Who will be a friend ?

On February 4th, 2004 20-year old Mark Zuckerberg launched TheFacebook.com from his Harvard dorm-room. At this time last year Facebook reported having more than 140 million users. We were awed then that the social network was doubling its membership every 12 months. Since then the numbers have more than doubled and the site may have already passed 400 million users.

The world is on Facebook, but check out these 7 articles below  listed in the New York Times for a big picture of the good and the bad about the incredible phenomenon that is Facebook.

1. How a Facebook "Sentiment Engine" Could Be Huge

   Facebook as living census. Facebook is changing peoples' lives by making it easy to share thoughts and keep in touch. Facebook could change the world by offering us a better picture of ourselves as a society than we've ever had before.

2. Facebook's Zuckerberg Says The Age of Privacy is Over

   The Big Z puts it all on the table.

3. The Facebook Privacy Debate: What You Need to Know

   We've covered the Facebook privacy debate in and out. Here's a summary of the key points.

4. How Facebook Beat MySpace: From College Dorm to Platform

   It's the question everybody wants to know. Here's our take on it.

5. Report: Facebook Game Addicts "Paid" to Oppose Health Care Reform

   Incredible, horrifying story. Fortunately Facebook is taking action to prevent this kind of thing in the future, but an important read none the less.

6. Facebook Could Become World's Leading News Reader (Sorry Google)

   Days after we put this post up explaining why it could happen, new traffic numbers proved that it already has happened.

7. Facebook and the Future of Free Thought

   Yes, this really is serious stuff. More than 350 million people use Facebook, many every single day. It's a major cultural force.

Sources

NEW YORK TIMES Facebook's Big Birthday: 7 Must-Read Articles

By MARSHALL KIRKPATRICK  ReadWriteWeb

Published: February 4, 2010

http://www.nytimes.com/external/readwriteweb/2010/02/04/04readwriteweb-facebooks-big-birthday-7-must-read-articles-60941.html

A special report on social networking Online social networks are changing the way people communicate, work and play, and mostly for the better, says Martin Giles  Jan 28th 2010 | From The Economist print edition

http://www.economist.com/specialreports/displayStory.cfm?story_id=15351002&source=hptextfeature