Facebook

A Research Report
Compiled by:
Naureen Bhojani
Zahra Bhojani
Luke Delhomme
Miles Gateff
Jill Kohlschmidt

The History of Facebook

When we think of social networking, the first word that comes to the mind of most would
be Facebook. However, what a lot of us might fail to realize is how this happened. What made
Facebook the household name it is today? Moreover, how did Facebooks logo become the most
used logo by other businesses? To begin to understand this, we need to think back. Even though
Facebook might be the first word that comes to mind present day, if the question was simply
changed to, what was the first social network you were a part of? we would then be able to see
a clear demographic trend between the generations of people based on their answer to the
question.
What does this mean exactly? It means that social networking is in the middle of a
paradigm shift, and Facebook is the battlefield. While the main purpose of Facebook may
innocuously seem to be the same way it was a few years ago, you would be wrong. Facebook
now has every possibility to either be your own worst enemy, or a great tool for networking and
business.
To provide a brief history on social networking, let us answer the previous question,
what was the first social network you were a part of? For our group, the majority was Myspace.
For some, it was even a little website before Myspace, called Xanga. The significance of this is
that our generation was at the starting line of the social networking race. These were the first
popular social networks, and we literally grew up using them until Facebook arrived. In other
words, we have watched social media evolve from its conception into what it is today.
While the exact time for each of us joining Facebook was different, it ended up
eventually leaving Myspace behind and forgotten. A unique thing about Facebook was that they
created a sense of exclusivity by initially requiring users to provide a college email to join. This
was a brilliant way to make their users feel special when joining Facebook. But after a while,
Facebook opened up registration to everyone. Though not immediately, this was the fundamental
change that caused the major evolution of social networking that would eventually lead to it
being used for more than just sharing moments with your friends. What exactly does all this
mean?
Well, the black and white start of this evolution was when adults and businesses began to
join Facebook. It was almost as if Facebook was a nation-wide college house party, where all the
kids were having a blast, meeting new people and taking pictures. Then, slowly but surely,
everyones parents started coming home. In 2014, a whopping 57% of the Facebook user base
are adults, which has increased since the last study in 2010 (Lomas, 2014). All the fun with no
consequences that was going on in the early years of social networking was now open for all to
see, read and critique. Over the years, the active involvement of both businesses and adults has
made Facebook become quite dangerous if not used carefully. And even more dangerous for
those of us who grew up with social media while it evolved, because back in the golden days,
the most there was to worry about was getting made fun for what you posted by your friends the
following day at school. However, the situation has completely changed now. This isnt exactly a
negative thing as it can be used to ones advantage if they have the correct insight into the
situation. Its important to remember that the Facebook we grew up on isnt the Facebook we
have now. In a recent interview with Mark Cuban he said, The biggest mistake that people make
on social media is that they let their posts live forever (Cuban, 2014).

This leaves us really with two very viable options. We can adapt to the change and take a
different, more cautious approach to the way we use Facebook in our lives. Or, we can simply
leave Facebook entirely like the other 11 million young adults have done since 2011 (Matthews,
2014). While ripping off the band-aid and leaving Facebook seems like the easiest approach, we
would really like to encourage everyone to do otherwise after they read this report. To
understand the change, which so many others have yet to realize, could leave you with a
significant upper hand in business relations, job interviews and future networking opportunities.
We have amassed a great amount of beneficial research from the different ways businesses use
Facebook to serve their best interests, to how adults are using Facebook to profile candidates;
helping them choose the best future employee before they even walk into the room for an
interview.
How to use Facebook to Benefit Business Organizations
Many businesses are using social media to promote their business to spread awareness of
their organization. The most effective social media used by millions of people every day is
Facebook. Businesses are well aware of Facebooks popularity among people and therefore, they
use it for the benefit of promoting their business.
Facebook, being one of the cheapest marketing strategies, is preferred by many business
owners. One of the ways businesses promote their product or service is by creating a page and
sharing their basic information to the public through it. For example; contact details, history,
discounts and promotions, coupons etc. This attracts the viewers to look into their
product/service (Queensland Government). By doing this, customers who are curious to know
more about a businesss product or service may now use Facebook to educate themselves on the
basic information of that business. This will create a path for them to take towards contacting the
business and will additionally satisfy their curiosity by getting their general questions answered.
Another way businesses use Facebook is by making it a platform for the public to share
their experiences in regards the product/service. Owners have to option to allow customers to
post feedback, queries and recommendations/suggestions on their Facebook page. This further
improves their relationship with customers and gives them insight on how customers feel about
their service or product. This will not only make customers feel that they have a say, but it will
also give business owners an opportunity to mold their product or service based on customer
feedback.
Another effective method businesses can utilize Facebook is by word of mouth.
Businesses can gain more exposure if friends and family re-post or share the posts related to
launch of new product or any updates regarding a new business (like discounts offered or
coupons). Furthermore, a user merely pressing the like button on a businesss Facebook page
allows the business to reach out to that user when it has promotional materials that need to be
distributed. With the virility of social media, each like a Facebook user makes on the posts of a
business page will also make the companys page visible on the newsfeed of each one of their
friends.
Since Facebook is now accessible through smartphones, people can easily access
Facebook regardless of where they are. According to NBC news, a study was conducted which
concluded that the most frequently used application on smart phones is Facebook and that

smartphone users check Facebook around 14 times per day (Subbaraman, 2013). An application,
which people visit that frequently, will be the best platform on which one can reach a large
audience regarding their new business/service or product.
Businesses can make most out of Facebook through scheduling posts for posting at a later
time. One may not have time to visit Facebook every day to post updates; therefore, Facebook
allows scheduling of posts earlier. This is a beneficial opportunity for business organizations to
properly coverage their business by setting up posts at the beginning or end of week. This will
save great amount of time (Honigman, 2012). This feature also allows the owner of the page to
delete posts from the schedule if he/she wishes. It is an easy to handle feature and provides
direction of use for the first time user. However, organizations and individuals who are using
these Facebook tools to further their business or personal aspirations should use caution and be
aware of the potential risks Facebook and other social media present.
Dangers of Using Facebook:
Facebook has about 400 billion users. Facebook is used as a means of entertainment,
marketing, and as a source of finding jobs for various professionals. This social networking site
has many benefits, but on the other hand the dangers associated with it cannot be denied.
As a professional, either someone who is looking for a job or someone who is employed,
a person should limit the information and opinion that he/she posts on Facebook. One of such
kinds of dangers was faced by Virgin Airlines crew members. They had a public Facebook
discussion about the airlines faulty engines, hygiene problems, and inappropriate safety
standards. Moreover, they also insulted passengers in their online discussion. When Virgin
Airlines found out about the Facebook discussion they removed all the comments and took
disciplinary action against those crew members. Another example is of an employee named
Ashley Johnson, who was fired because of a Facebook post. Ashley Johnson was a waitress at
Brixx, a pizza restaurant. She got frustrated when she had to wait after her shift for her customers
to finish. In addition to that, she received a small tip. Upon this, she posted about her experience
along with some unfavorable remarks about her customers on Facebook. This action of hers got
her fired (Smith, 2010). In both situations, even though employers were not Facebook friends
with their employees they were still able to access their posts. This proves that even after privacy
settings third parties are able to easily access your personal information.
Facebook not only brings dangers to the employees of the business segment, it can also
affect the lives of professional athletes. A soccer player, Dan Leone, was released because he
criticized a team on Facebook. He was chastised and eventually let go by a team director.
Although he deleted the Facebook post, he was unable to save his career as a player on the team.
Another such incident happened with a teacher in Georgia. A high school teacher had a Facebook
page which contained photos of her drinking alcohol. She was questioned by the schools
principal, and according to her, she was forced to give her resignation (Smith, 2010). This shows
that revealing personal information or pictures that are considered inappropriate for a specific
job, even when done outside of working hours, can be risky. There are a lot of security holes
through which privacy can be invaded. CBS news reported a publication named Tech Crunch
discovered a security hole through which friends can read each others private chat. Facebook
was able to resolve the issue (News, 2010). In addition to that, when a person plays any kind of

game, reads a horoscope, or shares things from a page, he or she unknowingly gives access of
their information to the third party. With so many ways our personal information can be accessed
by strangers, it is important to always consider anything you post online as public.
It can be a wise idea to spread information through Facebook, as it is the fastest and most
convenient social network. Along with its benefits, there are a lot of risks associated with
Facebook which makes professionals and business vulnerable to associated dangers Fox news
has clearly stated the importance of wrongful Facebook status, There are only three things in
life that are certain: Death, taxes, and certain Facebook statuses that will haunt you forever in
the ether unless you remember to go back and take them down (Gidman, 2014).
Tips to Using Facecbook Professionally
Building a professional social media presence is very important for aspiring business
professionals. The last ten years have brought vast technological advancements in smart phones,
allowing the world access to internet and social media anytime at the click of a button. Social
media not only affects the younger target market, businesses as well as baby boomers have
adapted to the use of social media to connect. What started out as a social site for young adults,
Facebook has evolved into a platform used by individuals and businesses alike. As the reigning
monarch of social media, Facebook is, explains David Kirkpatrick in The Facebook Effect, a
technological powerhouse with unprecedented influence across modern life, both public and
private (Dryud, 2011).
Businesses are constantly scrambling to utilize Facebook and such networking sites to
stay in touch with the public. When people search for businesses on the social network, a
profile page is the first place they end up. In addition to posting engaging updates and vibrant
photos to that page, owners can use the page to cram in details about the company that can give
prospective customers all they need to know, as well as reasons to keep coming back(Coombes,
2014). These businesses are also using Facebook and other sites to assess candidates for job
eligibility.
The participation by businesses and employers in Facebook is all the more reason to
make sure your profile is appropriate. It is important to treat your Facebook like the desk in your
office. You want your profile to be clean and professional. Be aware of your privacy settings and
be careful what you post. Our generation is stepping into unknown territory as far as how our
digital footprint will be used. What we post, tweet, and Instagram is all a reflection of ourselves
that can be accessed at any time by others. Online profiles are structured with the view that
everyone can see them, even if the explicitly intended audience is more limited. These social
norms are inconsistent with the claim that social media are private spaces; instead, it appears that
participants view and treat online social networks as public venues (Burkell, 2014).
If used effectively, Facebook can be a professional asset. The following tips can help
easily transition a social profile into a professional tool:

Purge your Facebook of revealing or incriminating pictures and posts. Anything you
would not want your future boss to be should be removed.

Provide a consistent message. Highlight your best side. Note accomplishments, awards,
goals, education. Content should be kept relevant to professional aspirations. Simplicity
is best.
Use Facebook to network. Facebook can be easily used for networking to remain in touch
with current and former co-workers and other professional contacts.
Avoid linking apps or games to Facebook that spam other users.
Advocate your company; you should never post anything negative relative to your job.
Such a trivial thing can turn into the loss of a job very quickly.
Whom you friend and follow is a reflection of who you are so take that into consideration
before hastily clicking that accept button.
Join groups related to your business interests and aspirations. These simple likes may
provide you with workshops, networking opportunities and job fairs related to your future
career.
Support causes that move you, school events, philanthropic events, clubs, and other
organizations you are involved in.
Let others know if about events and projects youre working on.

In a world where perception is our reality, being conscientious is a must for aspiring
business professionals who use social media. Too many times we see the consequences of a
quote out of context or a picture that negatively implicates the involved parties. Part of growing
up is being aware of these risks and being proactive towards your online presence to prevent any
discrepancies in how you want to be perceived and what you are displaying online. The future of
social media is still a mystery, taking steps now to safeguard your privacy could be essential to
you in the future.
Future of Facebook
The world of social media is rapidly growing and constantly expanding. New websites
and updated features are released on a near daily basis. Facebook has dominated social media
since 2005 and continues to be a major competitor. In order to remain competitive, Facebook has
undergone many improvements and updates since its creation. Looking at Facebooks recent
activities gives a sneak peek into the future of Facebook.
One of Facebooks recent changes has been the implementation of a standalone
Messenger app. In the past, users could only message people through the Facebook app. Users
are now able to quickly message their friends without having to navigate through the app. The
Messenger app has been a huge success thanks to its practicality and convenience. However, the
new app is only part of a much bigger initiative called Creative Labs. (Manjoo. 2014) explains
that Now, on mobile phones especially, Facebook will begin to splinter into many smaller, more
narrowly focused services, some of which wont even carry Facebooks branding, and may not
require a Facebook account to use. Mark Zuckerberg, Facebooks CEO, believes that separating
Facebooks services will allow each separate service to work more efficiently.
E-commerce can be defined as commercial transactions conducted electronically on the
internet. Since July of 2014, Facebook has been experimenting with e-commerce. (Trotman.
2014) explains how the company has implemented a buy button on its website. With this

button, shoppers can purchase items straight from posts and ads on the website. The buy button
marks Facebooks first step in the direction of e-commerce. The service is only available for a
select few small businesses but will be available for all users if proven to be successful.
Zuckerberg is hoping to tap into the $304.1 billion that is predicted for US online retail sales this
year.
During an interview with Bloomberg Businessweek, Zuckerberg explained what he
called his 10 year plan. First he talks about Creative Labs and his plan to create many smaller
mobile apps. He then describes his philanthropic idea for the future. Being the 26th wealthiest
person in the world at a net worth of $24 billion, Zuckerberg is able to make quite an impact with
his charity. Zuckerberg wants to expand the internet to everyone who has yet to have access to
the internet. The company started an organization called Internet.org with 6 other tech
companies. Working together, the companies have each simplified their own respective services
in order to provide a much cheaper wireless service. Stone and Frier (2014) explain how More
users in undeveloped countries will subscribe to mobile services for the opportunity to use
Facebook, which in turn makes it more economical for mobile operators to improve their
wireless networks to support higher-bandwidth services such as online education and banking.
Internet.org will change the world and is a huge part of Facebooks future.
Clearly, Mark Zuckerberg has big plans for him and his company. The future of Facebook
can be described in 3 points:

Creative Labs will create smaller apps to provide Facebooks services more efficiently.
A buy button will allow users to shop online directly through Facebook.
Internet.org will provide internet access to many developing countries.

From being a tiny website requiring a college email to sign up to being the most frequently
used app on smartphones, Facebook has grown exponentially and shows no plans of stopping
any time soon. Early users left social media websites such as Myspace for the next cool thing
called Facebook. The user base eventually grew past college-aged kids when many adults started
joining the website. Businesses started using Facebook for promotion, expanding the user base
even more. Present day, Facebook is used by nearly everyone. The website will continue to grow
and the future of Facebook looks bright.

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