the easiest thing to do is to get google to buy them.
Phil
· 1 year ago
I think Facebook will have to get into these types of verticals eventually- they need to start stealing Google's monopoly on intent-based advertising somehow. At least they could start combing e-mails a la Gmail this way...
gtracy
· 1 year ago
Why can't someone build this service on top of the platform?
Robin Reed
· 1 year ago
Completely agree that the time is right for an email service. personally, I am eager for a consolidated 'home' for my social communications. My dream would be to have a Facebook/Plaxo/LinkedIn combination, with Twitter on the side, all branded by Facebook. One stop, lots of privacy controls, rich content that informs and connects me, no spam. A walled garden that gave me everything I wanted without the spam and with all the privacy? Where do I sign?
Ethan Bloch
· 1 year ago
I think the IM service facebook may be launching which was just reported on TechCrunch, is definitely a step in the direction of "having a single place to aggregate our communication" .
Raphael
· 1 year ago
It would be useful to use Facebook for all sorts of communication - IM, EMail etc...
But on the other hand it kinda scary from the privacy prospective that **ALL** of people's communication would be stored in the same database!
HK
· 1 year ago
We need e-mail on Facebook. It would definitely boost time people spend on the site. However, the only way I'll transfer or forward mail is if they can beat GMail on features and space.
Jonathan Kleiman
· 1 year ago
yea imagine ALL of EVERYONE'S private conversations leaked?
Society would crumble.
Nick O'Neill
· 1 year ago
It definitely has privacy implications but I'd definitely find the service useful
Devil's Advocate
· 1 year ago
I find it very disturbing that anyone, knowing the issues that have been raised over Facebook in the last while, would still want to use the site as a "central point" for their communications.
Facebook is in the process of being broken as a social networking tool.
Every wheel of The Great Marketing Machine is scrambling to find a way to "cash in" on Facebook's large database of users, and Facebook is welcoming all of this ($$$) without any regard to the consequences to those users or itself.
As with all marketing endeavors, the site will soak up a large infusion of cash as it quickly becomes polluted, a chunk of users will dump the site in frustration, and then marketers will dump the campaign, leaving the site injured.
Everything that evolved on Facebook did so virally. That's the nature of the site. That's how it was born, that's how it grew, and that could very well be the way it will eventually die.
Tracking ads have already been introduced that users have no control over, nor has consent ever been discussed with the users regarding the tracking.
And, Beacon is still installed. Sure, users were given a "switch" that is supposed to disallow their profile's participation in Beacon, but what assurance is being offered that is being honoured? (The tracking ads are still inserted throughout every Facebook page.)
The following may surprise some people: Facebook has been giving 3rd party sites DIRECT ACCESS to your computers, and has admitted to this. (How do you think the tracking ads and cookies are put there in the first place?) None of this 3rd party access is under Facebook's control. 3rd parties load what they want to your pages, and track what they want (with or without Beacon).
Also by Facebook's own admission, many of the applications are also untrustworthy. Naturally, most of them weren't put there "just for the fun of it". (Is that what you thought??!)
Yet, people would still use a Facebook e-mail service?? These people need to shut off their computers and go out for some air!... 'Cause they can't be thinking straight.
Jonathan Kleiman
· 1 year ago
I wrote an article once.. sort of a view from the future. It ended up being too whimsical to publish (it was for a campus paper).. but it was about data storage and what happened in the 50 years after all private data became public.
Basically most marriages ended and political leaders were unelectable :)
adaml
· 1 year ago
Yes, they should add email. Doing this would turn FB from a social network into a real *portal*. I think there was a web mail FB app, but witout API access to the existing private message features it is kind of pointless.
rebecca
· 1 year ago
Hi folks, I agree on the e-mail thing - i don't think i'd stop using my other one at least not immediately but I'd really appreciate to have a more sophisticated tool to administer my messages...
Off topic: Does anyone here know where to get current Facebook usage demographics. I know Comscore published some in May 2007 - anything more recent? Thanks, Rebecca
Verna Pruett
· 1 year ago
They need an email so that people can get the help they need. I have to reset my password everytime I want to get in facebook. It's frustrating.
All Comments
the easiest thing to do is to get google to buy them.
But on the other hand it kinda scary from the privacy prospective that **ALL** of people's communication would be stored in the same database!
Society would crumble.
It definitely has privacy implications but I'd definitely find the service useful
Facebook is in the process of being broken as a social networking tool.
Every wheel of The Great Marketing Machine is scrambling to find a way to "cash in" on Facebook's large database of users, and Facebook is welcoming all of this ($$$) without any regard to the consequences to those users or itself.
As with all marketing endeavors, the site will soak up a large infusion of cash as it quickly becomes polluted, a chunk of users will dump the site in frustration, and then marketers will dump the campaign, leaving the site injured.
Everything that evolved on Facebook did so virally. That's the nature of the site. That's how it was born, that's how it grew, and that could very well be the way it will eventually die.
Tracking ads have already been introduced that users have no control over, nor has consent ever been discussed with the users regarding the tracking.
And, Beacon is still installed.
Sure, users were given a "switch" that is supposed to disallow their profile's participation in Beacon, but what assurance is being offered that is being honoured? (The tracking ads are still inserted throughout every Facebook page.)
The following may surprise some people:
Facebook has been giving 3rd party sites DIRECT ACCESS to your computers, and has admitted to this. (How do you think the tracking ads and cookies are put there in the first place?) None of this 3rd party access is under Facebook's control. 3rd parties load what they want to your pages, and track what they want (with or without Beacon).
Also by Facebook's own admission, many of the applications are also untrustworthy. Naturally, most of them weren't put there "just for the fun of it". (Is that what you thought??!)
Yet, people would still use a Facebook e-mail service??
These people need to shut off their computers and go out for some air!... 'Cause they can't be thinking straight.
Basically most marriages ended and political leaders were unelectable :)
I agree on the e-mail thing - i don't think i'd stop using my other one at least not immediately but I'd really appreciate to have a more sophisticated tool to administer my messages...
Off topic: Does anyone here know where to get current Facebook usage demographics. I know Comscore published some in May 2007 - anything more recent?
Thanks,
Rebecca