Inside Facebook

Did you manage to catch the documentary on the in's and out's of Facebook?

Viewed on Sunday night on BBC Two, reporter Emily Maitlis investigates the life inside Facebook. Having looked heavily on social networking sites during my studies and having seen the film The Social Network starring Justin Timberlake, I generally new the overall story of how Facebook came about and the opposed 'stealing' of the whole sites concept.

Despite the documentary re-capping the story line, and even refferring to the film at points, it still amazes me how Facebook has become such a principle in our daily lives.

First being designed at Harvard university, creator Mark Zuckerberg described it being a 'student dream for a more connected world' which really relates to much more than just students today.

"Mission of the company is to make it more open and connected and to share"

Facebook, and further social networking sites for that matter, has proven to be a necessity rather than just a practice. Some users may find the whole idea quite random but yet is an addictive process which really has become a daily concern almost as the amount of time it consumes as part of your daily 'to do's'. Even I have been drawn into a routine the minute i wake up i first read any texts I've missed, then check Facebook, then check my Twitter, then browse Ebay until its time to drag myself out of bed.

The documentary shows numerous interviews of Facebook users commenting on how emails are generally obselete and everyone now uses Facebook to message and again how its just a natural process.

'Technology and psychology = The DNA of Facebook'

Maitlis focuses in the documentary how Facebook is generally a market research driven device rather than just a social networking site to which users believe it primarily is. Even myself when watching the documentary can completely now see how really it is one big advert, not necessarily just a soical chat site. It was proven through the programme how Facebook is the most valuable research tool that has ever existed. Holding literally everyones privacy details down to the point of likes and dislikes, recording every movement of the users life by the free-will of the users themselves updating their status, photo's and 'like' buttons.

Company moto - 'Move fast and break things'

As much as the whole idea seems pretty easy, its the fact how popular Facebook has become against other social networking sites. Why is Facebook more used than other sites? As much as competitors will come and go, their trouble they will find is doing something Facebook hasnt yet done - or better yet trying to out do what Facebook is already doing. Got to give credit to Twitter who is creeping up the social scale and landing well used place against Facebook for that even more instant message service. Primarily what Facebook gain from continuing to develop their processes, its the reaction from the users that determine not just what they are doing, but also what other sites need to watch out for. Maitlis states in the documentary how Facebook has the three steps forward, one step back approach, 100% guided by users reaction. Users have grown to conceal their privacy with less concern by allowing friends, other users, see more or less anything of their personal details again by choice of their own.

The documentary leaves us on the note to think; What are we doing for Facebook? Not what is Facebook doing for us

Other previous documentaries which you may be interested in also is The Virtual Revolution which was aired in 2010 by the BBC. Also view some of the backlash videos posted on YouTube - 'You need to get off Facebook'