“Now you can Facebook while you Facebook.”
That’s just one of the many statuses I’ve seen in reaction to the changes implemented to one of the country’s most popular websites late Tuesday night.
The consensus of users’ opinions is outrage toward what Facebook calls the “ticker” feed.
The feed, which includes a new box in the top right-hand corner of every Facebook page, displays real-time updates of any move a friend makes — whether they’ve been tagged, commented on a post or become friends with someone you may not even know.
To add to the creepiness factor, Facebook implemented the “subscribe” feature last week, allowing any member to see someone’s public posts without adding them as a friend. The traditional news feed has also had a facelift, as posts Facebook deems most important are intertwined with normal posts.
Finally, Facebook took the initiative to organize “lists” for every member, analyzing profiles to create separate “circles” (a la Google+) of friends like high school classmates or family.
Welcome to Creepbook. Am I right?
As expected, the majority of Facebook users have (ironically) posted floods of statuses expressing utter dissatisfaction with the overhaul.
And I can’t say I disagree.
People do want to know what their friends are up to, but Facebook’s update is another step in the direction of Sting’s sentiments in “Every Breath You Take.”
The monthly integration of new features is ruining the simplicity that rocketed Facebook past MySpace. Remember that?
I don’t know whether to pay attention to the ever-updating ticker feed or my normal news feed, and when I try to watch both, I find myself overwhelmed with information I never wanted to know.
Yes, Facebook is a free service, and no one is forced to use it. But it’s still a product despite a nonexistent price tag, and consumers have the right to provide feedback.
And Facebook should listen.
How’s your MySpace Top 8 looking? Exactly. Believe it or not, there was a time when no one could imagine MySpace tanking.
Facebook needs to acknowledge its mortality, especially as Google+ opened to the public the same day Facebook made its changes.
According to Nielsen ratings, Americans spend 53.5 billion minutes each month on Facebook. In a distant second is Google’s Blogger with 723 million minutes each month.
Facebook is safe for now, but the “if you don’t like it, you can leave” attitude could be the death of the Mark Zuckerberg empire.
Facebook started small at first, and though Google+ is currently struggling, the site’s comparable design is becoming more appealing as Facebook becomes increasingly cluttered. The day when users finally own up to their claims of Facebook abandonment may come sooner than expected.
But until the Facebook apocalypse, may the omniscient (and slightly altered) words of Sting keep us alert: Every picture you take, every event you create, every relationship you break, every status you update, Facebook will be watching you.