In some ways, Facebook does have a direct impact on real issues. It is much easier now for non-profits to get their message out to people, through Facebook. Applications like Causes makes it easier for organizations that do have an impact on real issues to collect donations from Facebook users.
Agreed, I actually think all of them have direct impacts, it seems however the author is implying that if the app is not built specifically for the means of doing something altruistic it is in some way greedy or frivolous or something.
I'm arguing that the applications doesn't have to be directly focused on a particular issue, and it still has legitimate uses as you pointed out, and make real world changes that are on the scale that the author thinks that technology apparently should be used for.
