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One of the more poorly written pieces I've read in the New Yorker. The author is all over the place: predicting doom, saying he doesn't see the point of Twitter

by tyre 11y ago

One of the more poorly written pieces I've read in the New Yorker. The author is all over the place: predicting doom, saying he doesn't see the point of Twitter, proclaiming himself a dedicated user. Also, this line of ego-drivel: > This is especially notable to all of us in the world of media, the people who fill these services with highly valuable and hotly traded “content,” such as the piece you’re currently reading. One we should put to rest: the "Facebook can just build this" argument. Facebook built Paper to take over news. It failed. Facebook built Slingshot to copy SnapChat. It failed. Technology companies are not just successful because of their technology. _Especially_ in social media.

mandeepj 11y ago
besides facebook website and its mobile app, everything that FB created has failed - facebook mobile os, chat heads etc.
- sirkneeland 11y ago
  Are there any data released on use of chat heads (in Android, the only OS where they can exist)? Personally I love chatheads, they're why I've driven so much of my messaging into FB Messenger. But I would certainly be curious as to how many users disable them.
- snowwrestler 11y ago
  Messenger is heavily used. You might be including that in your assessment of the central service, but it is a standalone app now.
- JBReefer 11y ago
  I'm in that horrible demographic (white uppermiddle class New Yorker who lives in a cool neighborhood) that's probably the most valuable in the US, and literally _all_ of my friends use Facebook Messenger as their primary means of communication. Name another service that: 1. Doesn't require me to ask you for your screenname 2. Syncs seamlessly between all of my devices 3. Works well with video/pictures/video phone calls 4. Isn't swamped with spam There isn't one. Don't let selection bias blur your view.
- askafriend 11y ago
  You realize Messenger has 800mm monthly active users right? They're sitting there waiting to be monetized. Messenger is HUGE and they're turning it into a platform, which is very very smart of them. Groups is huge too, it's sitting there also waiting to be monetized and in their latest earnings call, they emphasized that they are investing more heavily into Groups to bring it to it's full potential. It's been put on the back burner for a while, but it will become huge.
hobs 11y ago
To be fair, any hack at Facebook could have written this article, and it seems that the "hotly traded content" which used to be what the media created is widely turning to pap; lowering the bar to create it and therefore making it cheaper to make means that anyone can "build" a news site.

by tyre 11y ago

mandeepj 11y ago

besides facebook website and its mobile app, everything that FB created has failed - facebook mobile os, chat heads etc.

sirkneeland 11y ago
Are there any data released on use of chat heads (in Android, the only OS where they can exist)? Personally I love chatheads, they're why I've driven so much of my messaging into FB Messenger. But I would certainly be curious as to how many users disable them.
snowwrestler 11y ago
Messenger is heavily used. You might be including that in your assessment of the central service, but it is a standalone app now.
JBReefer 11y ago
I'm in that horrible demographic (white uppermiddle class New Yorker who lives in a cool neighborhood) that's probably the most valuable in the US, and literally _all_ of my friends use Facebook Messenger as their primary means of communication. Name another service that: 1. Doesn't require me to ask you for your screenname 2. Syncs seamlessly between all of my devices 3. Works well with video/pictures/video phone calls 4. Isn't swamped with spam There isn't one. Don't let selection bias blur your view.
askafriend 11y ago
You realize Messenger has 800mm monthly active users right? They're sitting there waiting to be monetized. Messenger is HUGE and they're turning it into a platform, which is very very smart of them. Groups is huge too, it's sitting there also waiting to be monetized and in their latest earnings call, they emphasized that they are investing more heavily into Groups to bring it to it's full potential. It's been put on the back burner for a while, but it will become huge.

hobs 11y ago

To be fair, any hack at Facebook could have written this article, and it seems that the "hotly traded content" which used to be what the media created is widely turning to pap; lowering the bar to create it and therefore making it cheaper to make means that anyone can "build" a news site.