Mark Zuckerberg, the face and founder of Facebook, is transforming the way we connect with each other. And earned Time magazine's coveted "Person of the Year" title.
It was only appropriate that my dog woke me up at 3:30 this morning. Ouch!
After I taking out my six-pound Chihuahua for her potty break, I checked my iPhone for my Twitter update and found out that Facebook’s founder, Mark Zuckerman, won Time magazine’s “Person of the Year” distinction.
I immediately thought about how I got started on Facebook.
My little four-year-old Maddox helped me dive into the brave new world of social media when Facebook was only utilized by some college students. Hearing the college buzz of Facebook, I used my then one-year-old for some animal “testing” on the social media site.
This post two years ago was one of Maddox' most-popular ones, generating kind back-outs from hundreds of furry friends from far-flung places, including Tibet, Italy and Iceland.
She wasn’t hurt at all during this test as she quickly gained quite a following among both four-legged and human friends. She delighted in my joy in connecting with like-minded people who cared about the protection of animals. And soon we were meeting others at doggie meetups organized on Facebook.
After a few months of witnessing how well the testing went, I made the plunge into Facebook, then it was Twitter, YouTube, blogging, FourSquare, audioBoo and many other social media sites. And most importantly, learned how to integrate them into a seamless strategic approach to both professional and personal endeavors.
And I owe all to my Maddox to for the amazing people who’ve connected with online and the life-enriching experiences I’ve shared.
Because of Facebook is blurring the lines of privacy, I’m a cautious fan. For mostly better, our professional and semi-private lives are richer and our world is closer thanks to Facebook and other social media sites.
The impact of Facebook on the planet is its sheer numbers — more than half a billion people. If Facebook were a country, it would be equivalent to the third-largest country on Earth. Check out this interview with Zuckerman and hear his approach to privacy and perspectives on the changing landscape of news and community.
Let me know what your experiences with Facebook. What made you take the plunge? And are you concerned about Facebook becoming too big for its britches and exerting too much control?
Good post Ted!! I love the fact that Maddox got you into the wonderful world of social media!!
I started using Facebook while working for a company that owned website directories; was a natural fit, and then the social media bug bit me! I quickly started using Twitter, YouTube and other sites and platforms to further my knowledge of social media, while making connections and helping others!
As for Facebook becoming too big for its britches, I think the members of FB will help control that. Yes, FB can do whatever it wants; but it cannot and will not risk alienating its customers; so I think they will tread cautiously on future changes. But we shall see.
Ted, really? the dog?
I’m wondering if my entire twitter tribe has a dog…
Anyway, thanks for this! I started Facebook when I returned from Africa and wanted to stay in touch with some incredible people I met there. It truly is revolutionary- the potential is still unknown.
Privacy encroachment is not a huge concern to me unless it looks anything like identity theft.
Keep up the good work!