Facebook Phonetically
I remember Facebook was hiring when I left for the DR. Along with Google.
(You see how I didn’t even mention them in the same sentence? I’m so timely. See: http://www.informationweek.com/news/smb/ebusiness/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=227400139&cid=RSSfeed_IWK_News).
Basically, the early onset of Twitter had me all messed up inside. I remember thinking, “Like hell I am going to do this with the rest of my life. Enabling people to write about their awesome morning donut for all the world to see or create horrific Photoshop montages to tag all their friends in on some social network — not in a million years. I’m going into the Peace Corps!”
(Bwahaha. How cute was I?)
Little did I know that a year and half into my service, signing people up for Facebook has been one of the main ways I’ve gotten people in my community to use computers!
Incredible really: Some of my friends have never even thought about using computers beyond Google searches of Daddy Yankee until they realized they could check-in (spy) on their family members in the States as well as the neighbor down the street!
The impact of local gossip here is a BIG win for technological know-how. And they are picking it up like I did when my dad first installed AOL on my computer.
They YouTube. They mobile upload. They photo-edit online. They chat. They even Tweet. (God help me.)
The truth is, mobile technology disperses relatively quickly in poorer countries because it’s more affordable and requires less infrastructure than previous systems of communication like land lines and telegraphs. With this mobile technology comes advances like mobile Internet access and 3G. Basically, BAM! or POKE! or LIKE! or TWEET! And people are connected.
On Facebook, I’ve had to create a separate (restricted) list, La Republica Dominicana, for the amount of Dominicans I am now friends with online – and it’s pretty substantial.
The social networking site acts as this giant door for them to interact with other people and new ideas. And although right now, a lot of Daddy Yankee-ing (or the equivalent) happens, I am hopeful that the exposure could lead to some promising educational development?
(LISTEN TO ME… what would the cute Lindsey say?!)
So, I am sorry Mark Zuckerberg. Good job with this whole social-networking thing. Now, go ahead and feel victimized by my earlier feelings. Maybe write book how so many people try to screw your reputation in the ground? Everyone’s doing it these days.
We’ll all stand ready with violins and hankies while you make off with millions. Maybe.
