About six years ago (back in eighth grade for me), everyone started to hear about a new social website called Facebook. It was the hip place to go to connect with friends on the ever-growing Internet. Most people who signed up to join the site loved it and bragged about it being the future of communication. It did become a giant in the cyber world, with more than one billion active users. But something changed over the last six years that has soured the relationship between Facebook and a multitude of its users — and that change was Facebook itself.
Facebook was the greatest thing since sliced bread. Now, people can’t get far enough away from it. Why? Screenshot by Courtland JeffreyMark Zuckerberg has transformed a site that allows for quick and simple ways to share life events into a huge financial profit. One of the most recent indicators of this transformation is the newest Facebook phone that is available for purchase starting today (through AT&T). The Facebook team has collaborated with HTC to put out a device that brings Facebook to the front, making social connections the top priority. Zuckerberg’s crew is planning to release a new home launcher app that can be installed on any android device (a tablet version is further behind the phone launcher app). These updates are, arguably, improving the overall user experience of Facebook. But as these improvements continue to roll out, more and more complaints pop up from users. Although Facebook is working to improve user satisfaction, they are achieving the exact opposite and that is because they are forcing unwanted changes onto the public.
New features are usually a plus to any website, but, to many, Facebook may be the exception to this rule. Every time a new addition to Facebook is released (like games and emotions), there is immediate and unwavering backlash towards the change. The argument that the opposition usually takes is that these updates are either too intrusive (they require that you share more personal information) or are the cause of more obnoxious posts from that random person you met twice who is obsessed with his cats.
In other words, Facebook, stop giving people new features like emotions, timelines and overwhelming phone apps. They are happy with what you currently offer and do not want anything more. Let us poke in peace!
If you have any questions or comments, email me at cejeffre@asu.edu and follow me on Twitter @Court_Jeffrey. Happy Facebooking!
