Facebook went down yesterday. For many people, this represents an existential crisis. For others the news sparks a "so what" response. While I am in the latter camp, an attempt to post something on my page did make me mildly upset. Facebook has become the background noise of our lives. Many of us only notice when, like yesterday, the noise ceases.
Does Mark Zuckerberg and company need regulation? Is Facebook the equivalent of a public utility? These are legitimate questions which demand answers. I hope Congress addresses the future of facebook in the wake of a whistleblower testifying before lawmakers today. However, I doubt much will come of it considering the firehose of money the company can direct in defense of the status quo.
In the meantime, I will continue to share photos of my puppy and the grandkids and weigh in on the important issues of the day, secure in the knowledge that most of the people who eyeball my posts are either friends or frenemies who wish me no harm. Facebook, with almost 3 billion followers can be the source of great good or equally great evil. We need to deal with those possibilities.
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