What will Facebook look like in 40 years?
At the moment the generational difference means that the vast majority of users on sites like Facebook are the younger generation. But the other day, it crossed my mind that in the future, 40 or so years, Facebook will look somewhat different when we’ve all got a touch older.
I know this thought is a bit random but I strangely find it interesting.
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Loving the image Rich!
Comment by Dan Atkinson — Friday June 22nd, 2007 @ 19:55
Nice idea! You’re right it’s an interesting thought and I’m slightly disappointed it didn’t occur to me first!
As we and especially even younger people are growing up with blogs and sites like facebook, myspace etc, will we still be using them in our old age?! Quite possibly!
Comment by Brother Andrew — Friday June 22nd, 2007 @ 21:05
this is an interesting thought
remember to make a note to yourself to re-read this article in 40 years.. my bet is that it will’ve changed in more dramatic ways, I’ve no idea how though!
Comment by lofi — Saturday June 23rd, 2007 @ 19:45
Heh, I’m sure they’ll redesign sometime between now and 40 years
Comment by Nicolas Sanguinetti — Saturday June 23rd, 2007 @ 21:38
Cool but scary at the same time…
Comment by airplane — Saturday June 23rd, 2007 @ 21:47
Facebook will look like a 404 error in 40 years.
Even assuming we’ll be using the same protocols and interfaces for the internet, most social networking sites go back to relative obscurity after a year or two of being popular.
Friendster anyone?
Comment by Andrew Ferguson — Saturday June 23rd, 2007 @ 22:57
I had the same thought the other day. Will we even be using it that far into the future? Seems like a lot of wasted time staring at profiles to me.
Comment by Phil — Saturday June 23rd, 2007 @ 23:05
Andrew,
While probably true, your scenario doesn’t make for a very good joke.
Comment by Tom — Sunday June 24th, 2007 @ 00:59
Very funny!
Comment by mossiwo — Sunday June 24th, 2007 @ 02:10
good
Comment by helgu — Sunday June 24th, 2007 @ 02:25
Andrew: Right. Also, most ecommerce sites fail within a few years and never make a profit, and advertising on the web is not a successful model. Therefore, don’t expect either Amazon or Google to still be around 5 years from now.
Comment by Cos — Sunday June 24th, 2007 @ 02:56
You forgot plastic surgery. In 40 years time we will all look like today (or yesterday)
Comment by iceman — Sunday June 24th, 2007 @ 03:57
Facebook is a CIA front. It is used as a datamining engine for the Total Information Awareness program.
Comment by AllSeeingBlackEye — Sunday June 24th, 2007 @ 06:52
http://digg.com/tech_news/Facebook_in_40_Years
Happy weekend Rich!
Comment by Dan Atkinson — Sunday June 24th, 2007 @ 11:28
People lie about their age, name, weight. How can you be sure of any website demographic?
Comment by Never Stop Learning — Sunday June 24th, 2007 @ 11:54
Its a good idea.
But i think you should have made some more futuristic changes…But good job!
(Sorry if my english is poor!)
Comment by Curioss — Sunday June 24th, 2007 @ 12:15
Thanks for the comments all, and the diggs. I would say Facebook is just an example showing how at the moment the older generation don’t use the internet as much as our generation but in 40 years we’ll all still be using it and this could be quite a big cultural change and also transform the internet.
I realise the internet + sites could look very different in the future as I say I was mainly interested in the social change + I found it quite amusing!
I’m glad it’s being thought provoking / entertaining for you all!
Cheers,
Rich
Comment by Rich — Sunday June 24th, 2007 @ 14:43
Amusing mockup, though your typical person would have 1,000+ photos and hundreds of friends after 40 years surely?! Anyway, I can easily see Facebook lasting for at least a decade to come, and not being yet another fad which comes and goes within 2 years. It is flexible to the needs of everyone from MySpace-loving adolescents to corporate professionals, and people are becoming increasingly reliant on the Events facility to organise their social calendar.
Comment by Jools — Sunday June 24th, 2007 @ 16:51
I dont think we have to wait 40 years. Facebook is already gathering pace with the 35+ and invading into the 40s. As the pace picks up there will be multiple generation audiences, and each gen. will find their ideal apps. to keep users Facebook page in their favourites. So for this your illustration is accurate but could be so in 2007. In 40 years time we will have the issue of what’s the internet and protocol we will be using? A question of Facebook and every other website/social network/user…
Comment by Antonio — Monday June 25th, 2007 @ 11:05
Wow people on the internet are dicks. Maybe not dicks but are way too serious geesh!
Glad the Binge is back - like a phoenix from the ashes.
I have Digg envey
Comment by davymacca — Tuesday July 3rd, 2007 @ 00:27
I love posts like this! Keep up the great blog, I’ve bookmarked it and added it to my RSS reader to check out more often.
Comment by Kevin Mack — Sunday July 22nd, 2007 @ 15:10
Thanks Kevin, much appreciated!
Comment by Rich — Monday July 23rd, 2007 @ 08:52
What do you think about http://fivq.com/ ? Do you know any better website for web developers?
Comment by teno — Sunday August 26th, 2007 @ 12:13
Looks like a shameless plug to me teno.
Comment by rich — Tuesday August 28th, 2007 @ 11:56
very interesting, but I don’t agree with you
Idetrorce
Comment by Idetrorce — Saturday December 15th, 2007 @ 19:10
In 40 years we’ll all probably be living in Facebook, or some other social networking website that will be ruling the world haha.
Comment by Dani — Friday December 21st, 2007 @ 13:52
Very interesting page and I am a Plastic Surgeon :).
Comment by estetik — Tuesday January 22nd, 2008 @ 14:13
Thanks for this. Enjoyed it. It gives me something to strive for!:)
Comment by nancy b — Thursday January 24th, 2008 @ 19:30
I enjoyed this blog full of humor. Thanks.
Comment by meme — Tuesday February 5th, 2008 @ 11:16
it is really a very nice idea.
Comment by indian — Wednesday February 13th, 2008 @ 10:01