In just over six years, Facebook has become the most popular social networking websites in the world and one of the most widely used modes of communication. Created on February 4, 2004 at Harvard University, Mark Zuckerberg and a few of his friends founded what was intended to be a network for Harvard students. In just a month, the site had opened up to Ivy League schools and Stanford University, and eventually, any person thirteen and older who wanted to sign up.
Zuckerberg got the idea for this site from his prep school, Phillips Exeter Academy, where they printed and handed out a list of all students and faculty that was unofficially called the “face book”. The original site was called TheFacebook and was created as a lack of faith in Harvard University. "Everyone’s been talking a lot about a universal face book within Harvard; I think it’s kind of silly that it would take the University a couple of years to get around to it. I can do it better than they can, and I can do it in a week"(Zuckerberg). Within the first month, more than half the undergraduates had signed up. Although Facebook was set up with a primary focus, Zuckerberg had no idea the impact it would have on the United States, and even the world. Today, Facebook boasts over 350 million users and a revenue stream of 300 million dollars a year.
Rising to this popularity in such little time has not been easy though. The creators have had to make numerous adjustments to keep the users happy. In order to reach such a large group of people they had to make the site easy to manage by even the most technologically inadequate people. Also, the creators have to adjust the site often to meet the requests and preferences of the users.
Zuckerberg initially intended for Facebook to unite the students of Harvard University, but the rapid growth caused him to think about expanding the site. At the beginning, the target audience was college and high school students. They could post pictures, look at other peoples interests, and meet new people. As it became more popular, people of all ages began getting Facebook profiles, but the target audience remains students due to their generation growing up around technology and being more technology savvy. This is also seen in the use of ads on the site. There are always ads to “meet hot singles in your area” and other advertisements that have college students in their pictures. A student is far more likely to click on one of these links than a person who is married with kids and only gets on to connect with family.
Facebook, and my profile on Facebook, relate to me in an in depth way. I am a social person who loves meeting new people and Facebook gives me an easy way to do so. Also, my profile represents me to others and shows who I am and what I enjoy doing. One can see my favorite music, movies, activities, and quotes; it also shows where I live and what school I attend. This portrays me to others and gives them the opportunity to connect with me. And vice versa, it allows me to see other people’s interests and decide whether I would like to talk to them. One can learn a lot about someone through their Facebook profile; but one has to be careful when doing this because people can easily post false information or create a false account.
I feel that Facebook represents me more than anything else in many ways. It shows how social I am; I get on about once a day to see if people have sent me any messages or if anyone has asked to be my friend. It shows what I am interested in by the information on my profile and also by what I am a fan of. No other piece of technology can do all of these things in one without an explanation.
As a consumer, Facebook persuades me in a different way than buying. Although I didn’t have to pay for access or click on the advertisement, I consume Facebook more than any other good. Anytime I get on the computer one of my first three stops is Facebook. I choose this site over the million of others on the internet. Of all the companies competing for service, I choose to get on and “consume” Facebook; as well as many others that get on more than I do and may click on the advertisements.
Facebook is a representation of who I am and it is the same for many others all over the world. Allowing people to communicate with friends, family, and new people, Facebook truly connects the world.
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