MySpace and Facebook

1- What was the idea behind the creation of MySpace?
MySpace is about communicating with your friends and the discovery of new people such as friends of friends. It is also about discovering content and cultures as well as they have the largest music community and professional video sites.

2-How is Facebook different from MySpace?
Studies show that Facebook users are more educated and come from wealthier families. It is more about connecting with your current friends, catching up with their news and sharing comments. However, MySpace users tend to get a job after finishing high school rather than continue their education is more about exploring different cultures through meeting new people. Facebook and MySpace are two sites that have contrasting user-bases and cater for different needs. MySpace is much more concerned with teens and their musical interests. On the other hand, Facebook reflects its college roots and places greater emphasis on career, college and social life rather than self-expression only.

3. Have you used MySpace or Facebook, and if so, how often? What was your experience?
None of us have used MySpace because it is more US based, whereas we are all a part of the Facebook community. We log onto Facebook very often, several times a day to check for updates, notifications, upload pictures or post of friend’s walls.

4. Do you think Twitter will overtake Facebook as the most popular social networking platform in the UAE? Explain?
All of us in the group agree that even though we have a twitter account, we are more actively engaged on Facebook because of the interaction and intimacy provided by the platform. On Twitter, people only follow you and read your updates, but do not reply directly. The utilitarian services of Facebook are more practical, since Facebook allows the uploading of images, videos, notes and personal interaction with others; it is preferred in the UAE due to the visual impact. Facebook is very user friendly, whereas Twitter is more sophisticated and limited with its reach and exploration. Facebook is also more private and protected in terms of search filters, and allowance of strangers ability to view your personal posts.

Internet and Marketing

Living in the digitized era, internet has become essential in people's life. This generation relies heavily on online platforms for different purposes. Internet is used for education, work, entertainment, shopping, etc. For instance, in our college, the American University of Sharjah, we use the internet as a main communication tool between students and professors, aside from face-to-face communication. Although it is a dehumanizing tool, it is efficient and offers humongous amount of information. As for that, marketing online nowadays is growing and yielding to successful results. There are huge opportunities for internet and marketing at this period of time. Marketing products online and advertising is essential nowadays for a company to thrive, generate and maximize profit.