Category: Facebook

Facebook has been one of the most popular social networks worldwide for a long time. Recently, however, Facebook usage trends have been eroding and declining. However, most of the younger generation has recently left this social network. Experts believe that such data shows that Facebook is at the final stage of its popularity (Gonchar). The main reasons for the end of Facebooks popularity are the networks inability to compete with new networks and the overly formal representation of personal data.

Facebook was initially created as a youth platform. In the early stages of the network, a high level of providing personal information was satisfactory. However, later, the communication style of young people changed significantly; there were trends for anonymity and other features provided by other social networks. In other words, Facebook needed to respond more flexibly to changes and meet the needs of young people. In turn, the simple interface and persistence of Facebook attracted the attention of adults. Such changes also had a negative impact on the number of young people, as constant control by adults limits adolescents freedom of expression (Gonchar). Therefore, young peoples decision to favour other, more convenient social networks is entirely justified.

Another reason for the loss of positions by Facebook is the too official representation of information. This manifests in two aspects: the need to constantly renew ones activity and the fear of being judged by others (since one must speak exclusively from ones actual name). A recurring theme is a social obligation to be on Facebook. While Facebook allows people to stay connected to their friends, family, and community, it is also considered the origin of a new form of digital homework. Of course, one of the reasons for the success of social networks is their ability to tap into the social instinct of knowledge sharing. But as social networking on Facebook grows, the costs of mutual commitment are beginning to outweigh the benefits of connecting. It is also worth noting how detrimental the lack of anonymity affects the popularity of Facebook. Online communities have recently provided incredibly high freedom of speech through nicknames and privacy (Nix). Unfortunately, this approach is not available to Facebook users. Therefore, most often, feeling limited, young people increasingly prefer other social networks to Facebook.

Social network developers understand and accept the loss of a young audience. The head office of the company takes into account the statistics and decides to focus the functioning of Facebook on more serious and official accounts. This decision is confirmed by the decrease in the development of Facebook ads for teenagers and youth (Nix). On the one hand, in doing so, the company creates a secure network to exchange information that is not to be hidden from anyone. However, such an approach will lead to the maturation of the networks audience and, as a result, to a significant decrease in popularity.

In conclusion, I would like to say that Facebook is really lost its edge, the edge of popularity among young people. Facebooks serious approach to privacy and the representation of Facebooks information needs to meet the needs of todays youth. However, this approach is a deliberate decision by the company to expand into a more mature demographic. Although Facebooks popularity has fallen, maintenance of the service and its further development does not have to stop completely. There are opportunities for the company to reach out to the remaining audience and bring in new audiences through adult-targeted marketing.

Works Cited

Gonchar, Michael. Has Facebook Lost Its Edge? The New York Times, Web.

Nix, Naomi. Facebook Reduces Advertising Targeting for Teenagers. Bloomberg, Web.

Introduction

Facebook Inc. is a large-scale technology conglomerate, most well-known for its primary social media platform Facebook. However, the company also owns popular social media and messaging services such as Instagram, WhatsApp, and others. Each is a separate platform and service, with few to none integration among each other and a lack of a unified registration process for users. This creates numerous challenges for Facebook is attempting to increase its user base and unify its communities, as users are forced to uniquely register each time. This report will examine the application of the JTBD to offer an easier unified registration in a real-life scenario and conduct a task and stakeholder analysis based on the information.

Scenario and Task Analysis

Jenna is a social media influencer and talented designer. Her work is centered around popular media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram which she uses to run her profiles, business, and communicate with people personally. Therefore, Jenna represents a large population of users who enjoys and uses these services for both personal entertainment and communication as well as organizational and business needs. Due to the nature of her social media use and job, Jenna must create and run various profiles on these platforms. Each profile must be registered separately with individual logins and passwords that are both time-consuming, complicated, and poses security risks as well as discomfort for users. Therefore, there is an inherent need for a unified and integrated registration process.

Users such as Jenna have been demanding a feature to meet this need to effectively balance their use of social media across platforms and be able to easily create new profiles or switch among services under a unified registration process. Currently, there is little integration or unification for the registration process. Instagram allows the option to register using ones Facebook profile but prompts further entering of information. No other processes for common registration exist among Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp.

Detailed Steps

1. Integrate the registration service among the three platforms, so when registered on one of them, one can easily use the others with the same profile.
2. Interconnect and establish information exchange among the three services so that users can share and transfer any data seamlessly.
3. Establish proper security protocols for safety and login verification to ensure that in case a user loses access to one service, they can protect data on the others.
4. Provide users of all three platforms with information regarding the new possibilities and features of a unified registration process.
5. Improve a variety of offered services and features, integrating them into the platforms and avoiding any potential isolation of a service.

These steps are all inherently crucial, as they contribute to the integration and unification of the registration process for users. Some can be considered more important than others such as the registration service among profiles, security protocols, and communicating the changes to the users. The registration concept and the primary purpose of this endeavor will require significant improvement to ensure the security, ease of use, and lack of bugs. Steps that can be potentially put off or eliminate include the sharing of data among these services and improving a variety of features, as the primary focus is on the unified registration process.

List of Value Opportunities

1. Users registering on Facebook or one of the other platforms commonly have interested in using the others, especially if there is no need to complex registration.
2. Deeper integration among the services allows users to share information, photos, contacts, and other data seamlessly.
3. Unifying the registration process can significantly benefit Facebook Inc. in both costs and resources, no longer needing to support the separate registration process and data storage for all platforms.
4. Allows businesses to integrate their profiles across platforms, establishing efficient and more direct communication with consumers, and greatly increasing the appeal of Facebook as a platform.
5. Increased security as data storage is unified on a secure location and no longer has to rely on multiple servers and devices.

Stakeholder Analysis

1. Affecting the purchase decision: Although difficult to identify in this context and scenario, the closest thing would be the user base that actively engages in both personal and business matters on the platform, collecting large groups of followers and purchasing commercial advertisements as well as working with sponsors.
2. Use service directly: Practically every user of one of the services would want to use the other services without separate registration. This includes regular, commercial, or sporadic users of the platforms
3. Maintaining the product: The Facebook Inc. software team will have to develop and maintain the unified registration process, including integration, customer support, and security protocols. Facebook uses its software and servers for the majority of its operations but now will have to combine with teams and infrastructure for Instagram and WhatsApp.
4. Affected by use: Once again, users of all types will be affected by this change. Some who will be most affected are users of just one of the services that may not wish to integrate with other platforms. Other social media may suffer blowback from the competition of Facebooks tighter integration with other services.

Rating the stakeholders, it is most likely that regular active users are the priority, as they are included in both users of the service and those affected by its use. Commercial and business stakeholders are second in order as they contribute greatly to the popularity and financing of the platforms, greatly utilizing its services. Finally, the last stakeholder is the Facebook software and support team, as they are crucial in the process but ultimately must abide by the other consumer stakeholders.

In his thought-provoking article titled Small Change, printed in The New Yorker, Malcolm Gladwell posits that social web platforms do not profoundly transform the nature of societal revolutions. Citing civil rights struggles that started in 1960 in Greensboro, North Carolina, Gladwell proves that real-time, online media is not an indispensable aspect in organizing and implementing a far-reaching revolution. He asserts that online media such as Twitter and Facebook enhance only connectivity (Gladwell). Similarly, the documentary titled The Facebook Dilemma presents exhaustive investigations of Facebooks effect on user privacy and democracy in the United States and beyond. Using rare footage and original interviews, the two-phased television episode cautions the company to emphasize its core intended purpose. The use of new online media channels neither precludes nor necessitates social activism as depicted in Gladwells critique and the documentary.

Gladwells article provides deep insights into the impact of using modern technology such as social media to initiate real revolution and deconstructs the theme of social activism and online media. In efforts to attain change, channels such as Facebook and Twitter only draw people who have little attachment and cannot strongly champion the common course compared with the physical engagement seen in the Greensboro struggle. From his perspective, he notes that such channels only help to mobilize differently in a way that might not result in drastic activism. Twitter, Facebook, and other platforms enable networking in a manner that is opposite in character and structure. Contrarily, the documentary reveals how Facebook has been exploited by various factions in society to successfully propagate activism, misinformation, and other unethical acts. In a mind-boggling revelation, Facebook and other popular social networking platforms have gradually replaced the old order of activism evidenced by sheer success in civil rights movements and other social change protests witnessed across the world in recent times.

Further, Gladwells write-up asserts that social media can facilitate and accomplish changes with lesser ramifications unlike those attained through the physical organization. The overall reflection portrays a stance that real activism cannot happen on the Internet. On the contrary, The Facebook Dilemma highlights how real change can happen through new social web tools. For instance, the analysis of Iran protests and the Arab uprising, especially in Egypt, and Tunisia, affirms that online media is useful in mobilizing and accomplishing real change. Twitter provided a platform that expanded, encouraged, fuelled, and communicated ideas in the same way as television did during the Civil Rights period. Therefore, this indicates that social change can successfully occur online just as it happened in the pre-Internet days.

In addition, both the article and documentary underpin the role of social networking platforms in enhancing global connections. Facebook had the main focus of creating a connected and more open world. However, this vision has been distorted, and the firm has failed to protect users data. It has also witnessed unprecedented proliferation and dissemination of fake news coupled with calls of democracy meddling across the globe. The misinformation, propaganda, and little user privacy have been exploited by unscrupulous players to attain desired interest (Lowry). The documentary does not present simple answers to the problems Facebook faces but provides sobering insights that pointedly framed real issues at hand and focus on the high stakes involved.

In conclusion, the paper emphatically compares Gladwells article and the documentary The Facebook Dilemma about the role of new online media channels in social change. Irrespective of some differences between the two sources, both affirm the idea that in the current technological era, proclaiming that change meaningful change cannot be championed and realized through available online channels seems perplexing. As discussed above, some countries partly employed and executed their revolution through social media, eventually leading to the toppling of the dictatorial regimes.

References

Gladwell, Malcolm. Small Change: Why The Revolution Will Not Be Tweeted. The New Yorker, 2010. Web.

Lowry, Brian. The Facebook Dilemma, Tackles Slow Response to Bad Things CNN, 2018. Web.

On December 15 2010, Time Magazine named Mark Zuckerberg the 2010 person of the year. The Magazine argued that the award served as recognition to Mark Zuckerbergs power to shape the world (Bahareth 13). Zuckerberg is an extraordinary person who has not only changed the world but as well positively influenced the way the world communicates. Earlier on, in the same year, Forbes Magazine had named Mark Zuckerberg as one of the youngest billionaires in the United States (Lusted 6). Recently in December 2013, Zuckerberg was announced the winner of the Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics. The prize recognizes individuals who have made transformative achievements in fundamental Physics (PRNewswire). Mark Zuckerbergs achievements are propelled by his skills with computers, his ambitions, and excellent timing.

Mark Zuckerberg is the second born to dentist Edward and psychologist Karen. Mark was a relentless child whose questions could not be answered by a mere Yes or No. According to his father, a no to toddler Mark was to be backed up with facts (Lusted 17).The encouragement provided by his family became Marks strongest foundation in his future life. Mark was an outlier from the start. He outdid his three sisters in all their endeavors. Mark only needed this ability to be nurtured. He was lucky that his well  educated family offered him the encouragement to have self-confidence (Lusted 17).

One of his unique talents was computer programming. He could program his middle schools computers so magnificently that his teachers and parents alike were stunned (Lusted 19). His father consequently hired a software developer  David Newman to coach him in computer programming.

Zuckerburg created his first computer network ZuckNet at a tender age of thirteen. The network-connected his fathers computers at work and their home computers and sent each others messages through pinging(Lusted 21).Marks success in networking was enhanced by the availability of a large number of computer resources. He could use his fathers computer at work, their computers at home, and the middle schools computers at his will.

In his high school days at Phillips Exeter Academy, Zuckerburg cherished working with his colleagues and skillfully created an intelligent music program Synapse, which had the ability to analyze the listeners habits and apply the information to recommend other music (Lusted 21). His teamwork ability was portrayed in his roles as the schools fencing team captain. Along with his computer skills, Mark was also good at timing his next action. Immediately after the launch of the Synapse, AOL and Microsoft proposed to buy the program and hire him. According to Lusted (27), it was not yet Marks time to join the corporate world. He had to continue with his education in psychology and computer studies at Harvard University. His choice to study psychology was another calculated move. He knew that he would require the knowledge in constructing products that would be liked by everyone. In fact, he was able to create simple and addictive software like Course match and Facemash. Course match program enabled Harvard University students to choose the courses, basing on their friends choices (Lusted 28). Facemash was only to last for four hours before the university administration ordered its closure.

At the time Facemash was launched Divya, Cameron, and Tyler were working on a dating website called HarvardConnection, and was urgently in a need for a computer prodigy who would assist them write code for their upcoming website. The trio recognized Mark. He agreed to work with them but later pulled out to work on his own social networking site the facebook.

The creation of the facebook required a lot of dedications, thus could not be done together with the schoolwork (Dobinick 7). On June 2004, Mark suspended his schoolwork to build exhaustively his new site at the Silicon Valley. His action was influenced by Bill Gates encouraging words. Again, it was about timing and risk taking. It was risky for Mark to halt his education to venture into a business that none had experienced. However, Bill Gates encouraging words made him move towards the achievement of his goal. He argued that if his project would fail then he would go back to Harvard and finish his education (Lusted 28).

The facebook got its jump-start at an entrepreneurial panel in Stanford University, attended by Mark and other US businesspersons. It was here that Mark decided to change thefacebok to Facebook. During the function, the students could not hide their interests on Facebook. In fact, the students interests encouraged Accel to invest $ 12.7 million (Dobinick 9). Later on in 2005, Harinayan and Anand proposed to invest in Facebook. Mark had realized that he needed funds to launch his company. Therefore, he could not turn away these initial investors. He later denied other companies from joining Facebook. According to Mark, he turned down their offers since his goal was&create an open information flow for people& (Bahareth 15), and that was never to be done by a media corporation owned by conglomerates (Bahareth 15).

Mark Zuckerberg story is an interesting story that flows freely from his tender age to his current position as one of the youngest billionaires in the US. Mark is an ambitious person who would do anything to achieve his dreams. His simple idea to connect computers at their home was later magnified to a worldwide social networking site. When he realized that his Harvard life would hinder him from achieving his ambitions, he chose his ambition over school. Mark has a recommendable timing attribute (Gladwell 7). He refused Microsofts lucrative offer since he knew that the deal would enhance Microsoft business and destroy his ambitions. Apart from that, Marks choice to launch his site in university and colleges is worth noticing. He knew very well that the students would embrace easily his programs. Moreover, he could read their psychology on the products they would favor (Gladwell 3).

The story of Mack Zuckerberg improves on the American notion that the American political and social system makes everyone successful. This story indicates, that even though, being in an encouraging environment at the right time will contribute to ones success, an individual needs to be an outlier on his/her own. He/she needs to be ambitious, hold skills in his/her field and move only at the right time. Marks success began as his inward effort. If it could have been the social system alone as perceived in the American dream, then even his sisters could have been as successful as he is (Gladwell 3). However, the inner thrust to perform extraordinarily requires favorable conditions as those provided to Mark in his home, high school, Harvard University and in the business field. Finally, for one to be successful, the society and the inner person must work hand in hand.

Works Cited

Bahareth, Mohammad. Kings of the Internet: What You Dont Know about Them, Bloomington: iUniverse, 2012. Print.

Dobinick, Susan. Mark Zuckerberg and Facebook, New York: Rosen Publishing Group, 2012. Print.

Gladwell, Malcom. Outliers: The Story of Success,New York: Penguin Books Limited. 2008. Print.

Lusted, Marcia. Mark Zuckerberg: Facebook Creator, North Mankato: ABDO, 2011. Print.

PRNewswire. 2014 Breakthrough Prizes Awarded in Fundamental Physics and Life Sciences for a Total of $21 Million. 2013. Web.

Introduction

With the world becoming one global village courtesy of the radical revolution in information technology, people are virtually exploring all corners of the world within minutes. Facebook, the second largest social networking after MySpace, is one of the forces behind this drastic revolution.

One just needs to create an account containing a profile, request others to become his/her friends and start enjoying social networking instantly without limits of space and time. Facebook is a good social networking site for it allows its users to connect with friends, learn new cultures and share and/or solve some health-related issues..

Facebook and communication

Facebook ameliorates social well-being of those separated from family members or friends by physical distance. In most cases, circumstances like career force people to travel long distances leaving their loved ones behind causing social breakdown due to absence of frequent communication. However, Facebook surpassed this social impediment by creating means of communication. For instance, soldiers working in countries far from home can easily link up with their families every evening via Facebook.

Moreover, one can reconnect with long lost friends like ones schoolmates and know how they are doing with their lives. The best thing with Facebook is that, time and space cannot limit anyone from communicating with his/her people.

With the incorporation of chatting system in Facebook, people communicate directly just like via telephones. In most cases, friends use Facebook to update each other on almost all occurrences that happen in ones life. Without social networking sites like Facebook, communicating with friends and relatives separated physically would be insurmountable; therefore, Facebook as a social networking means is good.

Facebook and Health

In society there are people suffering from dysfunctional syndromes like autism. Such people feel isolated because in most cases, the society does not understand them. By joining Facebook, these people can meet friends who suffer from the same condition thus gaining a sense of belonging. There is the option of creating groups in Facebook and by creating a group; say for autistic people, Facebook users suffering from this condition can join the group and share experiences.

Moreover, introverts can get a way of sharing their views without having to face anyone, for introverts shrink from physical social interactions. Importantly, through Facebook people can create awareness of outbreak of a disease.

For instance, information concerning Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) can reach virtually all the corners of the world within minutes. In the light of these observations, Facebook makes the world a better place to live concerning health related issues and this underscores the goodness of Facebook as a social networking site.

Facebook and Culture

As aforementioned, the drastic revolution in information technology witnessed in the recent past has converted the world into one big global village. People from different cultures meet and interact via Facebook and they might share enlightening information concerning their cultures. People from Calcutta, India can share their cultural experiences with people from Washington DC, in the United States of America.

Therefore, people can learn about what happens on the other side of the world and have virtual experience through sharing pertinent issues in a particular culture. How else would a person in Madrid in Spain, ever interact with a person in Mombasa in Kenya without the presence of sites like Facebook? The probability of such an encounter happening would almost be nil, were it not for sites like Facebook, now this probability is almost one, thanks to Facebook.

Conclusion

Facebook has redefined online social networking by bringing revolution in this upcoming trend in society. People can link up from anywhere in the world regardless of time and place. Facebook is a good social networking site for it allows its users to connect with friends, learn new cultures and share and/or solve some health-related issues.

Social media plays a crucial role in cyberactivism which has been defined by Howard as the act of using the internet to advance a political cause that that is difficult to advance offline (145). Facebook and Twitter are two of the most widely used forms of social media. Social activists have relied no both Facebook and Twitter in recent years to organize and execute demonstrations against egalitarian regimes in the Arab world. Besides, some of the academics, journalists, and political pundits have also embraced social media as a tool for social revolution. This essay will examine the role of social media in activism and revolution. Specifically, the essay will explore how social activists in the Arab world have relied on both Facebook and Twitter to mobilize protests against authoritarian regimes in the region. Using Castells network theory as an example, the essay will also demonstrate that social networks are an ideal tool for political activism.

Facebook and Twitter have gained immense popularity in the Arab world for enabling disgruntled citizens to plan and execute demonstrations. Social media allows users to hide their identity and this could be another reason why they have proven successful in social activism. One can also access both Facebook and Twitter cheaply. It is therefore easy to organize protests within a short time. According to Hintz (128) social media provides protesters with the perfect platform to deliver free speech. Social media has also been instrumental in shaping and reflecting public opinion against oppressive regimes.

Social media is an important tool in activism and revolution as it defies boundaries and gives the masses an alternative voice to conventional media outlets. In Egypt, cyber activists relied on social media as a tool for expressing their political views. Cyber activists used Facebook to inform others of the violations and abuses against civilians by the autocratic regime. Users could also organize and coordinate protests on Facebook (Khamis & Vaughn 2011). Consequently, the voices of disgruntled Egyptians were heard by both the national and international audience.

During the June 2009 disputed elections in Iran, angry protesters turned to Twitter to express their opposition to the election results in what was popularly referred to as the Twitter revolution. Protesters relied on Twitter as a platform to vent their anger. This is a clear demonstration of how Twitter can be used as a tool to pursue democracy. Morozov recognizes the power of Twitter in the pursuit of democracy when he writes that democracy is just a tweet away (37).

According to Castellss network theory social networks are characterized by unique features that renders them as a useful tool for political activism (Castells 776). One of the key features of social networks is that they are egalitarian in nature and as such, users can choose to remain anonymous. Another feature of social networks is their ability to create weak user ties. This enables users to plan and execute political mobilization (Castells 779).

Social media tools such as Facebook and Twitter are an ideal platform for social activism. Cyber activists in Egypt and Iran have used social media to organize and execute protests and demonstrations against tyrannical regimes. Social media transcends political boundaries and enables users to share ideas, thoughts, and pictures in real time. The weak ties among social media users have also enabled strangers to share information and mobilize protests. The egalitarian nature of social networks coupled with their ability to create weak user ties makes them the ideal platform for social activism and revolution.

Works Cited

Castells, Manuel. A network theory of power. International Journal of Communication 5 (2011): 773787. Print.

Hintz, Arne. Challenging the digital gatekeepers: international policy initiatives for free expression. Journal of Information Policy 2(2012): 128-150. Print.

Howard, Phillip. The Digital Origins of Dictatorship and Democracy: Information Technology and Political Islam. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2011. Print.

Khamis, Sahar and Katherine, Vaughn. Cyberactivism in the Egyptian Revolution: How Civic Engagement and Citizen Journalism Tilted the Balance. Arab Media & Society 13 (2011): 125. Print.

Morozov, Evgeny. The Net Delusion: What comes after Internet Utopia?London: Penguin Books, 2011. Print.

Introduction

The article The algorithmic imaginary: Exploring the ordinary affects of Facebook algorithms discusses user experience with social network algorithms. The author examines user awareness of this domain and reviews the assumptions of people in terms of algorithmic computation. The purpose of this paper is to review the article and write a polemic against this scholarly text.

Overview

Overall, the article by Bucher (2017) investigates the impressions of people regarding the algorithmic imaginary of social networks. The author has introduced this concept to encompass the core of algorithms, their functionality, and their intended purpose. The study exhibits the emotions of people when they can determine that particular offers, commercials, or other options have been generated by an algorithm.

Imaginary has a high social power since it affects people to a significant degree causing confusion, irritation, surprise, and other feelings. Some of the participants mentioned that they have started placing a particular emphasis on their activity in social networks since they were dissatisfied with what they could observe as a result of their behavior quantification (Bucher, 2017). According to the study, the imaginary is rather complex since algorithms produce disparate emotions in people.

Argumentation

One of the conclusions drawn by Bucher (2017) is the assumption that algorithms do affect the activity of people on the Internet. Further, the author states that this interaction is a two-way process, and people also influence algorithms through particular attention to their actions or entries. According to the researcher, affective encounters between people and the Facebook algorithm are not just productive of different moods and sensations, but also play a generative role in molding the algorithm itself (Bucher, 2017, p. 41).

It is reasonable to agree with the first part of this assumption while the latter one lacks justification (Kitchin, 2014). According to experts in the field, algorithm production occurs as a result of machine learning, which is an analytical process (Hallinan & Striphas, 2014). The refinement of algorithms happens when a certain amount of data has been accumulated. Therefore, the core of such computation lies in the digitally mediated surveillance rather than tendencies in user perceptions.

Also, it is quite difficult to state what factors determine human decision-making. Therefore, algorithms emerge as a result of the algorithmic computation that occurs based on a prediction rather than on the ability of users to generate their responses (Russell, 2013). Thus, algorithms are formed as a reaction to updated entries or actions, and they are not descriptive of human behavior (Siegel, 2016). They are ontogenetic, and the rebound of the system to changes in user behavior should be regarded as a mathematical response of the model.

Apart from that, the author uses the evidence received from 25 participants. It can be assumed that despite the qualitative character of the research, the chosen sample is not representative enough to draw credible and objective conclusions (ODwyer & Bernauer, 2013). The provision of statistically significant results could have reinforced the outcomes of the study.

Conclusion

Thus, it can be concluded that the article throws light on the effects of Facebook algorithms on people. The author has stated that algorithm imaginary is a two-way process in which algorithms and users mutually influence each other. However, it can be argued that such an assumption might be flawed since algorithms are based on a model that has an ontogenetic character.

References

Bucher, T. (2017). The algorithmic imaginary: Exploring the ordinary affects of Facebook algorithms. Information, Communication & Society, 20(1), 30-44.

Hallinan, B., & Striphas, T. (2014). Recommended for you: The Netflix Prize and the production of algorithmic culture. New Media & Society, 18(1), 117-137.

Kitchin, R. (2014). Thinking critically about and researching algorithms. Information, Communication & Society, 20(1), 14-29.

ODwyer, L. M., & Bernauer, J. A. (2013). Quantitative research for the qualitative researcher. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE.

Russell, M. A. (2013). Mining the social web: Data mining Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+, GitHub, and more (2nd ed.). Farnham, UK: OReilly Media.

Siegel, E. (2016). Predictive analytics: The power to predict who will click, buy, lie, or die (2nd ed.). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.

Introduction

The methods of analyzing the investment attractiveness of companies have been influenced by factors such as the specifics of the companies activities, a small material component, and high profitability. The rise in the value of Facebooks securities is due more to investors optimism than the development of the main lines of business. The criteria for assessing a companys financial position are its liquidity and solvency. The ability to timely and in full make settlements on short-term obligations is considered profitable.

Discussion

Profit has become increasingly important for public sector organizations due to new public management reforms. The liquidity of credit is its ability to be transformed into cash, and the degree of liquidity is determined by the length of the period during which this transformation can be carried out (Laguecir et al., 2019, p. 3). When calculating financial analysis, one of the main questions remains: How can the company decide the amount to spend that will get the maximum return, and what is the breaking point of investing when the return starts to decline?

Specific indicators can be calculated based on the preceding information provided in the form 10k report. Thus, the companys working capital for 2011 was 3.705 million dollars, and liabilities amounted to 1.432 million, that is, 38.6% (Facebook, 2014). The company had enough capital to pay off its obligations for this year. In 2012, the companys capital increased significantly by 175.7%, amounting to $10.215 million. These indicators indicate the growth of the companys profit and that investors are interested in it. At the same time, payments on obligations exceeded last year and increased by 133.7%, amounting to $3.348 million (Facebook, 2014).

Again, one can observe a significant excess of capital and the ability to pay off obligations since they represent 32.7% of the total capital. In 2013, working capital increased slightly compared to the previous year and amounted to $11.970 million (Facebook, 2014). Such slight growth can be justified by the fact that the company has begun the process of stabilization and strengthening its position in the market. Liabilities, however, fell substantially from levels between 2011 and 2012 to $2.425 million.

Financial Statement Ratios

The short-term liquidity ratio, as measured by the quick ratio, shows the ability of the firm to pay off its short-term financial obligations using the available current assets. In addition, the profitability ratios indicate how profitable the company traded during the three years (Angelovska, 2022, p. 57). The market efficiency ratios reflect the strength of shares and the values of market prices of the company shares. Capital structures and long-term solvency show how strong the company assets can be used to facilitate its operations when required. Therefore, these ratios have been presented in the table below. The formula for each ratio is also given to indicate the calculations required.

Reasons for And Against Investing in Facebooks Common Stock

In the short-term financial projections of the fakebook growth plans, there is an excellent opportunity to earn on the growth of the companys assets as expressed in the financial ratios computed. The outlook for Facebook is positive due to the market value of the share prices Facebook shares in the long term. However, considering the cons and risks of such investments in Facebook shares is also worth considering. Despite the impressive growth in revenue during the three years, the companys free cash flow and dividend yield did not increase much.

In addition, since investors are primarily concerned with earnings per share and the ratio of share to earnings, it is possible to lose sight of capital expenditures, which show where the company is being developed. Facebook shares are trading at a significant premium in an already overheated market, and companies will have to increase spending to sustain further growth. Facebooks average P/E ratio for the current year is 1.00. This is another reason the companys free cash flow remains low compared to the booming revenue.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Facebook is spending more and more to meet investors revenue expectations. Facebooks business is based on advertising, and the behavior of this industry in a crisis is very unpredictable. When the development of the primary social network platform reaches the ceiling, the company will be forced to look for ways to increase the audience of users and monetize through new controlled services. Therefore, it is recommended that before one invests in Facebook shares, a deep analysis is conducted to determine the value of each share price and the return from such investments. Investing in the company shares is inappropriate based on the prevailing financial ratios presented in 2013, 2012, and 2011.

References

Angelovska, N. (2022). Return on investment on Facebook ads: Quantitative research. UTMS Journal of Economics, 13(1), 56-66. Web.

Facebook, Inc. (2014). Form 10-K. U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Web.

Laguecir, A., Chapman, C. S., & Kern, A. (2019). Profitability calculations under the trial of strength: insights into intra-accounting variation in a social housing organization. Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal. 33(4), 727751.

In March 2018, former Cambridge Analytica employee Christopher Wylie went public with information on the companys involvement with the Trump campaign. The whistleblower stated that Cambridge Analytica had improperly accessed the Facebook or Meta data of 87 million individuals and exploited it to create personality profiles of individuals (Perrigo, 2019).

The firm used state-of-the-art research to propagate notions on social media designed to initiate a culture war, repress black voter turnout, and intensify racist viewpoints espoused by few white electorates. For a short time, Wylies disclosures provoked a sudden crash in Metas stock price. This prompted governments across the globe to scramble to tighten regulations on social networking sites, data gathering, and political campaigns (Perrigo, 2019). However, several years later, not enough has been done to avoid such incidents.

Wylie makes a compelling case for his status as a whistleblower. Without any government oversight, social media has developed into a lawless frontier of the internet. Authorities hardly keep an eye on what they are doing. Many people believe that big businesses like Meta will always act morally. Instead, they have doubled down on their illegal data mining of users, unfazed by the prospect of repercussions. In contradiction to its public stance, Meta has developed several mechanisms to ensure that third-party apps pay for access to its subscribers data. These mechanisms include direct payments, marketing expenses, and data-sharing agreements. Although it is common practice for cooperating organizations to exchange consumer data, Meta has access to confidential information that few other corporations have. The most obvious reason is that Facebook profits from such information. In short, Meta does not sell user information to other parties. However, the firm does charge companies for the privilege of advertising in users News Feeds (Perrigo, 2019). It utilizes this information to serve users advertisements it believes they would be most interested in clicking.

It is true that with great power comes great responsibility. Facebook has an ethical duty to its users to secure their private information; therefore, doing this is illegal. The company should prioritize corporate social responsibility above profits. In short, Meta should not view the end-user as a product but as a critical component of its success, without which it cannot exist. Meta has made efforts to improve data security, such as removing third-party data outlets like Cambridge Analytica, mandating more openness from political ads, and pledging to implement the General Data Protection Regulation of the European Union.

Most social media users believe they have an inherent right to privacy when they use these platforms. If there is anything to be learned from the Cambridge Analytica fiasco, consumers want more clarity about how and with whom their data is exchanged. Meta has revealed it knowingly shared user data with analytics companies and did not keep tabs on who had access to the information. They must change to maintain their customers who are committed to and believe in their brand.

However, businesses should not bear all the responsibility for data protection. Although the firm is wise to reassure consumers with these preventative steps, consumers must equally consider what information they are providing to Meta in the first place. Users must be aware of the risks involved with sharing details online and the steps they may take to protect that data. For instance, before agreeing to the terms and conditions of any social networking site, they must read its data privacy policy.

Reference

Perrigo, B. (2019). The capabilities are still there. Why Cambridge Analytica whistleblower Christopher Wylie is still worried. Time. Web.

Description of the organization

This paper is aimed at examining the functioning of such a company as Facebook, Inc. This organization maintains a social networking site that is accessible in various regions of the world. Currently, the number of their active subscribers equals approximately 1.11 billion (Hubbard, Rice, & Galvin, 2014, p. 3). The primary goal of this enterprise is to help users communicate with one another. In particular, this corporation can support the needs of people who have common interests or backgrounds.

In particular, these individuals have opportunities for sharing videos, text messages, music files, photographs, and so forth. They can also talk to each other with the help of VoIP (Voice over IP) applications. In this case, one can refer to the mission statement of Facebook. According to it, the company strives to give people the power to share and make the world more open and connected (Hubbard et al., 2014, p. 3).

Additionally, this corporation wants to extend the range of services that are available to the clients. So, the company has made some valuable acquisitions such as WhatsApp or Instagram. These actions are supposed to intensify the further growth of this organization. Facebook derives its revenues primarily from advertisers who rely on this website to promote their goods or services to various target audiences.

One can distinguish several leadership practices adopted in Facebook. They are advocated by Mark Zuckerberg, who is the current CEO of this corporation. At first, he stresses the need to empower employees. This practice can take different forms. For instance, the employees are encouraged to take risks and even depart from the standards or conventions that are set for web designers or software engineers. This approach is important for identifying those people can offer innovative solutions. Additionally, in many cases, software designers can select the projects that are of great interest to them. Therefore, they can have a greater control over their workplace activities. As a rule, this opportunity contributes to the improved performance of these workers.

Additionally, the senior executives of this company adopt the meritocratic approach to leadership. In particular, the primary source of a persons power in this organization is his/her expertise and ability to achieve good results. This criterion is used to determine if this individual can play the role of a leader. Furthermore, it profoundly affects the promotion decision taken by Mark Zuckerberg and other executives. Therefore, a newcomer can take the position of people who worked in a company for a longer time. This approach is supposed to ensure that the most talented individuals can rise in the organization if they consistently reach and surpass the standards set by the management.

Finally, Mark Zuckerberg argues that leaders should be open and accessible to workers. In other words, they should involve employees in decision-making. Furthermore, they should ensure that other people can fully understand the objectives that the company tries to attain. This principle is reflected in various practices. For instance, there are weekly meetings during which workers and senior executives can discuss the tasks that should be carried out. Moreover, employees can suggest new technological solutions or recommendations that might not be initially considered by the management.

One can state that leadership practices have profound effects on the culture of this enterprise. In particular, openness and transparency can be regarded as the essential attributes of this organization. As a result, workers and senior executives can regularly interact with one another. For instance, one should note that Mark Zuckerbergs office is not physically separated from the tables of employees because the workspace is not divided into cubicles. Additionally, Facebook can be characterized by high internal competitiveness and mobility of workers. Finally, one should mention that the interactions between employees tend to be less formal. Furthermore, many bureaucratic procedures are eliminated.

SWOT Analysis

Such a method as SWOT analysis can be helpful to evaluate the performance of this organization.

Strengths

One can distinguish significant strengths of this organization. At first, it is necessary to mention that this company has created a well-recognized brand that is familiar to many people throughout the world. Thus, Facebook can be rightly called a global corporation. As it has been said before, this social networking website has about 1.1 billion subscribers. Moreover, many of these people believe that the use of this online resource is a significant part of their daily activities. In turn, this resource can give the company a competitive advantage over other businesses. Certainly, this position cannot be permanent.

It can be sustained only if the employees continuously improve the services offered to the users and advertisers. Nevertheless, the popularity of the brand can give Facebook more time to adjust to new trends. In part, this strength can be related to the process of globalization that enables businesses to operate across borders. Moreover, it originates from the role in which people use information technologies. These tools are applied to support the social life of many individuals. These tendencies are helpful for explaining the global popularity of Facebook.

Furthermore, this business can efficiently adjust to the changing lifestyles of users and new technological trends. For instance, this company has quickly adapted its website to the needs of people who are willing to use Facebook with the help of mobile phones. Apart from that, this organization has been willing to integrate innovative products and services. In some cases, this goal is attained with the help of acquisitions. For instance, it is possible to mention the purchase of Instagram and WhatsApp. To a large degree, this situation can be explained by the leadership and communication practices adopted in this company.

As it has been said before, workers are encouraged to take initiatives. Moreover, they do not have to cope with bureaucratic barriers such as red tape. Furthermore, the management continuously monitors various quantitative indicators that can cast a light on the performance of this corporation in comparison with other social networks. Admittedly, there are other important strengths of this corporation; nevertheless, these two capabilities can make this corporation more resilient to various external stressors.

Weaknesses

At the same time, the management should recognize some deficiencies. In particular, the largest part of the companys revenues is derived from only one source, namely, advertising. In particular, this source accounts for more than 80 percent of the profits obtained by this corporation (Investor Relations, 2015). In turn, less than 20 percent of their revenues can be related to other operations such as marketing online games (Investor Relations, 2015).

This problem can make the company extremely vulnerable, especially in the long term. This weakness can become crucial if a new enterprise creates a breakthrough social network that will appeal to many users. Therefore, businesses may decide to use other online resources to advertise their products. Thus, Facebook may lose a significant portion of its revenues. Admittedly, this probability of this event is not very high because this company strives to innovate its website and improve the services offered to clients. Nevertheless, this risk should not be overlooked because it can have a profound effect on the financial performance of this enterprise.

Thus, one should diversify the revenues of this corporation. This strategy is adopted by many businesses that represent the IT industry. This economic sector is driven by disruptive innovation and volatility. Under such circumstances, the financial performance of an enterprise can be endangered almost at any time.

Furthermore, the click-through rate or CTR of advertisements placed at Facebook is not very high. It means that many people, who view a certain commercial, choose to disregard it. They do not click on the link and decide not to proceed to the website of the advertiser. One should mention that the CTR of Facebook is lower in comparison with Google. As a result, many entrepreneurs believe that they should not cooperate with Facebook.

Thus, this deficiency should not be disregarded because it can make this company more vulnerable to various threats. Much attention should be paid to the changing attitudes of advertisers who want to ensure their investment in online commercials is justified. In part, this problem is caused by the communication practices of Internet users. When they communicate with the help of social networking websites, they strive to share their opinions or impressions with one another. They want to learn about the experiences of people who are closely familiar to them. In turn, the search of commercial information is not their primary motive.

Opportunities

This company can benefit from several external factors. In particular, the management should consider the growing popularity of mobile advertising. The organization can derive substantial revenues from this trend. However, they need to develop efficient strategies for adjusting online commercials to the needs of people who access Facebook via various portable devices such as tablet computers, smartphones, or laptops. In part, this trend can be explained by the economic growth that can be observed in various advanced and developing countries. Moreover, one should consider the growing purchasing power of many consumers. Additionally, these people want to ensure that online communication is always accessible to them. Therefore, the company should make use of this opportunity.

Additionally, many businesses want to rely on the Internet as the principal medium for advertising their goods and services. Moreover, they are less willing to rely on conventional channels such as television, press, or radio. In their opinion, the investment in Internet marketing is a more optimal approach because it enables companies to reach potential clients in a better way. Additionally, this method is useful for anticipating the needs of customers. Thus, advertisers want to interact with various online companies. These tendencies contribute to the growth of various IT companies such as Facebook or Google. However, it is necessary to improve the click-through rate of this online resource because this task can increase the profits of this corporation.

Threats

In turn, the external environment can pose some threats to the performance of this business. For instance, managers should be aware of such a risk as the increasing governmental regulation of social networks. These companies are often required to disclose the information about the identity of users. This trend has already affected Facebook, especially the reputation of this company. For instance, this organization has cooperated with the National Security Administration that required information about some Internet users. Additionally, Facebook was often contacted by the governmental intuitions from other countries.

Admittedly, the disclosure of this information could be vital to the prevention of many crimes. However, the protection of confidential data is one of the top priorities for the users of social networks. Therefore, these people may look for alternative online communities. This problem can become more dangerous if there are more stringent regulations requiring companies to change their privacy policies. Admittedly, this problem cannot be attributed to the inefficient internal policies of Facebook. In this case, more attention should be paid to external pressures. So, this company will need to resolve an ethical dilemma or a conflict between the needs of users and requirements of governmental officials. They may need to develop more transparent privacy policies explaining how the information will be used.

Additionally, senior executives should take into account the potential impacts of the competition. One should keep in mind that many social networking websites have emerged during the last decade. They can serve the needs of users who can differ in terms of their interests, lifestyles, and values. For instance, one can mention such companies as LinkedIn, Reddit, Twitter, Tumblr and many others. Indeed, none of them can compete with Facebook in terms of the market share.

Nevertheless, these sites diminish the revenues of this corporation. Moreover, it is possible that a new company can enter this industry, and it can change the standards of social networking. Therefore, it is possible that this organization will eventually erode the market share of Facebook. Again, one should keep in mind that this industry is extremely changeable, and businesses should focus on innovation to remain sustainable. At a certain point, Facebook displaced MySpace that was the most popular social networking site. So, the management of this corporation should not overlook this danger.

To a large degree, these examples suggest that the senior executives of Facebook should ensure that the company retains such an attribute as resilience. This quality can be described as the ability to withstand various external stressors. It is essential for minimizing potential impacts of external threats. In part, this goal can be achieved by diversifying the sources of revenues. Furthermore, they should demonstrate that their company can create value for advertisers.

Evaluation of leadership practices

Strengths of leadership practices

At this point, one should assess the leadership practices adopted by Mark Zuckerberg. It is possible to apply the functional leadership theory. According to this model, researchers should not focus on the inherent traits of people who run various organizations (Behling & Rauch, 1985, p. 51). Instead, more attention should be paid to the roles that these individuals should play (Behling & Rauch, 1985, p. 51). At first, leaders should focus on the tasks that are essential for the proper performance of an enterprise. They should remember that this goal cannot be achieved only one person. In the majority of cases, he/she requires the assistance of followers.

So, this professional should ensure that the group can operate efficiently. The leaders should focus on such aspects as identification of goals, synergizing the skills of workers, motivating these people, and acting as role models (Behling & Rauch, 1985, p. 51). This framework can apply to the practices adopted by Mark Zuckerberg and his colleagues.

One can distinguish several positive aspects of the method adopted by this organization. At first, much attention should be paid to the empowerment of workers. In particular, this approach is useful for ensuring that each employee can demonstrate his/her skills and talents. Moreover, these practices help this business make the necessary improvements as soon as possible. However, the main positive effect is that the management can integrate the skills of different participants. It is one of the priorities included in the functional leadership theory.

There are other positive impacts of this approach. The employees of Facebook can feel more motivated and satisfied with their jobs. This outcome can also be attributed to the policy of empowerment. In particular, they will see that their creative initiatives will not give rise to the criticisms of senior executives. In part, this result can also be attributed to the meritocratic approach advocated by Mark Zuckerberg.

The employees can see that their contributions will not be overlooked by the management. This opportunity is of great importance to talented candidates who want to join the company. One should note that these people do not assess only the compensation offered by employers. They also take into account the competitive environment of these businesses. From a functional perspective, work environment should be one of the main issues for leaders (Behling & Rauch, 1985, p. 51).

Finally, the practices adopted by Mark Zuckerberg can result in the creation of a shared culture. It means that workers and business administrators have common values, goals, and attitudes. This outcome can be explained by the openness of leaders and their regular interactions with workers. In addition to that, employees can fully understand the objectives that senior executives set. Facebook can be regarded as a flat organization in which high-standing managers and workers are not separated by bureaucratic barriers. Overall, these outcomes are consistent with the principles included in the functional theory of leadership. Thus, it is possible to say that leadership practices of Mark Zuckerberg have brought considerable benefits to this corporation.

Weaknesses

Indeed, the policies adopted by Facebook exemplify some of the best practices used by modern leaders. Nevertheless, it is not permissible to overlook some shortcomings of the policies taken by Mark Zuckerberg. In particular, one can speak about the failure to meet the interests of different stakeholders. One can argue that in some cases, Mark Zuckerberg departs from the conventions accepted by corporate managers.

For instance, it is possible to mention the acquisition of such businesses as Oculus Rift and WhatsApp. In the first case, Mark Zuckerberg did not even consult the board of directors. Additionally, he did not entirely explain the reasons why the company chose to pay $ 16 billion for WhatsApp. This behavior can be emulated by some executives or managers. The problem is that they can make dangerous errors. They should not forget about the so-called attribution bias. As a rule, people tend to explain their successes by focusing on their strengths, talents, and skills. They usually prefer to overlook the importance of luck (Hales & Johnson, 2014, p. 51).

In contrast, they believe that their failures are caused by some insurmountable and unpredictable circumstances. They do not accept that these results could be explained by their errors (Hales & Johnson, 2014, p. 51). In turn, these people may become convinced of their infallibility. This behavior can be emulated by other leaders of Facebook. As a result, the corporation can make investments that will not be justified in the long term. According to the functional theory, a leader should act a role model for others. However, in some cases, Mark Zuckerberg can set a negative example for his followers.

As it has been said before, the company adopts a meritocratic approach to the promotion of potential leaders. Moreover, they can quickly raise their status in the workplace hierarchy. Apart from that, these people can take the positions of managers. This rotation can lead to frequent changes in the practices and policies of business units. However, this inconsistency can adversely influence the performance of workers. The problem is that they will continuously need to adjust to changing performance standards and goals set by the management.

Admittedly, these weaknesses have not fully manifested themselves. However, these risks should be taken into consideration by the leaders. According to the functional theory, a group of people should reach a certain level of maturity to work efficiently (Behling & Rauch, 1985). In other words, employees should get used to workplace procedures and rules. Moreover, they should anticipate the requirements of leaders. Nevertheless, this maturity may not be achieved.

In turn, one can mention the third potential weakness of the leadership practices adopted by Mark Zuckerberg. This policy can lead to the lack of accountability. For instance, one can mention the rule according to which employees can choose the projects that appeal to them. Nevertheless, this practice can contribute to the lack of coordination. Additionally, it can cause conflicts among leaders and employees.

Recommendations

One can offer several suggestions that can maximize the success of Facebook. At first, Mark Zuckerberg and other leaders of Facebook should increase the accountability of their work. They need to explain the rationale for their decisions to the board of directors as well as potential investors. This attribute can eliminate possible mistakes and increase the compliance with various ethical rules (Ehrich, Harris, Klenovski, Smeed, & Ainscow, 2015).

Secondly, they should identify clear criteria that enable people to raise their status in the workplace hierarchy. This precaution can reduce the risk of internal conflicts in this enterprise. Finally, this organization should cooperate with various stakeholders such as advertisers and customers. In this way, they can ensure that online commercials placed at Facebook have a greater CTR.

Overall, efficient leadership practices can be viewed as critical factors that contribute to the long-term sustainability of an enterprise. The recommendations included in this paper are based on the premises incorporated in the functional leadership theory. This approach can reconcile two priorities, namely the need to empower workers and their accountability. By focusing on these goals, Mark Zuckerberg can improve the performance of Facebook.

Reference List

Behling, O., & Rauch, C. (1985). A Functional Perspective on Improving Leadership Effectiveness. Organizational Dynamics, 13(4), 51-61.

Ehrich, L., Harris, J., Klenovski, V., Smeed, J., & Ainscow, M. (2015). Ethical Leadership in a Time of Increasing Accountability. Leading & Managing, 21(1), 22-35.

Hales, S., & Johnson, J. A. (2014). Luck Attributions and Cognitive Bias. Metaphilosophy, 45(4/5), 509-528.

Hubbard, G., Rice, J., & Galvin, P. (2014). Strategic Management. New York, NY: Pearson.

Investor Relations. (2015). Facebook Reports First Quarter 2015 Results. Web.