Facebook passed 500 million members yesterday. The number is great for them, and it's mind-boggling how they keep the site running smoothly with all the traffic they receive (Twitter, take note). The number comes as a laurel in the middle of another year filled with controversy.
Facebook argues its network increases the openness and connectivity of the world. But with 500 million people on the social network, the world isn't smaller. For all this connectivity, are we any better than where we were six years ago before Facebook?
- People are still without access to food and clean water.
- War still occurs around the globe.
- HIV/AIDS is ravages across Africa and the rest of the planet.
- You still live in your parent's basement.
While Facebook would have you think you were not as connected with people before you joined, you were probably more tuned into those connections. People took the time to write e-mails and make phone calls that had more significance than a quick "My car broke. FML!" status update. You probably wouldn't be able to count your number of friends into the hundreds.
That's not to say that any social network is more useful than Facebook, but it can at least be argued people use LinkedIn to help people build new businesses and jobs. That's a much more noble cause than figuring out how to serve the most relevant ad.
Facebook wants people to share their stories, but the time is now to stop looking at the past and look at the potential of 500 million Facebook users. Imagine what 500 million people could accomplish if they worked towards a common goal. We could rebuild Haiti. We could stop climate change. We could get you out of your parent's basement.
Facebook: the door of possibility is wide open. Use your power to actually make the world better. Become something other than the social network people love to hate and hate to love.
There is no excuse. You have 500 million reasons it can be done.