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Are Facebook UK users melting away?

22nd of February 2008 by Graham

Mashable has just carried two stories about Facebook in the UK.

First, Paul Glazowski interprets a Guardian report that Facebook UK usage is in decline as more a reflection of poor stats, combined with winter being less ’sociable’. Facebook has seen some heavy criticism recently but I think it’s too soon to start dancing on its grave. Following on from yesterday’s debate about building or joining social networks, I would expect to see an increase in niche groupings, which may or may not coexist with larger social networks or simply break away. Federated states of social networks, perhaps.

The second Mashable story sees Kristen Nicole describe a new Facebook app called Celebration. This is being launched by Mars UK and will allow users to send each other real bars of chocolate. Well, almost. In a neat solution to privacy issues - and UK postage woes - you actually send points to be redeemed by the recipient.

I think we’ll see more of these marketing drives hitting social networks. Does it cheapen the network? Or do you think it adds value? Let me know in the comments.

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3 Comments

  • Facebook » Are Facebook UK users melting away? Says:

    [...] Know your RSS from your elbow wrote an interesting post today on Are Facebook UK users melting away?Here’s a quick excerptFacebook has seen some heavy criticism recently but I think it’s too soon to start dancing on its grave….First, Paul Glazowski interprets a Guardian report that Facebook UK usage is in decline as more a reflection of poor stats, combined with winter being less ’s ociable’….Mashable has just carried two stories about Facebook in the UK….The second Mashable story sees Kristen Nicole describe a new Facebook app called Celebration…. [...]

    February 22nd, 2008 at 9:20
  • Eli Says:

    Irritates me hugely. What’s buying stuff got to do with social networking? We’re being exploited!

    February 22nd, 2008 at 21:08
  • Graham Says:

    @Eli: Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment. I think that social networks cover so many topics and interests that it’s hard to really say what should and should not play a part. Sometimes I’m happy to have friends suggest things I might want to buy and I’m always happy to have an easy way to buy stuff when there’s something I want to get for myself or as a gift. As more and more of us spend time on social networks, it makes sense for there to be some sort of accessible commercial presence. Perhaps the answer is simply to make it easy to opt out of seeing that presence unless explicitly looking for it. We don’t look in every shop window when walking down the High Street: that’s a filter we apply ourselves. We just need the technology to apply the filter for us.

    February 23rd, 2008 at 12:02

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