Facebook was once a place where college students could stay connected, but is now a place where anyone with access to a computer can convene. Facebook was once unknown, but is now more talked about than Myspace. Facebook is not just an online site, now it is a verb, such as, “I’ll facebook you the details.” Because of the rising popularity of facebook, new applications have been featured such as “iRead,” where books are recommended for you, or “bumper stickers,” where you can send a funny saying or picture to a friend. Yet, in spite of all of these exciting applications, the core of facebook remains the same: the Wall. On every person’s profile, there is a Wall, no matter how many or how few other applications are present. The Wall was in place at the beginning of facebook, and even when phasing into the “new facebook,” the Wall remains in tact. The Wall is the place where a person can leave a comment on another person’s profile.
The Wall is the most important entity of facebook, because it is the main communication tool. A person is able to convey thoughts, feelings and messages all through the Wall. Sometimes a post is long, other times it is short. The length of a post can sometimes send various meanings, such as emotion or even how important the person posting finds the other person. For example, by leaving an abrupt wall post, it could mean that you are angry with the other person, or it could mean you simply did not have time to write more. Messages can be easily misconstrued on the Wall. Also, if you take the time to write a long post on another person’s Wall, it could mean that you take them seriously and really want to connect. Metamessages are very present in the Wall, because more than what is written is being sent to that person’s profile. Simply taking the time to write on someone’s Wall sends the message, “Out of all of my facebook ‘friends,’ I am taking the time to write on your Wall.” This can send a very important metamessage, and being aware of that on both the sending and the receiving end is a powerful communication tool. If you do not know someone very well, but would like to get to know him or her better, it is relatively painless to leave a Wall post on his or her profile. Because the Wall is not private, people can write on it without feeling like it is too personal. A quick salutation or even a congratulation on a recent football game is an opportunity for networking. By striking up a casual acquaintance on the Wall, people do not feel threatened: more than anything, they feel gratified. Because a person is flattered by someone else’s attention, they feel the need to write back on their Wall, forming a connection. The gratification that someone feels when others write on their Wall brings up another aspect of the Wall. When someone receives a new wall post, he or she cannot help but feel important. The logic on facebook is: the more wall posts you have, the more popular you must be. In order to continue receiving wall posts, a person then must write on others’ Walls. It is almost like a trade between two people, “If I write on your wall, you have to write on mine.” And while there are so many reasons why the Wall is central to understanding facebook, the simplest motive of the Wall is to connect people. Just like letters, telephones and face-to-face contact, the Wall is simply a tool of communication. For this reason alone, the Wall has stayed unchanged through the ever-changing facebook.
Facebook is having an impact on American culture, and more specifically, the Wall is shaping a way in which people interact. When looking from a demographical standpoint, the Wall appeals to all sorts of people, because connections can be made without being too intimate. Also, technology makes it easier for people to interact or make plans, simply by writing on another person’s Wall. The Wall is purely social, allowing people to network with others, creating a connection that was not there before. By making ties on the Wall, you have more opportunities to get to know someone else face to face, which can be useful in business or academic situations. Because popularity is something valued in society today, the amount of posts on a Wall, or whether someone “cool” writes on your Wall is becoming an important factor in people’s lives. The Wall is an essential part of facebook, and is central to understanding the growing phenomenon today. More than what is being written on someone’s Wall is actually being said. Having the ability to read into the metamessages sent with an actual wall post will become increasingly vital as facebook expands.