OLD FACEBOOK NOSTALGIA

Now that the new Facebook has been out for about a week, I think it’s time to weigh in and see how things are looking. Of course, with any change there will be dissent. There was major uproar when Facebook switched around last fall, and in my opinion, that change was more cosmetic than anything.

This time around is no different. There are already countless groups sprouting up, begging Facebook to give people the option of using the old interface. Let’s discuss.

I hate to jump on the band-wagon with everyone, but I have to say I am not pleased with the changes that have been made. It seems that in the wake of their failed attempt to purchase Twitter, Facebook has done everything they can to imitate it.

Twitter and Facebook lived in two separate spaces before. Twitter was the one you always had running in the background of your desktop, while Facebook you would check once or twice a day. Different conversations occurred on Twitter than on Facebook. Twitter is much more about conversation and making connections, and because of that, I’d say is much more high involvement than Facebook used to be.

In order for the new Facebook to catch on, people will need to begin using it differently. The days of staying in the loop by occasionally checking in on Facebook are out. Because of real-time news feed, Facebook has turned into a much more demanding site. If you want to get the same amount of relevant information as you did before, you better be checking in frequently.

What made Facebook great was its ability to re-connect old friends and let you take your current circle of friends with you online. It obviously did that better than any other site. Now, it seems to be turning its focus on to connecting with EVERYONE, allowing you to open your profile to the entire Facebook network. The news feed has also seemed to lose its unique ability to only highlight information relevant to those you interact with on a regular basis. I hope Facebook has not completely lost sight of what made it the most popular social network on the web.

Don’t get me wrong, the new Facebook is a great site and will serve as a great tool in connecting people, but I can see why “old” Facebook nostalgia is already setting in.