being bad) wo couple hoga.coz fb is meant as a timepass for singles like us. Couples share (links and vids ) khud mein, singles saari duniya se share karte hain. Jindabad singles !!!