Facebook’s e-mail release puts me in a quandry.
While I have been working diligently to help people take control of their lives and “own” all of the electronica that flies their way, yesterday’s announcement by Facebook that they are unleashing an e-mail capability makes me say hmmmmmm.
A new e-mail platform means more e-mail. That adds to information overload. Information overload sucks time away from doing what is truly important to us. So my first impression is that this new capability is just another platform that interferes with our lives.
But the way Zuckerberg and Facebook have designed this feeds to the social aspect of electronic communication, rather than the business aspect. It is interesting to note that the platform does not allow for CC’s or BCC’s. Nor does it allow for subject lines. Additionally, readers will see all of the e-mails from the same person at one gander. Finally users can determine from whom they want to receive e-mails or not. This underscores the fact that the e-mail is designed to enhance social interaction, not business cover your butt e-mails.
The people who are on Facebook want to be there, and want to connect with friends and family. If this e-mail platform makes it more convenient, and makes life more enjoyable for those 500 million people on Facebook, who am I to judge? After all, aren’t friends and family one of our most important priorities?
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