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I really do think that broad, sweeping statements like that can't be used so liberally for a product that billions of people use in so many different ways. The

I really do think that broad, sweeping statements like that can't be used so liberally for a product that billions of people use in so many different ways. The way we use Facebook here in America is not the same as the way people use Facebook in Thailand (in fact, it's extremely different). The way a college student uses Facebook is not the same as the way a mid 30s male uses Facebook. I'll give you one data point. When I was in college, we had a Facebook group for every single class and they were extremely valuable. We also used Facebook events heavily for various on-campus events. This too was extremely valuable. Now that I'm out of college, I have less affinity with those products from Facebook but I gravitate towards different parts of the site now. Either way, you can say that your life would not materially change for the better or worse if Facebook fell off the face of the internet tomorrow. That's a valid opinion to hold. But don't make the folly of generalizing a global product that is so incredibly pervasive in ways that we can't fully understand. I'm not saying that this reality is a good thing, nor am I saying it's a bad thing. However we can have better conversations about the effect Facebook has than "Facebook is useless", "Zuck is a spy", "I deleted my account, fuck FB", "All their metrics are fake", "Something something Myspace". Those simply aren't interesting statements anymore. They just aren't. They're tired and have been repeated year after year for more than a decade.

amoorthy 9y ago
Agree and upvoted. That said, sweeping statements can be useful if they point to a trend. In mature markets, there does appear to be a segment that is turned off by FB and it's not clear if these are being replaced by newer users. If that pattern repeats in newer markets then as the user base ages it portends to trouble for FB.
poopsicle 9y ago
I'm in my 30s and still in school plus other venues where Facebook is used "to get work done". Most of my family and in-laws are overseas (in different parts). I dispute your claims. I'm not convinced that fundamentally usage of Facebook is different in different parts of the world. The memes are different etc etc. But I don't see how it is a critical piece of infrastructure anywhere. I was in college when Facebook didn't exist and then it did - so I've experienced both realities. Somehow I lived. It's very useful now and students gravitate to it because it is pervasive and easy enough. Fine. But if it disappeared tomorrow.. life would go on pretty much as usual. People would find other ways to communicate. You bloviate but your comment is without any real substance or examples.. just hand wavy people do different things with it. Still doesn't change the fact that it is just another ad and meme delivery platform that happens to have some other useful features with less pervasive but usable substitutes. School events and class.. yeah be a bit of a pita for a bit.. but there other ways if it came to that.

amoorthy 9y ago

Agree and upvoted. That said, sweeping statements can be useful if they point to a trend. In mature markets, there does appear to be a segment that is turned off by FB and it's not clear if these are being replaced by newer users. If that pattern repeats in newer markets then as the user base ages it portends to trouble for FB.

poopsicle 9y ago

I'm in my 30s and still in school plus other venues where Facebook is used "to get work done". Most of my family and in-laws are overseas (in different parts). I dispute your claims. I'm not convinced that fundamentally usage of Facebook is different in different parts of the world. The memes are different etc etc. But I don't see how it is a critical piece of infrastructure anywhere. I was in college when Facebook didn't exist and then it did - so I've experienced both realities. Somehow I lived. It's very useful now and students gravitate to it because it is pervasive and easy enough. Fine. But if it disappeared tomorrow.. life would go on pretty much as usual. People would find other ways to communicate. You bloviate but your comment is without any real substance or examples.. just hand wavy people do different things with it. Still doesn't change the fact that it is just another ad and meme delivery platform that happens to have some other useful features with less pervasive but usable substitutes. School events and class.. yeah be a bit of a pita for a bit.. but there other ways if it came to that.