Nice write up on focusing on "postivity focus" and "helping teens' mental health" but seems like just another app training teens to seek social validation via an app...
Every teenager seeks social validation. That's not something Facebook or instagram invented, it's in the nature of all humans and especially those of younger age. This app found a way to create anonymity (for the user) while preventing bullying which is a problem with most other apps. I think it's a good idea. I really doubt that this will make teens spend more time on their smartphone than they already do. The worst thing that can happen is that someone signs up and gets no "badge". But even that seems unlikely if enough people use it.
> The worst thing that can happen is that someone signs up and gets no "badge". But even that seems unlikely if enough people use it.
IMO, the worst thing that could happen is FB creating much richer profiles about its users. There are many companies, employers or governmental institutions who might want to know how your friends think about you. For instance, FB might learn that when it comes to "who has the most integrity" you score the lowest within your circle of friends.
I am trying to figure out why Facebook didn't just clone the features and add anonymous friend polls to their app/website (which I assume is definitely going to happen now in spite of the press release.)
If you mean clone the features over to Facebook.... It's because Facebook is unpopular with teens. That's a demographic Facebook has increasingly lost as it pertains to usage (they still sign-up, because of the vague pressure that everyone must have an account). If it weren't for Instagram, they'd be in deep shit with people under ~25 and very susceptible to being replaced or having their monopoly fractured (the 16-25 group would seed competitors, one of which would eventually kill Facebook starting from that base and progressing up).
It seems to me that Facebook has the age data and could have just targeted those age groups exclusively with the feature, and hidden it from the uncool age groups. Maybe they tried it and it didn't get any traction and that's why they did the purchase.
Like when Facebook made their "Poke" app to compete with Snapchat and it failed miserably?
Facebook is like a telephone directory to teens. You're in it, but you don't care for it. For want of a better term, it just isn't cool. Of course it isn't, your parents are on there.
