Facebook turns 6 with 400 million users

Everybody loves Facebook. Teens, young adults, the middle aged, senior citizens. It now has more registered users than the United States has residents. In just the past two months alone, the social networking site added 50 million of them. Just five months ago it had a mere 300 million members.

Why is it so popular? Multi-functionality. Some people use it to blog. Some to communicate via instant message. Others treat Facebook as though it were Twitter, firing off a near continuous stream of passing thoughts. For many, Facebook is simply a very efficient, modern-day Rolodex of contacts. Still others have used Facebook to replace their old e-mail accounts.

This isn’t to say that Facebook is better than Twitter. They do different things. To my mind, Twitter is best used as a search engine, but its functionality remains a mystery to many users. I know lots of people who have signed up for Twitter who still don’t know why or how they should use it. No such mystery on Facebook. Maybe that’s why the number of Twitter users has stalled while Facebook continues its astronomical growth.

In honor of its 6th birthday, Facebook got a facelift this week. The page re-design is a welcome change to my eyes, making it easier to see who is currently online and when you have new messages. So, Happy Birthday, Facebook. Enjoy your place at the top of the heap while it lasts.