I don't think that an expert is viral communications theory would have done any better. Almost everything involving networks is a fad. Networks are an interes

I don't think that an expert is viral communications theory would have done any better. Almost everything involving networks is a fad. Networks are an interesting mathematical structure, but on their own, they rarely enable one to build a compelling statistical model. E.g. people join Facebook for very complex social reasons, that go beyond local interactions between individuals. The image of Facebook has changed significantly since it started, and new products have entered the market, like snapchat and kik.