As we mentioned earlier today, if Facebook were a country, it would be the third largest country in the world. Which means — to put it plainly — Facebook is huge, and it’s only getting bigger. Hence the introduction of the new “Groups” feature today, which is, in essence, akin to launching a series of mini Facebooks within Facebook.
Let’s think about it for a moment: We can now invite our friends to join us in gated (if we so choose) social networks where we can share wall posts, links, photos, videos, events, documents and engage in group chat. Sound familiar (well, aside from the docs and group chat)? Yeah, that’s kind of what Facebook is — or what it started out as.
Remember how in The Social Network Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg and twins Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss stress how their new social network would be “exclusive?” Well, that’s the name of the game all over again: Exclusivity.
Now we can create little sanctuaries within the jungle that is Facebook — a place of respite where ex-boyfriends, co-workers and random people we “network” with can’t see us talking about how we really like Justin Bieber or swearing like a sailor. And what does that mean, really — this need to cloister ourselves within a social media cloister? That Facebook has gotten too big. Too all-inclusive. Too much of its own ecosystem — less of a place to interact with friends.
There’s really no right or wrong answer as to whether or not Facebook becoming its own country (practically) — complete with entertainment, shopping, politics, etc. — is a positive move or not (although I’m sure everyone has their own opinion). But this recent move cements one notion in my head, at least: Its original function is no longer what it once was. It’s no longer a social network on an “exclusive” level. If the appearance of rival networks that stress the “E” word — think The Fridge and CollegeOnly — wasn’t your first clue, this certainly should be.
In short, Groups is the new Facebook, and Facebook has become a community of its own.
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