Has Facebook shot itself in the foot?

Hey,

So, I joined Facebook just before I started University way back in 2007 and it was mainly populated by academics and students who wanted to keep in touch with each other/make new friends and network with their new found friends. Since then, it has grown, from not needing a University email address to actively encouraging younger people to join.

I was just wondering, after logging on this morning to browse the usual, has Facebook gone too far in it's recruitment of younger people? I mean, in terms of it's layout, target and content. I can't seem to log on nowadays without seeing a group along the lines of "My door was closed when you came in! Don't leave it open when you leave!" or "I still run up the stairs!", that have been joined by the younger population of my friend list...I do often sit at my PC and think "Yeah, I did that when I was a kid" or "Ha, that's funny" but I honestly don't feel the need to join a group about it!

So, I suppose I'm asking, has Facebook done the right thing in adapting itself or do you think it should have stayed the same, for academics? Is it making more money having pre-adolescents making farms and baking cakes or could it do with a revamp? Do you think Facebook will go out of fashion like MySpace or Bebo or will it remain popular?

I'm not questioning anyone's use of Facebook, it's how you want to use it, hence why it's so popular, I'm just curious as to what people think of it's changes? Are the older users/professionals being put off by the groups/fan pages or is it just who you have in your friend list? I know people who delete friends if they join "pointless, inane groups".

Thanks! :grouphugs:

Reply 1

Drunk Punx

19

I don't have FB, and I refuse to join it due to my contempt for it. :biggrin:

Reply 2

gbduo

15

I think it will go out of fashion with the younger generation eventually when something else comes along, and then it will go back to how it was, which as you say, was inifinitely better!

I have been on facebook since 2005 and it has changed soooo much in 4/5 years, so yeh, I think it will change soon when it goes out of fashion.

Reply 3

thecdon

17

Original post by Girl&#9829

Hey,

So, I joined Facebook just before I started University way back in 2007 and it was mainly populated by academics and students who wanted to keep in touch with each other/make new friends and network with their new found friends. Since then, it has grown, from not needing a University email address to actively encouraging younger people to join.

I was just wondering, after logging on this morning to browse the usual, has Facebook gone too far in it's recruitment of younger people? I mean, in terms of it's layout, target and content. I can't seem to log on nowadays without seeing a group along the lines of "My door was closed when you came in! Don't leave it open when you leave!" or "I still run up the stairs!", that have been joined by the younger population of my friend list...I do often sit at my PC and think "Yeah, I did that when I was a kid" or "Ha, that's funny" but I honestly don't feel the need to join a group about it!

So, I suppose I'm asking, has Facebook done the right thing in adapting itself or do you think it should have stayed the same, for academics? Is it making more money having pre-adolescents making farms and baking cakes or could it do with a revamp? Do you think Facebook will go out of fashion like MySpace or Bebo or will it remain popular?

I'm not questioning anyone's use of Facebook, it's how you want to use it, hence why it's so popular, I'm just curious as to what people think of it's changes? Are the older users/professionals being put off by the groups/fan pages or is it just who you have in your friend list? I know people who delete friends if they join "pointless, inane groups".

Thanks! :grouphugs:

soon on facebook there will be a fan page for breathing.

such stupid groups and fan pages, why do i want to join a page at yelling at objects? bellends

Reply 4

thecdon

17

Drunk Punx

I don't have FB, and I refuse to join it due to my contempt for it. :biggrin:

off topic, but , whats the name of that chat thing in your sig where you can talk to anyone over the internet?

Reply 5

Girl♥RadioHeart

OP

12

Drunk Punx

I don't have FB, and I refuse to join it due to my contempt for it. :biggrin:

Haha! I know SO many people who wish they had your restraint! That's the point, though. I didn't join when there were all these groups - I mean, my friend just became a "fan" of "Not being eaten by sharks"... I joined before Uni to make friends and now it's got out of hand - IMO.

I just worry that it's become an attention seeking tool for kids who feel the need to tell the world everything - but then again, some people just like sharing!

I did hear someone say on a night out last week "Take a picture..." *took picture* "Thanks, that's my new profile picture!". :woo:

Reply 6

brokenheroes

16

thecdon

soon on facebook there will be a fan page for breathing.

such stupid groups and fan pages, why do i want to join a page at yelling at objects? bellends

there is one, i've seen it :o:

Reply 7

Delta Aitch

13

thecdon

soon on facebook there will be a fan page for breathing.

such stupid groups and fan pages, why do i want to join a page at yelling at objects? bellends

There already is one for 'Staying Alive' and 'Not Being On Fire' :sigh:

Reply 8

thecdon

17

brokenheroes

there is one, i've seen it :o:

yeah i know lol, so have i, my point is why would any normal person want to join such a stupid group?

and its also annoying when on the home page you get these crappy fan check and stalker photos, poker, farmville and people popping up saying theyve joined 21 groups all of which are pointless.

this is why i only go on facebook about once a week now!!!

/rant...

Reply 9

Girl♥RadioHeart

OP

12

loafer

fan pages are worse.

apparently there are millions of fans of 'water', 'food' also has many fans. wtf/ who cares

My friend is travelling round the world at the moment and I love logging onto Facebook to keep up with her from her little internet cafés but everytime I sign in, my "Live Feed" is spammed by "Joe Bloggs became a fan of sleeping" and "Mary Smith became a fan of walking in the snow".

I know you could argue it's the people you are friends with but how do you approach it? "Yeah, you know your 1,290 fan pages, they p*ss me off?!" haha...

The only thing I'm a fan of on Facebook is The Kings of Leon and a couple of other bands!

Reply 10

Charlottielottie

7

If you only want to speak to 'academics' you do have TSR.

And get a sense of humour!

And chances are, its not getting full of kids, you're just getting OLD.

Reply 11

Drunk Punx

19

thecdon

off topic, but , whats the name of that chat thing in your sig where you can talk to anyone over the internet?

Omegle.

You get some ******* weirdos on there as well, it's brilliant. :h:

Reply 12

Ladipidoo

14

The fan pages are amazing. :colonhash:

Reply 13

username291885

3

I've hidden every single stupid application off of my homepage, such as 'Picture of the Day' or 'Truth Questions!'.

That way my home page only displays status updates, events, and new pictures :smile:

Reply 14

Girl♥RadioHeart

OP

12

Charlottielottie

If you only want to speak to 'academics' you do have TSR.

And get a sense of humour!

And chances are, its not getting full of kids, you're just getting OLD.

I don't only want to speak to academics... I was just saying that when I joined that was the main demographic of users...

Also, I do have a sense of humour, I just don't express it by becoming a fan of "not dying"!

I am getting old, I know! 20 is pretty much retired nowadays, but I guess OAP's are allowed to moan about the youth of today, right? :yep:

Reply 15

iamkund

8

All social networking sites shoot themselves in the foot at some point or another. The best thing to do is to NOT join, and get on with your life.

Then again, I'm sure there'll be a successor to Facebook where the process will start all over again. Beginning with the pretentious ***** who 'got there first', followed by the hordes of dregs, inevitably. :rolleyes:

Reply 16

73337

18

Try not to get too worked up about it.

Reply 17

Phobia27

14

thecdon

soon on facebook there will be a fan page for breathing.

Breathing! :awesome:

*Makes Facebook page* (EDIT: There's already a breathing page that has 100,000 fans :lolwut:

)

I don't think they have shot themselves in the foot yet, all these pages are just being created by fans having a laugh, it doesn't necessary mean they are teenagers looking for some giggles.

I think if Facebook do eventually shoot themselves in the foot it would be for customisable backgrounds or something else equally childish. Urgh, I used to hate looking on Bebo/My Space and see loads of flashing, chavvy backgrounds, it's the reason I deleted my account of their websites.