Facebook — Has the Small Town Grown Up?

Facebook … is it part college yearbook and part small town? What’s been called the walled garden of Facebook is now a new place since they’ve invited mom and dad to move in. It’s even more changed since they added the dynamic stream of FriendFeed.

Wikipedia says:

Facebook is a social networking website that is operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc.[1] Users can add friends and send them messages, and update their personal profiles to notify friends about themselves. Additionally, users can join networks organized by city, workplace, school, and region. The website’s name stems from the colloquial name of a book given to incoming students at Zuckerberg’s high school alma mater, Phillips Exeter Academy. The book shows the faces and names of the school’s students and faculty.

Still at the core of Facebook seems to be two highly different community ethics going on. A huge population of Facebookers never had a choice about being there — soon as college started they became part when friends uploaded their pictures and invited them to see which ones. The other population joined later. We’re newcommers to Ellis Island. Some of us are setting up business, trying to make a buck. Some of us are trying to find our past loved ones who’ve emigrated there. Some are trying to connect, fit it, make sense of it all.

The first population and the second population will never quite view Facebook the same. It’s kind of like anywhere … it’s different if you grew up there.

Here’s how some folks answered the question, “If twitter is a huge networking room, what is Facebook?”

@OwenGreaves: “If twitter is a huge networking room, what is Facebook? – A Chinese Bath :)”
@jeffw171: “outdated and arcane”
@AmberCadabra: “The same. With a different crowd. And stupid quizzes on the cocktail tables.”
@gurnage: “Facebook is an online reunion. Twitter is new friends, Facebook is old.
@abbebuck: “Liz, FaceBook is a soda fountain with pictures!”
@MargieNewman “high school”
@markramsey: “a network of interconnected microcommunities?”
@netcitizen : “its more about the people,faces,friends.”
@djwaldow: “It’s a huge networking house!”
@judel “I see twitter as a utility to meet people and have conversation before actually meeting in person, and for business leads & rel.”
@jennydecki “Facebook is a huge Frat Party – you can still make great connections but mostly it’s about funny farm animal stories.”
@AlliWorthington “chit chatting with everyone you already know?”
@cheapsuits ” it’s a cafe a bunch of friends show up at.”
@my3boybarians “a huge, creepy networking room?”
@JasonFalls “Lunchroom at most high schools … but now with old people eating there.”
@piero_ “your lounge?”
@ssmirnov “FB is a painfully awkward highschool reunion.”

@cassieaiden “facebook is a very informal resume….I think.”
@blancastella “more to click/type/apply yourself to, perhaps?”
@Cosecha “a huge, creepy networking room?”
@berrybrewer “Twitter is a conference where I pass out business cards; Facebook is a class/family reunion where I show pics of my kid.”
@Gestalt “Facebook is a walled garden. Today’s version of AOL.”

@hehotiron “Chuck E Cheese?!?”
@berrybrewer “Twitter is a conference where I pass out business cards; Facebook is a class/family reunion where I show pics of my kid.”
@Gestalt “Facebook is a walled garden. Today’s version of AOL.”

What is Facebook?

For more information see:
Wiktionary
Wikidpedia
Campus Firewatch
techterms.com

SEE ALSO:
What Is Social Media?
What Is Social Networking?
What IS a Social Community?
What Is Online Social Media Conversation?
What Is a Blog?
What Is Twitter?

If twitter is a huge networking room, what is Facebook?
Got more to add? C’mon let’s talk.

–ME “Liz” Strauss
Work with Liz!!