Facebook vs. MySpace

I have a friend who, if it was socially acceptable, would prefer to communicate only through online social networking websites. She spends hours every week updating her profiles, browsing through the changes her friends have made, and searching for new friends. At least eighty percent of her time spent online is spent on social networking websites. And of the time spent on social networking websites, at least two-thirds of it is spent on Facebook.

My friend, let us call her Tina, signed up for a Facebook account almost four years ago. She quickly built her Facebook page: uploading pictures, answering profile questions, and requesting people to be her friends. She enjoyed Facebook so much, and the opportunities that it afforded her, that she didn't even think about creating a MySpace account. She enjoyed the privacy that Facebook provided, only people with email addresses affiliated with a University were allowed to join. And of those who were allowed to join, the only people who were allowed to view Tina's profile were the people who she accepted as friends and those who were at her affiliated with her University. Tina also enjoyed the simplicity of Facebook. Once she learned how to use Facebook it was like riding a bike, she was a pro.

And so, for a couple of years Tina was content with Facebook. Then she decided that she was going to study abroad and wanted to blog to keep her friends and family at home abreast of her travels. So, she signed up for MySpace because it offers a blogging option on its site. She was reluctant to sign up for MySpace, for she was a loyal Facebook user.

Soon after Tina signed up for MySpace, Facebook began to change. Facebook opened up so that any person with an email address could join. Advertisements also became much more prevalent on Facebook. Applications from outside companies were incorporated within Facebook. There were so many changes, Facebook almost seemed like a different application. Facebook had lost some of its appeal to Tina. She slowly began to use MySpace for more than just blogging.

Currently Tina still uses Facebook more than MySpace. She has an established routine and set of friends on Facebook.