On October 6th, 2010, Mark Zuckerberg and company revealed from within the Facebook Headquarters - a place that resembles my high school cafeteria - three major renovations to the Facebook experience.
First, in order to downplay his portrayal as a self-absorbed monster in The Social Network, which is currently the number one movie in America, the crafty billionaire planted the idea in listeners heads that Facebook now cares about user-privacy and user-control. To achieve this goal, Zuck told the audience that Facebook will finally give a user the chance to "Download Your Information."
When using the "Download Your Information" feature, a user can navigate through the Application Settings section of Facebook, locate a feature called "Download Your Information," and request a downloadable ZIP file to store on his or her personal machine. The ZIP file will contain every piece of data a user has ever posted to Facebook, encompassing such things as photos, messages, wall posts, friend lists, profile information, and anything else imaginable.
What I truly hope happens with the "Download Your Information" feature is similar to that of an alcoholic confronting an overflowing trashcan of wine bottles and succumbing to the reality of his or her addiction. I hope that when a Facebook user takes advantage of this feature, he or she examines this ZIP file for what it really is: evidence of a problem. Remember: The larger the ZIP file, the greater the obsession.
The second announcement Zuckerberg mentioned in his trio of transformations is one that allows a user to control the information sent to third-party websites through Applications. The new "Application Dashboard" feature gives a user the ability to view a command-center filled with Application data that displays what information is being transferred to external websites and when the last time an external website acquired personal information.
Although at first glance the "Application Dashboard" seems like an altruistic move by the former privacy monger, Zuck has made locating the Dashboard quite difficult. Instead of accessible through the sensible "Application Settings" section of the "Account" tab, the Dashboard can be found tucked-away in the bottom left corner of the "Privacy Settings" screen, displaying in 8.5 font-size: Edit your settings. I had to pull out my monocle for this one.
Last but not least, the 35th richest person in America unveiled a new "Groups" feature - not to be confused with the groups we all joined five years ago - that lets users create a collective Facebook wall that only specific users defined within a Group can access. Also, Group members, when online, can interact with one another in a real-time group chat setting.
Zuckerberg and friends sold the Groups feature by trying to convince viewers that we need to filter out the statuses and updates from acquaintances - the Facebook friends that we do not seem to care about - and create a more personalized way to interact with our "real-life" friends by creating a "Group."
While I tend to agree that there is a need to eliminate some of my "friends" status updates, especially the ones that contain a picture of an eight-month pregnant belly, I think that the Groups feature is diverting from Zuckerberg's vision of a more "open and connected" world.
How are we supposed to become open and connected when we are invited to close off our friends? And will we actually be more connected if we end up using the Groups feature, or will this submit us deeper into to the virtual world we have become so accustomed to?
I fear that eventually - without realizing it - people will be sucked into this virtual community we call Facebook, if we are not already. I believe, and I hope that I am wrong, that people are using Facebook more and more as an end and not as a means to an end.
Think about it. When is the last time you heard a Facebook friend's voice rather than read his or her words on your wall? When is the last time you interacted with your family member by observing his or her body language and facial expressions rather than looking at his or her static pictures and funny emoticons?
What we now consider a real-life conversation is slowly shifting from tones to text. From sound to silence. And from face to Facebook.
Article first published as Zuckerberg Reveals New Facebook Features on Technorati.