Friend or Foe

Facebook has become ubiquitous in our culture. It has just acquired its 500 millionth member, which represents about twenty-five percent of people, around the world, that use the Internet. Yet unlike Google or Apple, or even Twitter, one constantly wonders about Facebook's real relevance. Questions are also raised about its founder, whose reputation has been less then iconic. How did this company become so ingrained in the culture, who are its principal players and what might its future hold? These are just some of the questions tackled by preeminent technology journalist David Kirkpatrick in his new book The Facebook Effect: The Inside Story of the Company That Is Connecting the World. My conversation with David Kirkpatrick: