FACEBOOK

Facebook impact on computers How Facebook became a very power computer tool Digitization of people's life

Facebook impact on computers How Facebook became a very power computer tool Digitization of people's life

Introduction

Facebook has influenced social capital, or the resources accumulated through the relationships among people, and allows for the formation of new social networks. The major issues in medium theory are its historical development, the principles of media epistemology (the impact of predominant media on human thought and knowledge), and its social effects (Castells, 2006).

Discussion

It is useful to distinguish newly invented technological tools from already existing technologies. New technologies (e.g., CDs and DVDs) are based on advances in digital computing in recent years, which have led to smaller, faster information storage devices. Existing technologies such as the Internet have enabled new forms of communication, such as blogging and social networking, beyond the original purpose at the time they were invented.

While it is difficult to distinguish “new” from “old” media technologies, as these labels become outdated over time, let's consider the main technologies that play a crucial role in the political communication process today (Kraut, 2006).

Facebook as a Tool of Digitalization

Facebook was launched in 2004, initially as a space for current college friends and classmates to interact, though it has since broadened to appeal to other groups. Until 2007, the site was considered to be more “closed” than its major competitor, MySpace, which does not require a user to give accurate personal information in order to build a profile. Facebook has grown tremendously, but still plays second fiddle to MySpace, which (as this is written) by far dominates the online social networking arena (Javlik, 2007).

In July 2005, when MySpace was receiving more web hits than Google, Rupert Murdoch (1931-), owner of News Corporation, purchased it for $580 million. The acquisition acknowledged young people's movement away from traditional media, as time spent online was replacing that in front of television receivers. Murdoch's strategy was to expand MySpace into overseas markets, and in November 2006, he announced a Japanese joint venture expansion. Although the site has a level of mass appeal, it has also cultivated a niche as the home of many popular music artists, who have created their own profiles on MySpace as a way of reaching tens of millions of consumers. Emerging from the Los Angeles music scene in 2003, MySpace rapidly became popular with teenagers and young adults. Users often combine streaming video and sound clips to their profiles, along with more conventional text and images. Members communicate with each other by sending messages that are posted on publicly visible bulletin boards, and profiles often list musical tastes, personal heroes, and basic personal information such as date of birth, marital status, or career (Kraut, 2006).

According to a 2007 study by the Pew Internet & American Life Project, among all teens who have created a personal profile on a social networking site, 85 percent used MySpace, 7 percent used Facebook, and 1 percent used ...