Facebook has been stuck trying to update in a world where going quick is everything. The problem is that Facebook has to compete with Twitter and Instagram, two services that update quickly. Facebook is trying to make its product better by adding things that the other social media platforms already do, but they aren’t as good and just look extremely behind the times. Now, Facebook is switching more to the idea that it has more money than anyone else, and therefore can buy new technology:
#Facebook announced 'new technology' that can identify & track whole body movements https://t.co/WPWi36Xk5T
— RT (@RT_com) January 29, 2018
Facebook has tried to switch to becoming a multi-media platform. Facebook before was just for friends and family to connect. If not, they could at least give each other lives on Candy Crush Saga. Now, it is making people mad as they try to watch their same old award shows:
wow having the red carpet at the #Grammys streaming exclusively on facebook is like the rudest fucking thing @CBS could have done to people in rural areas
i really don't need live comments and emojis constantly flying across the screen and neither does my outdated computer
— Broke & Beautiful (@Broke_Beautiful) January 28, 2018
While people may not like Facebook Live, I believe it is the way that Facebook will survive. As a social network, Facebook has to capitalize on long form entertainment. Having no character limit is what makes it more effective at telling long stories than Twitter, which is good for quick thoughts, even at the new 280 character limit. If Facebook can keep people posting long stories about their lives, the platform has a chance to survive. Facebook Live has also proven to be more effective then other streaming services such as Periscope and Instagram Live. It is getting tough in general for Facebook to stay relevant in a world that is more focused on quick thoughts, but the novelty of the longer form much be a concept that Facebook takes advantage of in order to survive.
I agree that Facebook showcases long form entertainment exceptionally well, especially for video. Their auto-play feature makes watching content a seamless experience. My concern for Facebook is that I never think to go to the platform with the intention to watch video, but rather find myself mindlessly scrolling through it. With this in mind, do you think that Facebook (or even Facebook Watch) has what it takes to compete with YouTube?