FACEBOOK’S GROWING INFLUENCE: An Insight into the Future of Technology

Like Google, Facebook is constantly improving in the responsiveness and usability of its applications. The browser notification, the ‘On this D​ay’ app and the ‘Go​ L​ive’ feature – that is inspiring many reality shows these days – are some of the new observable elements by a regular. A friend had once asked if Facebook would ever lose relevance, say in ten to twenty years’ time; and I remember replying based on what we’re currently observing on the network and the obvious relentless zeal of the programmers at Facebook – courtesy of the CEO –, that in relevance, the social network giant will not fall short, ever!

As we’ve noticed, the platform itself has become more interactive by the day. It’s going beyond users socializing with limited number of friends, and pushing towards engaging a rather complex global community. Facebook joins nations in mourning during periods of insurgence and disasters, and joins world organizations in celebrating special Days and yearly events. Users are provided with platforms that make it easy for them to get involved.

From the advent of temporary profile pictures with watermarked flags of mourning nations to banners designed for the support of one’s favourite football club and team, if it were simple mathematics, Facebook is dutifully collecting like terms. From the newly embedded “On this Day” app that takes one down memory lane and the timely reminders of special days and celebrations across the globe, the Facebook News Feed is getting more and more sophisticated interactively.

The very recent United Nations International Day of Peace (Sept. 21, 2016) was one of its kind. I’d say Facebook made the event of that day a lovely one, using its LOVE reaction to add so much glamour. Once you click Love in reaction to a friend’s update, Facebook splashes back so much love on your screen, and for the rest of the day, the LIKE button will have lost your patronage. And the following day, like a status report, we got a thank you message from Facebook for being one of millions of people around the world who showed out love in support for a peaceful world. It just keeps getting better.

Facebook’s increasing influence easily brings to mind its original goal of making the world a more open place. Initially, users are asked what’s on their mind; which inspires status updates based on personal opinions; but now, it is Facebook that first suggests what should be on your mind. Most mornings these days, you log on only to find one trendy call-to-action or the other. You are told what’s going on around the world, and it’s communicated in such an attractive manner that straightforwardly entices you to participate in such global trend or event. And on days when there is probably nothing to celebrate (or mourn), the ‘On this day’ timeline generator appears right there at the top to inspire you a great deal. There is simply always something to keep you engaged whenever you log in.

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Alas, with time, Facebook will be able to dictate what your thoughts for the day should be geared towards. The world is going somewhere; a place that is somewhat predictable. Just as Google will literally help us think in the future, Facebook will have control to a passable extent over our minds. Perhaps, in that time, the default call-to-action will no longer be, “What’s on your mind?” but something unpredictable, more appealing and capable of instigating greater social interactions that would keep Facebook users from ever going offline.

And just as some of us who were against the introduction of Facebook Timeline some years back are now taking full advantage of it, when these advancements will happen in the nearest future, our systems would adjust to them, regardless of any detrimental effect they might have on our various fields of work. For whereas, we in this surviving generation may perceive this innovation as incredibly weird, the coming generations will jump at it, and will eventually get so used to technology that they’ll effortlessly work, eat, play, communicate, travel and even pray using machines. Those days are very much by the corner!

But finally, I suppose it’s too early to become lazy-minded. At the moment, we must take whatever comes from these machines as mere suggestions in order to make more credible decisions via rightful engagements with our senses. Strive to think for yourself; and keep your mind determinedly functional pending that time when technology will finally insist on doing all the work.

By Benjamin Ugbana​….

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