

Can Facebook Own the Web? - dreambird
http://thefastertimes.com/socialmedia/2010/11/19/can-facebook-own-the-web/

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retube
I think facebook could own the world. They have an unbelievable amount of
personal information about a truly vast number of people, which allows them to
deliver targeted advertising with unprecedented relevance. With the new
messaging platform and places they're going to glean even more data about
users, valuable not just for delivering ads, but for much wider commercial
interests. You'll book restaurants through facebook, find hot girls/boys near
you through facebook, shop through facebook, game on facebook; in short live
your whole life through facebook. Already for many young people, facebook is
the internet.

There's one arena they haven't targeted yet (as far as I know): web search. If
they integrate search then I think yes they'll own everything. They're the one
firm with the rep, funding (or funding resources), infrastructure and
expertise to really pull off a Google competitor. And given what they know
about you, your search results can be tailored in a way that Google can only
dream of.

Edit: I'm not an fb fan, user-wise. I don't want my life lived in public, or
to give up these kinds of data. But I can't help be enormously impressed about
what they've achieved, and what they _could_ achieve.

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code_duck
I can envision facebook taking quite a dip as the batch of new internet users
that have joined in the past 2 years get tired of it and find out there ARE
other websites.

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qq66
No, because as soon as their power eclipses that of governments, governments
will regulate them down to a manageable amount of influence. Governments don't
like to be upstaged, and they have the F-16s.

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code_duck
Facebook is not going to ever be anywhere near as powerful as a government.
Are you insane?

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qq66
It's already much more powerful than many impotent governments of tiny
countries. As its power grows, the number of governments it challenges
increases.

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code_duck
Wow, Facebook is more powerful than Vanuatu. I'm impressed.

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code_duck
So sick of hearing this. No, facebook is not going to 'win the web'. Go back
to techcrunch.

