While you were posting vacation photos and messaging your friends, Facebook just became the world’s fourth largest “nation.”
Pause for a moment to consider that fact. In the last year, Facebook, the social networking site to which you likely already belong, has seen its membership rolls triple in the last year . . .to a total of 300 million members. And, if those trends are continuing, Facebook today will add another 3 million members ”“ that is, the population of a city the size of Berlin, Madrid or Buenos Aires ”“ today.
Three hundred million members is a mind-boggling number. In terms of population, it would put Facebook on the list only behind China, India and the United States ”“ and just above Indonesia, Brazil and Pakistan. It is almost as big as the entire population of the European Union, of sub-Saharan Africa, or South America. And, incredibly, it is equal to the entire population of the world in 1000 A.D..
Maybe Dan Brown’s next novel will be entitled, “The Facebook Code: The Lost Tweet.”
Jesus wept.
Here’s what Facebook does for me.
1. Some of it is fun; a lot is trite and to be ignored.
2. I spend little time on it but I do check it for messages or information from friends most days.
3. My wife and I enjoy the photo ‘albums’ she posts from her Rotary home in France.
4. Many of my friends are on FB and sometimes they post activities, needs, requests for prayer, joyful events.
5. Most importantly, I have got back in touch with students from almost every school I have ever taught in. I have reconnected with many friends from college.
6. Even more importantly, I have got back in touch with many childhood friends -some going back to kindergarden.
7. Connections with friends, students just start on FB. I have continued many of these by email, Skype and actual get-togethers and invitations to friends homes around the country and in a few other countries as well as invitations from us.
8. I have made some good friends.
9. FB has enabled all of the above but I am careful to keep my list of ‘friends’ small and only see FB as a tool. It has its unpleasant, unsavoury and addictive side and dangerous side.
Oops!
1. Some of it is fun; a lot is trite and to be ignored.
2. I spend little time on it but I do check it for messages or information from friends most days.
3. My wife and I enjoy the photo ‘albums’ she posts from her Rotary home in France.
4. Many of my friends are on FB and sometimes they post activities, needs, requests for prayer, joyful events.
5. Most importantly, I have got back in touch with students from almost every school I have ever taught in. I have reconnected with many friends from college.
6. Even more importantly, I have got back in touch with many childhood friends -some going back to kindergarden.
7.
7. Connections with friends, students just start on FB. I have continued many of these by email, Skype and actual get-togethers and invitations to friends homes around the country and in a few other countries as well as invitations from us.
8.
8. I have made some good friends.
9. FB has enabled all of the above but I am careful to keep my list of ‘friends’ small and only see FB as a tool. It has its unpleasant, unsavoury and addictive side and dangerous side.
Bill C …. ditto. I use it much like you do. I never play the games or use the addons for sending “gifts” etc. It has been a great tool for my children to keep family and friends updated with pictures of the grandchildren, etc. I turn down many requests to be “friends” and keep my network small and intimate.