New Facebook ‘Timeline’ feature resurrects the past

The last few months have seen some radical transformations to some top internet locations. First YouTube rolled out its redesign and now Facebook is allowing users to try out its new Timeline profile before it goes live for everyone. Radically different to the familiar Facebook layout, Timeline not only displays your current status and activities but opens your past posts as well, creating a networking site which is as much a living autobiography as it is a way to keep up-to-date with friends.

Naturally such a big change, regardless of whether it’s good or not, is going to divide opinion. This is certainly true of Facebook’s new design, especially when there are privacy issues to consider. With regard to users’ privacy the site has always been controversial and Timeline doesn’t help things. Opening up past activity in such a big way may reveal posts, pictures and statuses many users may have forgotten about and which they would like to stay that way.

The comment box below the blog post where Facebook announced the change is a good indication of the varied opinions on the subject:

“Timeline is a big privacy issue for some people. Some people have pasts which they do not wish to reveal…Some new users may be able to hide it all within a few hours, but users that have been using Facebook for a couple of years, may have thousands and thousands of posts to hide…”

“I hate it. Please make this an option rather than a requirement. I WILL leave Facebook if I am forced to use Timeline. This is Facebook, not MySpace. This type of layout is exactly why I left Myspace a few years ago. It’s messy, unorganized, and annoying.”

“I’ve been using timeline for a couple of months now during beta and it’s the single best thing Facebook has ever added. Simply put, forget the scaremongers, they just don’t like change, timeline is magnificent and will be the digital scrapbook for the next 100 years or more.”

“We either adjust or quit. I can’t believe everyone is going to gripe about it again. This is free to us and if changes help pay for it and keep it available, then we just adjust and go on.”

The general feeling, however, seems to be anti-Timeline and there have already been reports of users leaving the social networking site as a result of the change. It’s not clear yet how much control will be offered over what is displayed but for regular uses any unwanted posts can be removed.

As users will have to learn to adapt or abandon, so will businesses in future. While the layout isn’t yet available to businesses pages, one potential major disadvantage is the fact that Timeline will offer a look back at a company’s failures (which they would understandably prefer to stay in the past), as well as their successes. However it’s not all bad news as the new design has been shown to draw more attention to adverts. In addition, it’s going to change the way users interact with businesses for the better with a large of number of posts now organically linked to a brand. For example, users with an interest in fashion might upload a batch of old photos in which they tag the clothes they’re wearing, creating a natural timeline of their favourite labels, while others might tag images of the cars they’ve owned over the years which will link to the particular brand mentioned.

Timeline, for now, is still optional for users but like all things Facebook, it won’t be long until the choice is removed and it becomes a permanent feature for everyone.

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