The Internet monster that is Facebook continues to consume -- site founder Mark Zuckerberg today proclaimed that the social network has 1 billion active users. Excuse us while we sing a little song.
That's about a seventh of Earth's population (how do we know what the other 6 billion are up to?), though the site's growth appears to be slowing slightly -- Facebook hit the 500 million milestone in July 2010 and 750 million in 2011, but took until October this year to reach 1 billion.
You may also be interested to know that the average age of people on Facebook is dropping. In 2007 it was 26, in 2010 it was 23 and now it's just 22. Back when it first started as a network for college kids, the average age was 19.
Meanwhile Zuckerberg and pals are looking for new ways to pry you away from your cash -- the site is rolling out a new system that lets you pay to promote your own posts, rocketing you to the top of the social ladder.
"When you promote a post -- whether it's wedding photos, a garage sale or big news -- you bump it higher in news feed so your friends and subscribers are more likely to notice it," the site explains, while rubbing its hands together greedily.
The new feature is currently only available in the US, with The Verge reporting that sponsoring a post will set you back about $7 (about £4.35), a small price to pay to shove photos of your baby to the top of everyone else's feed.
Is promoting posts a good idea, or will it ruin Facebook? What's next for the social network? Tell us in the comments or on our very own Facebook wall.
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Comments 9
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anonymous 4 October, 2012 13:47
What a twat
anonymous 4 October, 2012 15:06
Facebook is like a bad man flu, cant wait till i goes away
Dean Shepherd 4 October, 2012 16:01
I'm starting to agree now with its bad choices. It's bad enough that the Android and iOS apps have so many damn problems, especially the Android one filled with sponsored posts from compays and other similar (used to be add free....yea right now!) but now this?...you know, google+ is looking tempting again :-/
CaptainPicard 4 October, 2012 17:14
I agree with the comments above. Facebook keeps and changing for the worse, every few days.they introduce a New feature without even notifying its users. What I personally hate most, other than Timeline, ads, privacy concerns and a few other things is level of integration most websites and mobile devices offer. There is so much integration with FB, on my new phone, from any pictures I take to any apps I download, I always fear ive shared something, that I don't want my so called "friends" to find out.
anonymous 4 October, 2012 20:15
What a stupid idea. No one wants to pay for something they can use to communicate with friends and family. Zuckerberg is turning into Suckerberg. Stupid man!
anonymous 4 October, 2012 22:09
Google+ is looking better and better! Facebook isn't a social networking site anymore it's now a greedy company!
It doesn't care about users! It cares about money from ads, games and now this shitty idea! (£4.35) to push my ad to the top......What a waste! I'd save the £4.35 and buy an old DVD or a couple of games from App Store or some songs.......
jopov123 4 October, 2012 22:52
Just deleted my account as it gets on my nerves. Google+ is much better. I'm getting a bit tired of seeing more and more crap on screens. Yahoo is even worse, with flashing ads and comp win notifications.
anonymous 5 October, 2012 08:49
As we say here in Yorkshire....
"Tha can fook reet off!"
samuelc 5 October, 2012 10:49
If people are silly enough to pay money so that they can force all of their friends to see their baby pics no one wants to see, then fair play to Facebook. It's a tax on the idiots, which I'm all for.