Yes, Facebook dominates the social network scene. Yes, every marketing plan seems to include a social media component involving Facebook. And yes, Facebook got Betty White to host SNL. But is Facebook jumping the shark? Are consumers growing tired of their information being shared too easily. Younger consumers don't seem to mind sharing; older consumers are more wary. Some love posting every thing they do, including what they ate for breakfast, others act more as voyeurs of their "friends" lives.
I believe I have grown my friends list too quickly. Some are not really my friends, more acquaintances. Do they really want to see pictures of my kids? From Zuckerberg's WSJ Op Ed piece, "The challenge is how a network like ours facilitates sharing and innovation, offers control and choice, and makes this experience easy for everyone. These are issues we think about all the time. Whenever we make a change, we try to apply the lessons we've learned along the way. The biggest message we have heard recently is that people want easier control over their information." As Facebook simplifies its privacy features, perhaps it will allow us the opportunity to segment our friends so we can determine how "friendly" we want to be with each and which posts get seen by different segments of friends. It is time for a change. Consumers should get more control back into their lives.
