Facebook Chat: Now We're Talking
This week marks the launch of Facebook Chat—a new way for you to communicate with your friends in real-time. The Wall and Inbox have been the primary ways to communicate, but when more immediacy is necessary—for example when making plans for lunch …
Context & Ripple Effects
Facebook had already been refining its messaging tools in 2007 with an earlier messaging update. Adding a real-time channel separates immediate coordination from the Wall and Inbox, which had been Facebook's primary communication surfaces.
First-order effects
- Facebook users gain a synchronous option for making plans and other time-sensitive exchanges, while the Wall and Inbox remain the asynchronous channels.
- Facebook expands its role from hosting profiles and messages to mediating live conversations between friends.
Second-order effects
- The Inbox and Wall face less pressure to serve urgent back-and-forth exchanges, sharpening the distinction between broadcast, stored messages, and live presence inside Facebook.
- Facebook's engagement increasingly depends on users returning while friends are available, rather than only checking messages after the fact.
Third-order effects
- If Facebook continues to combine persistent social identity with live communication, the social network becomes a conversation layer rather than only a destination for profiles and updates.
The trend: Social platforms are adding real-time conversation alongside asynchronous posting and messaging to capture more of users' everyday coordination.