Diffusion Theory

I would argue Facebook is the biggest innovation of social media. Before it was myspace, linkedin, HI5, six degrees, and friendster. Facebook made them either change or killed them, Linked in became a business networking site.  Facebook was different and I would argue it is the bar for social media now. All people who try to change social media and do something different look at Facebook as a starting point. These people who try to change may even just get bought out by Facebook. It may now be seen as a site where your grandma is, but Facebook didn't start that way. 

Facebook as an innovation. When you strip Facebook down by its history you ask what it started as and what is it now? You see it start as this young, new, hip website for college kids to meet each other with their .edu email. Using the Diffusion Theory of Ideas Facebook started at Harvard then spread to other colleges then people all over could use it. It started super exclusive considering the fact it started at harvard. At the point where its at Harvard you're at the innovators stage of Facebook. You move forward towards the first few colleges that aren't Harvard that would be Facebook being in the early adapters. Facebook is now hot, it is all over the place and now all colleges and some people can have access. This is its early majority stage. Facebook moves into a stage where all people can be on it. This is now its late majority. After this Facebook seems like a site now where its no longer for college kids to meet its no longer hip, new, or cool we have the laggards jumping ship onto Facebook and they are all older. Facebook has been stuck here until recently the plan is to change the name to Meta and try to change Facebook up a bit. They think maybe they can restart the cycle and who knows maybe Zuckerberg can do it. But possibly he should ask the guys he stole the idea from (just watched the social network the other day) and see what they think. Facebook should go back to its roots before this Meta sellout but I doubt it will go that way. 

Facebook’s biggest grab was always its users and I believe people are leaving because its users are all just mothers sharing their cringy memes, family photos, and what's going on in their life. But Facebook as a cooperation has legs. Facebook has bought Instagram ($1 billion), WhatsApp ($19 billion), Oculus VR ($2 billion), LiveRail ($500 million), and Threadsy (undisclosed sum). While Facebook is building Meta (Facebook 2.0) they may try to use these companies they own to push Meta. What is interesting about what they bought is instagram is kinda like Facebook and seems to be tending towards an older demographic so it may be with these social media platforms it all depends about the people who are using it for it to be big. 

Facebook has a lot of assets and ideas. While it isn't as shiny and new as when it started or its not any of the hype or impact it had when I was younger and hearing how cool Facebook was. They Still own all those companies and they have a ton of money. Facebook can reinvent itself if it its trying with Meta. While Facebook is not great for privacy it owns Whatsapp and that used to lead the forefront with encrypted messages. It usested to have so many advantages and was the best for awhile but now it is an average site that steals users information. If they could be more transparent or try to do less sketchy things I think people could come back. I think Facebook is in a better situation than twitter but I think Facebook has its work cutout for itself.