Hank [BS/MSEE,
MSM $$$, Ph.D. Mgmt] teaches 
Facebook is disruptive because they are redefining search by making it people centric versus keyword centric. Instead of searching for “new cars” in Google, a Facebook user will search for “Jim Smith”, a friend they know who has been an auto enthusiast for fifteen (15) years. They will go to Jim’s Facebook page, see if he has blogged about new models, see if he has a website discussing the year’s new cars, or even see if he is a fan of any particular automaker.
This is an oversimplified example but the possibilities are endless as more users sign up for the service, particularly older consumers who have been hesitant to adopt it. Outside of its search feature, Facebook has a simple mail program that allows you to view your messages in a threaded format, they have a heavily used photo application which allows you to accurately and easily tag the people you know, and they also have a Video application with tagging. These applications in addition to the diverse catalog from independent developers, are small details that enhance the value of Facebook’s services.
Now if you can only remember to opt out of Beacon
Hank (The above is mostly from another blog post but I lost the attribution!)
You could say that facebook is disruptive in the way of its business model. It is focus on people search but you can search for things that people are interested such as cars. This gives facebook a more versatile search.
I think facebook is disruptive and the possibilities are endless. With all the new applications that are coming out, you can practically search for anything about a person such as if they like the new ninja app. Also with the where i have been application, you can see where your friends or others have been in the world and start talking to them about a vacation or study abroad trip you will soon be going on. Facebook has extreme potential and is definately has a disruptive business model.
I don’t think when Mark Zuckerberg started The Facebook (as it was then called) as a directory of students at college that he foresaw it becoming such a phenomenon both nationally and internationally. I created a group based on observations of my church congregation (You might be a United Methodist if…) and someone from Norway has joined it (along with 1002 other people). It never ceases to amaze me the reach that Facebook has. It is definitely disruptive. Where before people could only keep in touch by way of email, they can now write wall posts, comment on pictures from a long lost friend’s recent vacation, set up events and groups…virtually anything. Not only is it disruptive using the Disruptive Innovation Model, but it disrupts people’s schedules. How many times have we started out just checking for new notifications on Facebook and suddenly finding ourselves still there an hour later?
Facebook puts Myspace to shame. From being a retired user of Myspace, I can honestly say that Myspace shot themselves in the foot. They were the first big name is the online networking site, but seemed to limit themselves to just gossip. Facebook, however, utilized their popularity to innovate and develop the online networking field. So it is to this, I say Facebook is destructive.
Facebook has become such a huge thing, not only for college students, but highschoolers, and sometimes even younger. Almost everyone has a facebook these days, and we search for our classmates and people we meet on it. You can learn so much about someone by their facebook; what they like to do, what music they like, the pictures they are in. With all the new applications that are coming out, facebook will probably just keep getting bigger.
I don’t think that facebook is interfering with google at all. We have different purposes for them. For example, If you want to contact your friend,you don’t type their name into google. The same as if you pictures of Napoleon, you would not type Napoleon into facebook. The two places could not be more different. A good comparison would be Ace Hardware and GNC (Health food store). They are both stores, but the simularities end their. Just like Facebook and google, they are both wesites, but there simularities ends there.
Facebook offers a new way to communicate and network. I think it is amazing how much R&D has gone into facebook since it first came out. New applications are available weekly and I wonder who the next competitor will be. Facebook will have to keep up to speed with their market and hire talented employees. Who knows, maybe some of the computer science/engineering majors will be interviewing with Facebook. Wild!
I personally value the option of someone who has first hand knowledge of a particular product rather than be subject to whatever wayside selling points the manufacturer wants to sell me on, especially if its a trusted friend. The informed(smart) consumer will not stop researching once a friend says its great, instead most go on research what a pool of consumers have to say. This is something I personally do before going the movies. I check what most of yahoo users have to say about the movie I’m thinking about watching before forking over $10 to actually watch it. Facebook is just another great tool the consumer can add to its arsenal.
i agree with what eric said in that facebook has been more innovative than myspace. Facebook seems to be geared more for older people such as college aged students and is not congested with all of the kids and way, older, creepy child stalkers. Although you can search more specifically it still seems that there could be a few more detailed questions so that you don’t have to search through a couple pages of names, that is just from my experience, maybe I am doing something wrong…
I dont think facebook is disruptive at all, it is just another source of information for people. If someone really uses some guy they know who likes cars to pick out there car without doing any research then their an idiot. So maybe it is disruptive for people who are not so much on the smart side but for everyone else it is just another resource.
Of course Facebook is disruptive. Facebook is slowly becoming everybody’s everything. I just recently added a new application, called a stylefeed. It allows me to place items of, primarily, clothing that I like on my facebook. In this way I am searching tons a sites, that I never have to go to and people are looking at my profile to see what items are of interest to me, or at this point in the year, look in search of some stylish Christmas gifts. Everyday I am finding new apps on Facebook, that may not interest me, but they are of interest to lots of other individuals, who now no longer have to google it, but instead facebook it.
you coud say thats its drisruptive but at the same time its a great communicating source and a way that you can meet new people all the time. as for the disruptive part though it can be for the fact people are on in classes and always messing on it. The saying that its addictive couldnt be anymore true. But it just keeps getting bigger so obviously its doing something right!
I think facebook can be viewed as disruptive, however, a lot of it is by mistake or at least unintentionally. It was only meant to be a predominant social networking database on the net, but like others are saying: the possibilities could be endless. I like the way they phrased it: “people-centric”. I would be much more likely to ask my friend that I know has a lot of knowledge on a particular subject than ask google which will give me a lot of information I’ll just have to sift through.
Disruption makes sense only in the presence of some context. Imagine I tell you I have a program, and simply ask you if it’s right. You can’t answer that question without some context. For example, if I said this program produces a letter when given a number, you could very easily determine the program’s correctness w.r.t. its test cases.
Now, w.r.t. myspace, facebook is disruptive (e.g., uniform pages — quicker load times, apps, initial focus on college students, network privacy/restrictions).
W.r.t. ebay/craigslist (and other similar online marketplaces), facebook isn’t so disruptive (i.e., facebook’s marketplace isn’t so disruptive).
Facebook can seem disruptive, but that was not its first intention. Facebook’s primary use was supposed to be to just connect with your friends over the internet or for a networking source. Facebook has become so big and very popular with college age students. In my opinion there are many useless applications that are new on facebook that people just put on their page because someone sent an invitation to them on it. I think that facebook should just be a way to connect with others and too see how they can express themselves without all these useless applications.
I think facebook has become very disruptive. Their applications are constantly expanding/evolving, and their visibility has become incredible. They have gained the notice of many top companies and are constantly expanding their focus. They are also creating market alliances to do so. They are now tracking user likes/dislikes to help more effectively direct their advertising- on an individual basis. This is not the facebook we knew a few years ago.
However, as previously mentioned- facebook did not start this way. I dont believe that the creator had any intention other than starting something with a little more closeness than myspace..and bringing people together via common interests (i.e registration w/university). making an overwhelming campus..seem a little bit smaller.