Facebook has been an ever-evolving tool since its creation, and through the first 14 years of existence its endured an abundance of ups and downs. Whether it was May of 2012 when the company held its initial public offering (IPO) or September of 2017 when it supposedly assisted the Russian’s and their influence on the Presidential Election, this so called “once in a lifetime” technology has both positively and negatively affected our society in ways none before its creation could’ve ever thought as possible. With high expectations and possibilities that seem limitless, Facebook has evolved over the years to stay competitive with other platforms as well to keep up with the societal trends.
Useful social media platform comparisons "@NWBowles: Social media snapshot infographic #SocialMedia pic.twitter.com/h2CPuXInSy"
— Richard Bull-Domican (@richard_NEFI) September 30, 2014
The changes that Facebook has gone through have been drastic, yet it continues to stick to the roots it was established on in Zuckerberg’s dorm room. With the creation of the platform in 2004, Facebook was a networking tool only available to those attending Harvard, yet as time passed it became available to all.
Mark Zuckerberg during his commencement speech to the graduating class at Harvard University, shared his journey of Facebook & how it changed his life & that of others. "My hope was never to build a company, but to make an impact".
We are redefining quadrant to make an impact. pic.twitter.com/HG3eOgbqZw
— QuadrantMSL (@quadrantcompany) January 16, 2018
As stated above, Facebook (a phenomenon) was not something that could be displayed as a masterpiece upon creation, yet as it has evolved it has become a source for all public needs. Along with the expansion of the network came features such as, yet not limited to, the creation of the newsfeed in 2007 along with the ability to access the platform on a mobile device in 2009. Along with the features stated prior, another monumental moment for the platform involved the creation of the chat box in 2008 making MSN Messenger, a Microsoft service, rather obsolete.
Human necessities change over time and thats what Facebook must do as well to meet consumer needs. If Facebook wants to control the social media market, they must meet the needs of those who dominate the social platforms; high schoolers and college students.
Hi Ethan,
I think your post makes a good point. In 2004, Facebook was an exclusive site, but has evolved into something so much more. Everyone has a Facebook and the platform definitely tries to keep up with trends of other social media sites. They tried to launch stories this year. It didn’t really catch on. I think this is because people still think of Facebook as a way to reconnect with friends and maintain relationships. A differentiating factor about Facebook is that posts are not always in real time. There is a bit of a delay in when people post to Facebook. Whereas, Instagram is faster results. I completely agree that in order to meet the needs of its consumers, Facebook must meet the needs of who use their site most: high school and college students.