Facebook turns 10

My journey with Facebook began five-years back. That makes me a part of half of Facebook’s journey since it began in 2004.   That makes me thing, how old was the creator Mark Zuckerberg when he gave birth to Facebook. Not even 30 yet, Mark Zuckerberg was only 19-years old when he started off the company on February 4, 2004. He called the company The Facebook then. He designed the www.facebook.com website to help people share information about themselves with their friends. And what is more shocking is that this website was originally created for people in Harvard University to connect with each other (McCracken, H. 2014). But this idea became so popular that Zuckerberg built a fortune with the company that simply allowed people to connect with each other.

Facebook brought the world closer to each other. News became easier to follow. Sitting in front of our PC or Mac enabled gadgets anywhere in the world we connected with the rest f world by sharing photos, anniversaries, life events, achievements with friends, family and also acquaintances. We liked our friend’s wall writings and things they shared on Facebook and in turn hope that they too will like the things we do post. 

All this is good, real good. But critics argue that the very same juggernaut that enabled people to connect with each other is responsible for eradicating the face-to-face connection between people. Critics cite various research studies to prove their point. In a new study from the University of Michigan psychologist Ethan Kross shows how online media contributes to loneliness and reduces overall life satisfaction (Greig, A, 2013). Eighty-two people participated in this study. These participants were text messaged five times a day over a two-week period with a link to an online survey about their Facebook use, their feelings of well-being and the amount of face-to-face social interaction they had engaged in. The research team discovered that the more time participant had spent on Facebook, the less happy they felt over time.

In an interview to IB Times UK, Daria Kuss of Birmingham City University said "Depressive symptoms of excessive Facebook use are likely to relate to the overemphasis on weak ties between individuals which are propagated online and the substitution of real life friendships by online friendships." In his interview Kuss concludes that the relationships today are more superficial made by a click of a button. He justifies his claim saying in the bargain many social media users then make these online friendships more importance at the expense of deeper and stronger ties with friends in real life.  (Charlton, Al. 2014).

Well while we analyze whether Facebook is good or bad for mankind, many say that it is soon going to be the end of the Facebook generation. Or maybe Facebook will evolve. Just got to wait and watch.