Humans first, technology second. Why Facebook will win. By Rich Harris | September 23, 2011
Summary: Facebook’s understanding of what strikes an emotional chord with people will keep them ahead. Can Google learn how to do this or will this reinforce their heavily discussed inability to be a real competitor in social?
Time Spent On Facebook Is Growing At An Astonishing Rate
United States citizens now spend roughly 16% of their total time online on Facebook. That's an enormous figure. In Q3 2010, the number was around 10% and it shows no sign of slowing down. That is bad news for Google, Yahoo, Microsoft, and AOL, which are struggling to compete. Of those four, only Google increased over the last year but not even the search giant could match Facebook's growth.
WHEN Facebook was founded in 2004, it began with a seemingly innocuous mission: to connect friends. Some 800 million users later, the social network has taken over most aspects of our lives, and is fast becoming the dominant communication platform of the future.
But this new world of ubiquitous connectivity has a dark side: Facebook is making us miserable.