Nate Westheimer thinks it is.
Both “fad” and “the rage” imply a temporariness — I know. And while I think Facebook is a great social networking site, which I will use for the time-being…
…
Try this idea/illustration on for size: Let’s say Facebook vanishes into thin air tomorrow. How quickly do you think our inherent social graphs would take to reconstitute themselves somewhere else on the Internet?
I’d say a week. In a week, I’d build up my languishing MySpace, Friendster, and Virb profiles and wait and see where the rest of my friends headed to.
Ask yourself how quickly Facebook replaced AIM and it’s associated profiles and away messages for keeping tabs on your friends? Facebook currently has the best mousetrap, but for how long? Internet users are ruthless patrons; flocking to the latest and greatest before sprinting to the next best thing.
I think there’s an inherent temporariness in something I’ve not invested anything of real value in, over the course of three and a half years.
Indeed.
Related: I like FSJ’s “dialogue” with Mark Zuckerberg. You have to love induction.
[Via Howard Lindzon]
