Facebook’s Rise to the Top

Abstract

In this article, the authors examine Facebook’s rise as an emerging standard for Internet-based social networking. Within the past four years Facebook has evolved from being the third or fourth most popular social networking site in many counties to the top position in much of the world. An exploration of Facebook registrations by country reveals an expected strong correlation with broadband availability, but also a relationship with Internet-capable mobile telephones in countries with limited broadband access. The analysis also reveals Facebook’s difficulty expanding in some countries including BRIC nations (Brazil, Russia, India, and China) where it faces non-Western cultural mores regarding personal privacy, state challenges to freedom of expression, and competition from well-established international and indigenous sites.