“Facebook is a wounded animal, but not a corpse”: how the social network which is celebrating its 20th anniversary has evolved over the course of its history

Facebook has evolved a lot in 20 years. https://imagebroker.com/9851642

Michel Moatti is a lecturer in sociology at Paul Valéry-Montpellier III University. He analyzes the Facebook phenomenon, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary, and its reality today.

Did the emergence of Facebook in 2004 disrupt traditional social ties ?

Unquestionably, Facebook has disrupted a form of social connection. At the time, the social bond was our relationships with people who were close to us, friends, family, colleagues. Suddenly, with Facebook, we had started having relationships with people we didn't necessarily know and who we suddenly called friends". What is certain is that the emergence of this new virtual link has reset the social link. She gave it a new dimension and a new definition: this is what made its dazzling success.

Michel Moatti, lecturer in sociology at Paul Valéry-Montpellier III University, specialist in social networks.

How can we explain this dazzling success ?

It was undoubtedly born from the frustration linked to the progressive disintegration of social bonds. We were coming out of a domination of “me, I”. In the 80s and 90s, we were in years of triumphant individualism. Facebook arrived just after, at a time when we needed that, to reconnect with our relationships with others. The network has made it possible to compensate for the disintegration of social ties, with new proposals. Whether this corresponded to reality ? That's another question. This does not stop us from questioning ourselves. Wasn't Facebook aimed at people who were a little lonely and suddenly felt like they were talking to real friends? ? Were we facing ghosts or in a real social bond ?

How has the social network evolved over time ?

When we look at Facebook today, we note that its main characteristic is its aging: today it is aimed at adults, whereas' #39;Originally it was aimed at teenagers and young adults. These have aged. They were 20 years old in the 2000s, today they are in their forties and older. We went from a glamorous, smart social network to a social network often described as “nerdy”. Today's young people have moved on to other options, like Tiktok. Another development: we also moved from the nice side to a somewhat dangerous virtual proposition. I am thinking of the challenges that Mark Zuckerberg, its founder, has had to face in recent years. The American Senate thus criticized the phenomena of hatred, denunciation, and harassment that the Meta company had allowed. These are all negative things that have tarnished its image. This is the second evolution, this dark, unpleasant side, all these excesses that we attribute to social networks.

But these abuses are not specific to Facebook.

Of course, they concern all social networks. But Facebook is one of them. It's the big brother of Whatsapp, Instagram, TikTok and other Twitter (renamed X, Editor's note). They are all in the same boat in criticism of a vehicle of hatred, racism, etc.

Does Facebook have a future ?

In terms of capitalization, it's a company that continues to make a lot of money, billions of dollars. The Meta group, its parent company, yes, it has a future. As for Facebook, I would say that in a world where everything moves very quickly, a company like Facebook can very well find itself rejected and become really outdated. Why ? Because the meaning of Facebook has evolved. Initially, it was a place of sharing. It has become an object of self-promotion, a bit like LinkedIn. What is certain is that its image is altered today, it is no longer as brilliant and dynamic.

Is there a rejection phenomenon ?

We're not quite there, but we're slowly getting there. For young people today, it is seen as a network of “old people”. Which already constitutes a form of rejection. If it becomes dramatic, it could lead to his downfall, or even his disappearance. Don't forget that, for a digital network, 20 years is old. Facebook is already a tool from the past. For the Internet, 20 years is long and old. If software that was very well known at the time has now disappeared, it is clear that Facebook is still there and, I repeat, that it makes considerable profits , several billion.

What is Facebook's most serious competitor today ?

It's TikTok. It has this addictive side that Facebook experienced 10 years ago. Unquestionably, TikTok appeals to this very young population; it has made a real breakthrough among 13, 14, 15 year olds. However, I will say that Facebook is a wounded animal, but not a corpse. Moreover, its attendance remains massive. Even if its image is less glorious.