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    • A World Cup Victory for Fans
      by Gaspar Rosety on Friday, July 30, 2010 at 10:07am
      Just weeks after his team won the World Cup, we asked Gaspar Rosety, the media director of The Spanish Football Federation, to look back at the role its fans on Facebook played in the tournament and how social media has changed the way the team communicates with its supporters.

      The World Cup may be over but the feelings and experience lives on for all of us on the Spanish football team. This was our year for many firsts. This was our first championship and it was the first time that our fans from all over the world were there with us—in spirit... and support—through social media.


      The World Cup is now a wonderful memory but we're still connected with those fans through our Real Federación Española de Fútbol (The Spanish Football Federation) Facebook Page. As we celebrated our victory in parties throughout Spain, our fans on Facebook shared with us and each other their celebrations of our win. One fan in Panama City explained that people celebrated on the streets near the Global Bank tower. Others shared their experiences in response to the Page's status update, "How did you celebrate winning the World Cup title?"

      We built a Facebook Page for the team instead of developing our own website because we wanted all of our fans to be interacting with the team before, during and after the tournament. We also wanted a way for the team to directly share updates from the field. This is how our fans became part of our team.

      The World Cup experience this year was far more interactive than in years past. We published signed photos of each of the players on the Facebook Page, giving fans access to player signatures for the first time—for free. I posted videos throughout the tournament to update fans on the team's progress and outlook, which helped draw fans into the emotions of the team during victories and losses.

      Individual players also posted status updates and pictures as the tournament progressed to show their fans exactly what they were experiencing. Once we brought home the World Cup trophy, I published a video thanking all of the Facebook supporters. I am still grateful, and so is our team.



      Even while watching the games, fans could get involved in the action. This year, broadcasters in Spain used Facebook to live stream games and enable fans watching to comment in real time. Telecinco and cuatro TV used Facebook's Live Stream plugin and received more than 200,000 comments. RTVE National Public TV also ran a live stream of the victory celebration that started in Madrid's Barajas Airport and ended in the explanada de Puente del Rey in the city with more than a million people. That broadcast received some 170,000 comments.

      The Real Federación Española de Fútbol page made the World Cup more personal. It also has set the stage for how the team and fans will be interacting and talking about football for the rest of the season. Right now, we're spreading news about our upcoming game schedule. Our next friendly match: Aug. 11 against Mexico.

      We will see you there on Facebook.


      Gaspar proudly wears his red after Spain's World Cup victory.


      ---


      Una victoria de la Copa del Mundo para los admiradores


      Después de unas semanas de que su equipo ganara la Copa del Mundo, pedimos a Gaspar Rosety, director de las relaciones con los medios de la Real Federación Española de Fútbol, que examinara el papel que sus admiradores de Facebook habían desempeñado en la competición y cómo los medios sociales han cambiado la forma en que el equipo se comunica con sus seguidores.


      Puede que ya se haya acabado la Copa del Mundo, pero los sentimientos y la experiencia perduran en todo el equipo de fútbol de España. Este año ha sido el de las primeras veces. Ha sido nuestro primer campeonato y la primera vez que todos los admiradores de todo el mundo han estado con nosotros, tanto en espíritu como apoyándonos, a través de los medios sociales.

      La Copa del Mundo es ahora un recuerdo maravilloso, pero todavía seguimos conectados con nuestros admiradores a través de la página de Facebook de la Real Federación Española de Fútbol. Mientras celebrábamos nuestra victoria en todas partes de España, nuestros admiradores en Facebook compartían con nosotros y entre sí las celebraciones de la victoria. Un admirador de la ciudad de Panamá nos explicó que había personas celebrándola en las calles próximas a la torre del Global Bank. Otros compartieron sus experiencias en respuesta a la actualización de estado de la página en la que pedíamos que nos dijeran cómo habían celebrado que ganáramos el título de campeones del mundo.

      Creamos una página de Facebook para el equipo en vez de desarrollar un sitio web porque queríamos que todos nuestros admiradores interactuaran antes, durante y después del campeonato. También queríamos que hubiera una forma para que el equipo compartiera actualizaciones desde el terreno de juego. De este modo, nuestros admiradores formaron parte de nuestro equipo.

      La experiencia de la Copa del Mundo de este año ha sido mucho más interactiva que en años anteriores. Hemos publicado fotos firmadas de cada uno de los jugadores en la página de Facebook, lo que ha permitido a los admiradores acceder a las firmas de los jugadores por primera vez y gratuitamente. He publicado vídeos a lo largo del campeonato para informar a los admiradores de los avances y las perspectivas del equipo, lo que sirvió para que se implicaran en las emociones del equipo durante las victorias y las derrotas.

      Asimismo, cada jugador publicó actualizaciones de estado y fotos conforme avanzaba la competición para mostrar a sus admiradores lo que sentía exactamente. Después de traernos la Copa del Mundo a casa, publiqué un vídeo en el que expresaba mi agradecimiento a todos los seguidores de Facebook. Y continúo estándoles agradecidos, igual que nuestro equipo.

      Incluso mientras estaban viendo los partidos, los admiradores participaban. Este año, las emisoras de España han usado Facebook para transmitir los partidos en directo y permitir que los admiradores vieran los comentarios en tiempo real. Las cadenas de televisión Telecinco y Cuatro usaron el plug-in de transmisión en directo de Facebook y recibieron más de 200.000 comentarios. RTVE, la televisión pública, también realizó una transmisión en directo de la celebración de la victoria que empezó en el aeropuerto de Barajas de Madrid y acabó en la explanada Puente del Rey de la ciudad con más de un millón de personas. La retransmisión recibió unos 170.000 comentarios.

      La página de la Real Federación Española de Fútbol consiguió que la Copa del Mundo fuera más personal. Y también ha sentado las bases del modo en que el equipo y los admiradores interactuarán y hablarán de fútbol el resto de la temporada. Ahora mismo, estamos anunciando nuestro calendario de los próximos encuentros. El siguiente amistoso es contra México, el 11 de agosto.

      Nos vemos en Facebook.


      Gaspar lleva puesta la roja con orgullo después de la victoria de la Copa del Mundo de España.

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    • Topics: Guest blog, Sports
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    • Ronaldo's Words of Wisdom from the World Cup: Stay Focused
      by Cristiano Ronaldo on Tuesday, June 22, 2010 at 1:48pm
      With the World Cup in full action, we asked Portugal forward Cristiano Ronaldo to share his perspective on what drives him to play football (known as soccer in some countries) and the role of fans online. Be sure to root for your favorite team on Facebook through the Goal! Leaderboard.


      For as long as I can remember, my focus has been on futbol. As a young boy growing up in Madeira, Portugal, I would sneak away from home every day after school to play with my friends until long after the sun went down. This focus led me from my friends, my... family and my home to a professional team in Lisbon…and later, all over the world.

      Futbol is not just my focus, it is the fire that wakes me in the morning and the fuel that keeps me on the field long after I grow tired. When I left for South Africa to meet the world in competition for this year's World Cup, the excitement and energy coming from all corners of the planet was apparent. I could feel it in me and in the air around me.
      Ronaldo

      All that I care about laid out in front of me on a pitch of grass in South Africa: the world's focus, my country, my team, my fans, my family, my friends, one goal, my goal, the World Cup.

      To me, this World Cup feels very different. The Internet and sites like Facebook are connecting more and more people to each other, to their homeland and to futbol. During the next month, my focus will be on doing my best for Portugal and for my team, but you can follow me on my Facebook page. Please feel free to login, connect with each other and share focus with me.

      As a young boy, I left home in pursuit of a dream, and now I'm representing my home to the world. I hope to be an example to my fans that hard work, dedication and teamwork in pursuit of what you love will always pay off. If you wish to show your support, please visit my Facebook page and share your stories, photos, and videos of what fuels you: your passions, your dreams, your goals.

      I hope to inspire you as much as you all inspire me!

      See you on the pitch.


      Cristiano is feeling focused and inspired to make goals for his country and fans.
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    • Topics: Guest blog, Sports
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    • Couple’s Adoption Wish Comes True on Facebook
      by Molly Thorsen Connolly on Tuesday, June 15, 2010 at 7:32am
      Molly Connolly is a new parent after adopting a son with her husband, John, earlier this year. After years of trying to have a child, she and John found a birth mother through Facebook after discussing their struggle on the service. We asked Molly to share her account of the day her son was born as part of our "Your Stories" series. Submit your story to us and we'll consider featuring it in future posts.


      On Dec. 30 at 11 p.m., my husband and I were sitting in our basement watching TV. We were both feeling worn out and dejected and were trying... to numb our anxiety. I had just recovered from the flu and was feeling guilty about not going home to spend time with my father, who was in the hospital following a serious brain injury and possibly would not live to see the New Year.

      The decision to stay in Chicago, as opposed to traveling to Minnesota, was not just based on the fact that I was so sick that I could barely get out of bed. My husband and I were also in the process of adopting a baby boy who was due on Jan. 17. Just three months earlier, we had connected with our birth mother, Valerie, through a group we created on Facebook.

      Over Christmas we spoke to Valerie, who had also been in the hospital and doctors were speculating that she might have Crohn's disease. In addition to this diagnosis, which was causing her extreme discomfort and dehydration, the doctors were monitoring her for possible cervical cancer.

      Since our communication with Valerie was sporadic at best, we had no idea how she was doing. She lived in Florida and we had only met her once. Recently, when she did contact us, sounding weak and in pain, she wouldn't tell us how she was doing, but instead told us that the baby was OK.
      Molly, John and their newborn son Theodore.

      "Don't worry about the baby, Molly," she would say. "He's fine. They keep checking him and there is nothing wrong with him."

      The only thing that might happen with the baby is the doctors might have to deliver him early. We felt horrible that we couldn't do anything for Valerie and her pain all the way in Chicago, and we also knew that we might be called at any time to go to Florida.

      While John was flipping channels, trying to find something else for us to watch, I struggled to give us both a pep talk.

      "She said that at worst, the doctor will induce labor on Jan 25, and she then has a three-day waiting period before she can sign the papers. So, really within 28 days, we will know. We can wait 28 days, right? It's been years. We can do 28 days," I said.

      I remember John staring at me. Usually at this point he would jump in and we would try to psych ourselves up. "Sure! 28 days! That's nothing!" he would say.

      But this time, he looked pensive. He looked sad. He took an audible deep breath. He looked directly at me, his blue eyes looked dark, his mouth turned down in a frown.

      "Do we need to start talking about what we do if this falls through?" he asked.

      I closed my eyes. I didn't want to think about it. At this point, I thought my answer would be no. I didn't think I could go through it again. The years of "trying", the medical procedures, the miscarriage and the failed adoption a year before--it was too much.

      I opened my eyes and was about to speak when the phone rang. We both jumped. John picked up the phone and checked the caller ID.

      "It's Michael!" he said. His eyes were wide with surprise. (Michael is Valerie's stepfather who had been in touch with us throughout the adoption effort.)

      "Pick it up!" I said. I gestured to the phone anxiously.

      "Hello?" John answered. He put the phone on speaker.

      "Are you ready to be a daddy?" Michael asked. His voice was filled with excitement and he continued, "Valerie is on her way to the hospital right now. I hope your bags are packed!"

      After John hung up the phone, I wish I could have captured the look on both of our faces with words. I have never felt a jolt of relief, disbelief and utter wonder all at once. We both started laughing.

      "Really? Is this really it?" I finally said.

      In the next few minutes we had a flurry of additional phone calls from Michael and a call from Valerie's mother, Dawn, who we later learned was driving 90 miles per hour in order to get to the hospital. We could hear Valerie in the background moaning in pain and then Dawn held the phone up so we could hear Valerie.

      "I'm sorry!" she wailed. "I wanted you to be here but I'm not gonna make it! I'm so sorry!" She screamed between waves of pain.

      "Honey! Just get the hospital and don't you think twice about us. We are on our way and we'll get there as soon as we can!"

      As soon as we hung up, the whole situation became a comedy routine. We both jumped up and kept bumping into each other.

      "You check flights!"

      "I'll pack!"

      "Call Patrick about the dogs!"

      "We need that car seat from Ann!"

      "What are we going to do about our car?"

      John called and woke up his 20-year-old nephew who hopped in his car without a second thought to come take care of the house and dogs. I ran around upstairs packing for us, my mind completely blank on what to pack for a three-week trip to Florida in January.

      When I arrived in Florida, I opened my suitcase to find not one, but two bathing suits, two wool sweaters, two T-shirts (again for 21 days), 13 pairs of black socks and little else.

      John booked two one-way tickets for us to Orlando at a reasonable price.

      "Honey this is great," I said as I looked at the one-way, direct flights. "Except it is for NEXT WEEK!" We scrambled to rebook.

      Since the baby would only be 3 weeks old when we left Orlando, we were advised that even if an airline would let him fly, it was not safe to fly with him especially because it was the height of flu season.

      We sent a text message to our neighbor who came by at midnight with a car seat for us. We called John's sister and asked her if she and her husband would drive our car to Orlando if we flew them home. They said yes without the slightest hesitation.

      And then at 1 a.m., the phone rang again, and it was Michael. "Check your email mom and dad. I just sent you a picture of your baby boy!"


      Epilogue


      The most amazing thing for John and me was the flurry of excitement and joy in the days that followed. The core of our story however, is that our birth mother, the woman who brought our darling son into our lives, found us on Facebook.

      In marketing ourselves as adoptive parents, we created a group on Facebook in July of 2009 called, "John and Molly looking to Adopt" and we asked our friends and family to join. Our Facebook group linked to our adoption website, www.johnandmolly.net, as well as to our adoption agency.

      Back in October, when Valerie decided she was going to place her child for adoption, she asked her mother to assist her in finding a family. Her mother, Dawn, searched for "looking to adopt" and our Facebook group came up in her web search results.

      From there, Dawn was able to see our group and link to our page, and subsequently recommend us to Valerie.

      Looking back, it's clear the availability of our public Facebook group in search engines was a key ingredient to our success. But more than that, Facebook provided a way for Dawn and Valerie to see more about who we were because we were open about some information about ourselves on our profiles

      They were able to see that we had over 150 friends who supported our adoption efforts and were rooting for us to be parents. They were able to read on the group page about how difficult it had been for us when an earlier adoption fell through, and see how our friends had posted encouragement and support to keep trying.

      And when the wonderful day came, when Valerie placed her baby boy in our arms and entrusted us to raise him, we were able to share the good news and pictures instantly with our dear friends on Facebook.

      When we returned home to Chicago there were dozens of cards and presents waiting for us. The most amazing thing to me is this event put me in touch with friends from every phase of our lives who were watching the news unfold on Facebook—elementary school through college, previous work colleagues , clients, neighbors, even complete strangers who were friends of friends.

      The community of support we achieved, using Facebook, is not just what helped us to find our birthmother, but also what provided us the emotional support to continue our adoption efforts in the first place.

      We are grateful to our friends and family, and the wonderful people at Family Resource Center in Chicago and Heart of Adoptions in Florida . We are thankful that we live in an age where communication helped make our miracle come true.


      Molly, a technology consultant and writer in Chicago, is thrilled to report that their son Theodore recently discovered the joy of sweet potatoes.
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    • Topics: Your Stories, Guest blog
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    • Pelé Shares Life Lessons from Football
      by Pelé Universe on Thursday, June 10, 2010 at 7:25am
      Ahead of the World Cup opening on Friday, we asked Brazilian football legend Pelé to share his thoughts on the role social media plays in spreading the positive lessons taught from football (also known as soccer in some countries). Be sure to root for your favorite team on Facebook through the Goal! Leaderboard.


      The World Cup is upon us and I am excited to see the nations come together to celebrate "futebol bonito," the beautiful game. This World Cup will surely have more immediate global communications than any that has come before, and the... tools available to fans are more powerful than ever. It is for this reason that my friends have come together at the Pele Universe on Facebook, a new Page devoted to fans of football.

      As a boy I played football barefoot in the streets with a ball made of old socks. With love and encouragement from my family and friends, I became a man who made a mark on the history of the game. As a child I could have never imagined the success I would achieve through the beautiful game of football, and now, at this World Cup in 2010 we have the platform to speak with more people than even I could have imagined existed.
      Pelé

      Around the same time as my playing career began, another iconic player in Portugal was starting his career. His name is Eusabio. We speak the same native language, Portuguese, and I wonder what would have happened if Eusebió and I had been given the opportunity to use the social networking tools of today to speak to each other then. I guess we would have shared our football dreams and talked about skills and our heroes for many hours.

      I passionately believe that communication and team work is important for all people both on the field and off, which is why I encourage my friends to talk to each other in as many ways as possible and to encourage all people with football in their hearts to share their passion and their journey to this World Cup and beyond.

      Over the coming weeks my friends will be speaking with you through the Pele Universe Page through blogs and by sharing some short films with you . One of these films is a special documentary being made by my friends at P Sports. Their film is called "Finding Pelé," and it is a series of short films that follows two young and talented footballers as they travel around South Africa meeting local people and demonstrating their incredible tricks and skills. They are not literally looking for me, but they will be taking my philosophies with them to share with the new generation of football fans across South Africa.

      I hope that all young people in the world are inspired by some of the positive lessons I learned in my life about overcoming obstacles, expressing creative flair, taking care of your health, and encouraging teamwork, loyalty and honesty. These are things that have an impact on, and beyond, the football field.

      I invite you, fans of football, to follow my friends on their journey through South Africa as their films are published on the Pele Universe on Facebook and to share your own videos and thoughts about the competition as it unravels.


      Pele wishes everyone good luck in football, life and love.
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    • 'The Facebook Effect': Standing Up Against FARC
      by David Kirkpatrick on Tuesday, June 8, 2010 at 8:42am
      The following is an excerpt from "The Facebook Effect," a book by long-time journalist David Kirkpatrick that went on sale today. The book chronicles the growth of Facebook and its impact on the world. This passage from the prologue tells the story behind one man's campaign against a Colombian guerrilla organization that led to worldwide attention and protests.


      Oscar Morales was fed up. It was holiday time in his hometown of Barranquilla, Colombia, just after the 2008 new year. The gentle-spirited civil engineer with a gift for computers was... spending his days at the bucolic nearby beaches with his extended family. But despite the holidays, like much of the country his thoughts were dark, and occupied with the suffering of a little boy named Emmanuel.

      Emmanuel was the four-year-old son of Clara Rojas, who had been a hostage in the jungles of Colombia for six years. Her son had been born while she was held by the guerrillas of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, known by its Spanish initials, FARC. FARC held a total of seven hundred hostages, including Colombian presidential candidate Ingrid Betancourt, kidnapped along with Rojas during the 2002 campaign.

      Sympathy and sadness about the plight of FARC's hostages was an ever-present fact in contemporary Colombia, as was fear about what the powerful and murderous revolutionary army might do next to disrupt the country. But the case of Emmanuel had lately acquired out-sized prominence in the popular press. For some time President Hugo Chavez of neighboring Venezuela had been attempting to negotiate with FARC about releasing Betancourt and others. Then abruptly in late December the guerrillas announced that they would soon turn over Rojas, her son Emmanuel, and another hostage to Chavez. In a nation exhausted from a decades-long battle with the violent guerrillas, this was a rare piece of good news. "People were longing for a gift, for a miracle," says Morales, thirty-two. "And Emmanuel was a symbol. The whole country was feeling the promise: 'Please let Emmanuel get his freedom. We would like that as a Christmas present from FARC.'"

      But as the new year arrived, Emmanuel still hadn't been freed. Then, in the first days of January, Colombian president Alvaro Uribe went on national television to deliver the shocking news that it appeared that Emmanuel was not even in the possession of FARC! It turned out Emmanuel had become seriously ill some time earlier, and FARC had taken him away from his mother, Clara, and dumped him with a peasant family. He was now, unexpectedly, in the government's hands.

      The nation was still on holiday with plenty of time to watch the news, which was all about poor, sick, abandoned Emmanuel. Morales's politically engaged extended family, hanging out by day at the beach, debated what might happen next. "People were happy because the kid was safe, but we were so fucking angry," Morales says. "Forgive me for using that word but we felt assaulted by FARC. How could they dare negotiate for the life of a kid they didn't even have? People felt this was too much. How much longer was FARC going to play with us and lie to us?"

      Morales wanted desperately to do something. So he turned to Facebook. Though the service wasn't yet even translated into Spanish, Morales spoke fluent English, as do many educated Colombians, and had been maintaining a profile there for over a year, posting his own information in Spanish and connecting with old college and high school friends. Spending time on Facebook was already a daily ritual for him.

      In Facebook's search box he typed the four letters "FARC" and hit enter. There were no results. No groups. No activism. No outrage. Groups devoted to almost everything under the sun were common on Facebook. But when it came to FARC, the citizens of Colombia had become used to being angry but cowed. In effect, the entire country had been taken hostage, and this had been going on for decades.

      Morales spent a day asking himself if he was willing to go public on Facebook. He decided to take the plunge, and on the 4th created a group against FARC. "It was like a therapy," he says. "I had to express my anger." He wrote a short description of the group's simple purpose—to stand up against FARC. A self-confessed "computer addict," Morales was skilled at graphics tools, so he designed a logo in the form of a vertical version of the Colombian flag. He overlaid it with four simple pleas in capitals running down the page, each one slightly larger than the last— NO MORE KIDNAPPINGS, NO MORE LIES, NO MORE KILLINGS, NO MORE FARC. "I was trying to scream like if I was in a crowd," he explains. "The time had come to fight FARC. What had happened was unbearable."

      But what should he call his group? On Facebook it's conventional to give groups names like "I bet I can find one million people who hate George Bush." But Morales didn't like such titles. They were juvenile. This was not a contest. This was serious. Yet he liked the idea of a million. A famous Spanish song is called "One Million Friends." One million people against FARC? The word voices sounded more literary. One million voices against FARC—Un Millon de Voces Contra Las FARC. That was it.

      After midnight on January 4, Morales created the group. He made it public so that any Facebook member could join. His personal network included about one hundred friends, and he invited them all. He was tired. At 3 a.m. he went to bed.

      At 9 a.m. the next morning he checked his group. Fifteen hundred people had joined already! "Woooooooo!!!" Morales howled in delight. This was an even better response than he had expected! That day at the beach he told his extended family about the group and asked them to invite their own Facebook friends to join. Most of them were avid Facebook users as well, and they hated FARC, too. By the time Morales returned home in the late afternoon, his group had four thousand members.

      "That's when I said to myself, 'Okay, no more beach, no more going out.'" He was ready to get serious. "I felt, 'Oh my God! This is what I want! A committed community around the message.'"

      A Facebook group has a "wall," where members can post thoughts, as well as discussion forums that allow organized, long-lasting conversations among many members. Morales soon bonded with several people who were posting there with special vigor. They exchanged instant messaging and Skype addresses and cell-phone numbers so they could continue their conversations offline.

      As more and more Colombians joined the group, members started talking not only about how mad they were about FARC, but what they ought to do about it. On January 6, just the second full day, a consensus on the page was emerging that the burgeoning group should go public. By the time it hit eight thousand members, people were posting on the discussion board, over and over, "Let's DO something."


      David is glad that Facebook arranged to be in the news when his book came out.
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    • Topics: Guest blog, Your Stories
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    • Sharing the Olympic Magic with Fans
      by Alex Huot on Thursday, February 11, 2010 at 10:27am
      The Vancouver 2010 Olympics open tomorrow for two weeks of international winter sports competition. On the eve of the opening ceremonies, we asked Alex Huot, head of social media for the International Olympic Committee, to discuss how the Olympics are not only bringing together athletes but also connecting fans through social media.


      My first exposure to the Olympics was in Montreal, Canada. It was 1976, and I was 8 years old. I remember watching the games with my father in the attic of our house that we had converted into a den.

      ...Buzz and excitement surrounded the Olympics in my parents' house. I didn't completely understand it then, but a few years later it all made sense.

      While following the Montreal Olympic Summer Games in 1976, I discovered that for the Athens-to-Ottawa stage of the torch relay the Olympic flame traveled by air--but not by plane. Instead, relay organizers placed in the flame a sensor used to detect ionized particles and turn them into coded impulses. Those impulses were transmitted by satellite to Ottawa, where they then activated a laser beam that duplicated the Olympic flame in Olympia, Greece.

      That's when the Olympics came to life for me.

      Technology has changed dramatically since 1976, but the magic of the Olympics has endured. When the Vancouver Winter Games open tomorrow, fans of the Olympics from every corner of the globe will be able to be part of the magic through social media.

      When I started managing social media for the International Olympic Committee (IOC) this year, I immediately saw the connection between the concept of a "fan" on Facebook and the long-standing fans of the Olympic Games. Just as the Olympic rings are universally recognized, so too is the concept of a "fan" of Olympic sports.

      The IOC launched the official Olympic Games Page on Facebook in January, and it since has grown to nearly one million fans. Through the page, you can stay updated on activities and events at the Games, while sharing your own stories about what the Olympics mean to you. You'll even be able to stay updated on future games even after this year's Winter Olympics end.

      Our fans on Facebook even helped to create an Olympic pin inspired by their passion. Inscribed with the Olympic rings and the phrase, "I am a fan," the pins are available only to these fans.
      The Olympic Games Page is just one of many ways people can connect with the games in Vancouver. Others include:
      • Becoming a fan of athletes and Olympic teams: More than 200 athletes and Olympic teams are on Facebook, ranging from country and sport teams such as the Swiss Olympic Team and U.S. Figure Skating to Canadian bobsledder Justin Kripps and U.S. snowboarder Shaun White. They are sharing everything from personal photos to status updates about their preparations and their excitement upon arriving in Vancouver. Once you're a fan, you can post your own well wishes and questions directly to your favorite teams and athletes.

      • Playing the Vancouver 2010 Official Minigame: This game, available on the web and as an application on Facebook, lets you compete virtually in such events as snowboard cross, giant slalom and ski jumping as you prepare to watch the real thing from Vancouver.

      • Sharing photos: The IOC is inviting fans of the Games who will be in the Vancouver area during the Olympics to share their photos of the action through The Olympic Games Facebook Page. The IOC will then will pick the best photos, awarding the winners with free tickets to events and sharing the images on olympic.org and vancouver2010.com.

      It is clear that without fans the Olympic Games would not be the same. By bringing together the more than 2,000 athletes and millions of spectators in Vancouver with 400 million people on Facebook, we think the 2010 Winter Games could be the most magical yet.


      Alex thinks that without fans the Olympic Games would be a lonely place.
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    • Topics: Guest blog, Pages, Sports
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    • Parenting via Facebook: Vomit Reports and Baby Advice
      by Theresa Walsh Giarrusso on Tuesday, February 9, 2010 at 3:43pm
      We are republishing a story about parenthood and Facebook that originally appeared on Feb. 2 in the Momania blog from The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Blogger Theresa Walsh Giarrusso lives in suburban Atlanta and is the mother of two girls and one boy.


      I have been anxiously anticipating a round of stomach virus to hit our house based on what my friends from our school and other schools in the metro area are reporting on Facebook.

      ...Much like the local weatherman, the status reports on Facebook tell parents what viruses are in the area and which ones of their friends' kids they should be currently avoiding.

      My neighbor told me this morning at the bus stop that her son had been throwing up all night. She's not on Facebook so she didn't know it's been all the buzz.

      I told her all my friends on Facebook have been reporting that their kids have it.

      How long does it last she asked? Does it have a fever?

      I told her no one had written anything about a fever, just that it lasts for days and was passing from child to child. Also told her to be careful with dehydration. One of our friends reported a hospital visit for IVs because her child had become so dehydrated.

      I posted yesterday that Theresa Walsh Giarrusso "is baby with strep."

      And friends chimed in that strep was going around their area too. (Walsh had it last week. So it's going around our house for sure.)

      Besides sharing symptoms and diagnosis on Facebook, parents offer each other lots of condolences and support. Lots of "hang in theres" and with the throw-up virus, lots of "that's disgusting" or "poor (fill-in name of parent here.)" It's like a large 3-way call with your buddies when you're covered in puke or diarrhea.

      Facebook isn't just useful for diagnosing illness and getting cyber-pats-on-the-back for dealing with them, it's also great for baby advice. I participated last week in a discussion with a high school friend and many of her current friends as she was contemplating Ferberizing her baby. The messages were heated as that topic always seems to ignite a fury.

      Another friend was trying to determine why her baby wasn't sleeping. Way too many friends advising to dope the baby with Benadryl as far as I'm concerned.

      Another high school friend was looking for dietary advice — what's a normal amount for a kid to eat. She was marveling at the tape worms in her kids' bellies. (All agreed must be growth spurts.)

      Another friend was just trying to figure out what to say to her child that called her the "maid" this week.

      Do you find Facebook useful in figuring out which illnesses will be coming to a home near you? Do you use it to get a cyber-pat-on-the-back when facing tough parenting times? Do you ever use it to help solve your parenting dilemmas? Do you weigh in with parenting advice for those who ask? (You know I do!)


      Theresa is still waiting for the vomiting virus to hit her house.
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    • Topics: Guest blog, Parents
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    • The Importance of Thinking Before You Post
      by Will Gardner on Monday, February 8, 2010 at 10:10pm
      Today is Safer Internet Day in the European Union, a day that promotes safe and responsible use of the Internet and mobile technologies among young people. We asked Childnet International, a member of Facebook's Safety Advisory Board, and its CEO Will Gardner to share more about this year's theme and how the organization is working with young people on Internet safety.


      When young people discuss the future of the Internet and new technologies, a central theme is keeping safe. Many see it as a right.

      ...At Childnet International, we saw this reaction firsthand as part of the recent Youth IGF Project we organized. The project was developed as a way for young people to have a voice at the Internet Governance Forum and to engage in a dialogue with Internet industry and lawmakers. As Thomas, age 12 and one of the participants, explained, "(We want) to have (the) freedom to go on what we want without being restricted, but (to) still be safe on the Internet."
      Safer Internet Day is an important event in the Internet safety calendar and provides a great opportunity to showcase some of the key messages about staying safe online. Held for the past four years on the second Tuesday of the second month, Safer Internet Day has grown beyond its origins in the EU and is now celebrated in countries across the world. The theme this year is "Think Before You Post," a vital message not only for children and young people but, let's be honest, adults as well.

      In this Web 2.0 world, where people have the ability to instantly communicate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, it is more important than ever to think about your behaviour online to protect yourself and your friends, as well as for the good of the broader Internet community. While the message of "Think Before You Post" is relevant for all age groups, it is particularly important for those who frequently use social media services like Facebook. Information and images online have longevity and an incredible reach, which we need to factor into any decision to post content. We need to think about the possible implications and impact of our posts.

      Consider these questions, compiled by the organisers of Safety Internet Day, before your next posting, and if you're a parent, ask your children these questions to help them learn about responsible posting:
      • Are you using the privacy settings offered by social networking services? On Facebook, you can always adjust them on the Privacy Settings page.

      • Are you selecting friends online that you can trust? Remember it's not just about what you post, but how others may use that content.

      • Are you carefully thinking about the potential consequences of publishing your photos before you upload them?

      • Do you ask for permission from your friends before publishing photos of them? A photo that may be funny to you may cause harm for a friend.

      "Think Before You Post" is a positive message. It is about taking control of your online safety and participating in the benefits of social media, with respect for yourself and for others.


      Will is getting ready to re-launch Childnet's digizen website following Safer Internet Day to help young people think before they post.
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    • Topics: Privacy, Safety, Guest blog
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    • How to Break the Cycle of Digital Abuse
      by Casi Lumbra on Thursday, December 3, 2009 at 8:30am
      Casi Lumbra, 17, is an advisory board member for MTV's A Thin Line campaign, which launched today to help teens stop the spread of digital abuse. She's also a member of WiredSafety.org's Teenangels, a group of teens trained in all aspects of online safety, privacy and security. While people on Facebook may never encounter digital abuse, they still need to be able to spot it and stop it. We asked Casi to share her perspective as a teenager and expert about the causes of digital abuse and ways that teens can avoid it.


      Have you ever snooped on a... friend's text messages, posted nasty messages about a classmate or colleague on Facebook or posted an embarrassing picture of someone to get even? Have any of these things ever happened to you?

      Let's face it: For many teens the answer to at least one of those questions is likely "yes." We use technology 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, from connected devices in our backpacks, pockets and purses. This creates a digital side to every part of our lives. Even our relationships are wired. We interact with friends, boyfriends, girlfriends and acquaintances online just as we do offline, and sometimes it's hard to remember that our online behavior has boundaries.

      If you also answered "yes" to any of the questions I asked above, you've experienced "digital abuse." Digital abuse is the use of digital technologies—such as cell phones, social networks, instant messaging and e-mail—to hurt someone, even when you didn't "mean" it. It even includes certain high-risk digital activities that can hurt us, like "sexting"—the act of sending sexually explicit images. It's also digital abuse if you:
      • Harass people with constant text messages
      • Demand that they be available at all times and even sleep with their cell phones
      • Send nasty or threatening messages, post mean pictures or create groups to gang up on someone online
      • Hack into people's accounts to hurt them
      • Spy on people with keystroke loggers or take over their profiles by changing their passwords

      Even though it involves the virtual world, digital abuse has serious real-world consequences. Things may start out as a joke, but end up badly. Curiosity can become criminal privacy intrusions. Sometimes it's hard to tell where our actions fall.

      There's a thin line between what's harmless and what's harmful, and that line can be difficult to spot. There's a thin line between one person's sarcastic message, and another person's wounded feelings. When sexts are being spread around, there's a thin line between a choice made in one instant, and consequences that can last a lifetime.

      So, how do we stay on the right side of this thin line?

      In the end, it all comes down to choices. And those choices are yours. You have to draw your own line. You decide what kind of person you are, and you decide what kind of digital citizen you want to be. You decide what values are important. It's not always easy, and the rules change all the time. The best time to make these choices is before you have to and when you are sober, calm and your brain is engaged. There are no "Cliffs Notes" or cheats. Look deep.

      While this isn't easy, there are a few ways to avoid becoming a digital abuser or victim:
      1. Keep your passwords private, and don't ask anyone for his or her password. There's a thin line between sharing and snooping. You're entitled to privacy, and password abuse is the root of much cyber-evil.

      2. Hit "delete" instead of "forward." You have the power to break the cycle of sexting and harassment simply by choosing not to spread such messages.

      3. Think twice. Before you post that picture or send that message, think about the consequences it might have – today, next week or years from now.

      4. Report abuse on Facebook if you see or are a victim of abusive behavior. Since Facebook is based on a real-name culture, it's important to stop people who are abusing others. Look for "Report" links throughout the site, such as the "Report This Photo" link underneath photos and the "Report" links in Inbox messages from people who aren't confirmed friends.


      The power to take a stand against digital abuse is in your hands. Now decide where you want to draw your lines. Share it. Get your friends involved. If they're safer, you're safer. For more information about digital abuse and ways to protect yourself and your loved ones, become a fan of A Thin Line on Facebook or visit www.AThinLine.org.


      Casi is supporting the Redraw the Line Challenge awarding $10,000 to the best digital innovation for battling digital abuse.
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    • Topics: Guest blog, Safety, Abuse
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    • Turn Facebook (RED) on World AIDS Day
      by Susan Smith Ellis on Tuesday, December 1, 2009 at 2:49pm
      Susan Smith Ellis is the CEO of (RED), a brand that helps raise awareness and money for the fight against AIDS in Africa. The organization works with some of the world's largest brands like American Express, Apple, Starbucks and Nike to produce (RED)-branded products, where a portion of the profits go directly to the Global Fund to invest in AIDS programs in Africa. In honor of today being World AIDS Day, we've asked Susan to share her thoughts on how the growth of social media has helped spread (RED)'s message in the fight against AIDS.


      In... 2006, two events occurred, which at first glance couldn't have been more unrelated. Frustrated by a lack of engagement from business in the fight against AIDS in Africa and trying to push companies to contribute more to the Global Fund to help fight HIV/AIDS—one of the most devastating yet preventable and treatable diseases in Africa—(RED)'s founders launched a new model of creative capitalism. It was a very new idea and a very different concept.

      In September of the same year, Facebook expanded registration so anyone with an email address could join the site. The hope was that with more and more people sharing with each other online, the world would be more open and connected.

      Both concepts have proven to be successful beyond what people could have ever imagined. And as far as (RED) is concerned, our success is very much owed to the emerging world of social media that exploded, just when we needed it. Like social media itself, with (RED) the power is not so much in the act of one individual but in the incredible power of the collective acts of individuals. In just over three years, over 1.5 million people have joined (RED) via a range of social media.

      Today, on World AIDS Day, we're asking these people to come together to show their support in the fight against AIDS in Africa. Let's turn Facebook (RED) — you can change your profile picture to any of the (RED) images at our Facebook Page. Shop for (PRODUCT) RED items like a (PRODUCT) RED Apple iPod Nano or (PRODUCT) RED sunglasses from Emporio Armani. For more information on how you can help, join us at www.facebook.com/joinred.

      Over the last three years, in order to build (RED) and in order to channel a new flow of money to The Global Fund to support this fight, we have had to build a brand, not through traditional channels but one person at a time, virtually.

      Unlike other brands, (RED) exists and grows and lives not only on a shelf, or in a store, but in people. (RED) is an idea we can all share, a concept we can all believe in that says there is a better way to help. (RED) means choosing the (PRODUCT) RED Converse sneakers or using your Starbucks (PRODUCT) RED card for your morning cup of coffee, and knowing by doing so, you are helping someone who is, in one sense, a world away, but in another is as close to you as your computer.

      Those 1.5 million people have also given us the power to reach out to more and more companies. Companies see that our virtual brand has a powerful group of advocates and committed supporters so we see more and more companies joining us in our mission, by becoming (RED).

      So, in three years, what have we done together? Collectively, people's choices have resulted in $140 million being contributed to the Global Fund, with 100 percent of that money going directly to helping fight AIDS in Africa. Millions of people, like you, together have created this impact. But it's bigger than dollars. This money flows directly to AIDS grants that have already reached more than four million people with testing, counseling, AIDS treatment and services—programs that truly change lives.

      For this remarkable achievement, I would like to thank all of you who've played a part.

      (RED) is a color that unites us. (RED) is a color that makes a difference. And today, (RED) is the color of hope—and of a new way to help make real change through small choices.

      Together, virtually, we will do more than anyone thought possible. In fact, we already have.


      Susan hopes you'll go (RED) on Facebook today.
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    • Parents Have Rules to Follow Online, Too
      by Liz Perle on Thursday, November 12, 2009 at 2:30pm
      Liz Perle is the Editor-in-Chief of Common Sense Media, a nonprofit organization that is dedicated to improving the media and entertainment lives of kids and families. The organization believes that parents should have a choice and a voice about the media their kids consume. We've asked Liz to share some common sense tips for parents as they navigate technology and the web with their kids.


      Where do kids learn about good online behavior? From each other, perhaps. Maybe from a teacher. But parents have a big role to play in making sure their kids... use the incredible technologies at their fingertips in responsible ways. For parents, that means not only talking the talk, but walking the walk.

      It's really up to parents to explain the basics of online safety and stress the importance of guarding privacy in a world where something shared with one friend online can quickly spread to a vast audience of many others. Parents should be sure their kids understand that anything and everything that people post online can be altered, copied, pasted and sent around to a gazillion friends of friends in an instant.

      It's a parent's job to make sure kids understand that everything they do online leaves a "digital footprint" — the idea that once something is shared online, it's really almost impossible to take it back. Just ask my son about the Halloween photo of him that he thought was so funny in 8th grade. Two years later, it's resurfaced. Let's just say it's not doing much for his dating life.

      But what about the parent's side of the equation? Kids learn from their parents, not just from what their parents say but also from what they do. It turns out that parents have as much to do with their kids' online behaviors as their kids do.

      At Common Sense Media, we're dedicated to helping kids and families get the most out the powerful digital technologies that run through the center of our lives. Some of this involves helping kids learn responsible behavior, but kids are only half the story. Parents also have some "Rules of the Road" they should be following:

      1. Model good behavior. If you're on your phones at dinner or during family events, why should your kids listen to you when you tell them to turn their phones off?

      2. Pay attention. Know what your kids are doing online. For instance, talk to your kids about whether or not they're comfortable letting you "friend" them on social networks — many will be.

      3. Impart your values. Right and wrong extends to all areas of life, whether it's online or through a mobile device. Cheating, lying, being cruel — they're all non-starters, no matter where you are.

      4. Establish limits. There's really a right time and place for everything. Set guidelines for when it's acceptable to use the phone, download videos and surf the web.

      5. Encourage balance. The Internet opens doors to new worlds. Encourage your kids to explore their own offline world as well, particularly when there is no cell phone or Internet service available.

      6. Make kids accountable. Let your kids know that having access to technology is a privilege. Let's make sure they earn it.

      7. Explain what's at stake. Let them know that what might seem acceptable today can be embarrassing tomorrow.

      8. Do your homework. Get familiar with the websites and services your kids use and the type of content they're downloading. Armed with knowledge, you can find ways to use technology to say "yes" more often.

      9. Don't be techno-phobic. Don't be afraid of technology. Learn to text, send a mobile photo, set up a Facebook profile, upload a video. Or have your kids show you how. It's impossible to guide what you don't understand. Not only that, but think of all the anxiety you can avoid by knowing how things work.

      10. Lighten up, embrace their world and enjoy the possibilities together. No parents want a digital divide in their relationships with their kids. It's up to you to join the fun and help your kids seize the potential.
      Liz wants to help parents create positive experiences for their kids with the articles and topics available on Common Sense Media's website.
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    • Topics: Parents, Privacy, Guest blog
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    • Cyber Security Is a Shared Responsibility
      by Michael B Kaiser on Friday, October 30, 2009 at 4:38pm
      Michael Kaiser is the executive director of the National Cyber Security Alliance (NCSA), a U.S.-focused nonprofit organization that works to keep people secure online. The organization focuses its efforts on cyber security education to provide information and tools for people to take control over preventing cyber crimes and attacks. As October and National Cyber Security Awareness month come to a close, we asked Michael to share his thoughts on precautions people should take online.


      Many people believe they know their way around the digital... world as well as or better than the physical world. Everything from paying bills to phone calls to distant relatives can now be done online. People store some of their most important documents, photos and financial information electronically — and seem to be more organized than ever. Yet while people may be cyber savvy and on the cutting edge of digital culture, they may not be cyber secure.

      It turns out that we are only as protected as the weakest link in our network, so if you don't take precautions, you're not just endangering yourself. You also are impacting your friends and family. For instance, a "cyber criminal" can leave his entire network at risk by using an easily guessed password like the word "password" for his email account. This innocent person inadvertently becomes an enabler of cybercrime by not being cautious.

      With a growing number of people online for a significant portion of every day, it's not surprising that more people are particularly visible and vulnerable targets of cyber criminals. Often, a healthy dose of common sense and knowledge about threats are the first step. Keep these 10 tips in mind as you get on the path to becoming cyber savvy.
      1. Protect your personal information. Know who is going to see it and understand the value of it and why the other party needs it before you share.
      2. Create complex and lengthy passwords that include letters, numbers and symbols. Be sure to change them often, and keep in mind "password1" doesn't make the cut.
      3. Don't use public networks to conduct private business.
      4. Set your security software, operating system and browser to update automatically.
      5. Conduct transactions only on secure sites. Look for "shttp" or "https" in the URL.
      6. Use privacy, safety and other settings on social networks.
      7. Understand threats and learn more at the NCSA website and the Facebook Security Page.
      8. Back up important information regularly to keep your music, photos and work protected.
      9. Physically protect your computer, too. If you wouldn't leave your credit card unattended in a public location, you shouldn't leave your computer either.
      10. Report cyber crimes.

      Remember it is our shared responsibility to stay cyber secure. Keep updated on how you can help yourself, your friends and family by becoming a fan of the Facebook Security Page and the National Cyber Security Alliance Page.


      Michael hopes you'll check out the NCSA cyberskits to learn the do's and don'ts of cyber security.
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    • Watch Your Words: Steps to Preventing Cyberbullying
      by Michelle Robinson Boykins on Wednesday, October 28, 2009 at 11:19am
      Michelle Boykins is the director of communications and marketing at the National Crime Prevention Council (NCPC), a U.S.-focused nonprofit devoted to helping people keep themselves, their families and their communities safe from crime. The organization is best known for McGruff the Crime Dog, who has been helping people "take a bite out of crime" for over 25 years. In honor of October being National Crime Prevention Month in the U.S., we asked Michelle to share her thoughts on how to prevent cyberbullying on the web.


      Words can be weapons if... people are not careful about how they use them. They can pierce our hearts and hurt just as much as any punch. Today, as all of us interact and engage with people on the web with greater frequency, we need to be even more aware of how we use our words. We also need to understand how we can respond to others who use harmful words or take abusive actions toward us.

      Cyberbullying is defined as abusive or harassing behavior online, which includes sending or posting text or images that are intended to hurt or embarrass another person. A common misperception of cyberbullying is that it only affects teens. In fact, adults adopt cyberbullying behavior just as easily as young people. The problem transcends age and is due to a lack of respect for another person. Healthy friendships and relationships, at any age, are built on mutual respect, and a person who resorts to cyberbullying or asks you to participate is being disrespectful.

      Already, Facebook allows you to easily report abuse on the site by selecting the "Report" link located near photos, videos, notes or other content you find offensive or inappropriate. This is just one step in discouraging people from behaving poorly online and potentially hurting other people. It's up to you to address cyberbullying if it occurs to you or people around you.

      While October is National Crime Prevention month in the U.S., cyberbullying happens throughout the year. Here are some ways you can prevent and address it if you ever experience a problem.

      How to Address Cyberbullying
      • Don't pass along cyberbullying messages
      • Block all communication with cyberbullies
      • Set an example and discourage your friends from bullying others
      • Report cyberbullying to a trusted adult
      • Raise awareness of cyberbullying in your community by holding an assembly and sharing these tips
      Whom to Contact
      • Get in touch with your Internet Service Provider (ISP) for assistance in blocking cyberbullies
      • Report cyberbullying problems to the local authorities and give them copies of bullying messages you've received
      • If you are in school, speak with other students, teachers, and school administrators about developing rules against cyberbullying
      Suggestions for Parents
      • Set guidelines for your kids' internet activities and talk about how they are spending their time online
      • Talk openly about cyberbullying and why they shouldn't participate in it
      • Discourage your kids from retaliating if they are being bullied online
      • Keep your computer in a high-traffic area of your house so Internet activity is visible
      • Encourage your child's school to adopt rules of conduct on cyberbullying
      In addition to understanding how to protect yourself from cyberbullies, make sure your own behavior won't hurt anyone else. Just because you can't always see the people you interact with online doesn't mean your words or actions won't hurt them. If you wouldn't say or do something in person, don't say or do it online either. By respecting yourself and others, we all can work to keep the web a fun and healthy place to engage and interact.


      Michelle hopes you'll join NCPC's Circle of Respect to discuss respect and civility on the web.
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    • Olympic Movement Meets the Global Facebook Village
      by Graeme Menzies on Tuesday, October 20, 2009 at 11:13am
      Graeme Menzies is the director of online communications for the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC), to be held from Feb. 12, 2010 to March 21, 2010. He works with a passionate team to extend the Olympic games experience through online media. In honor of the Olympic flame being lit in Greece this Thursday, Oct. 22, we've asked Graeme to discuss how VANOC is connecting people worldwide through online communications.


      When Pierre de Coubertin revived the Olympic movement over a century ago, he... sought to create a moment where athletes and spectators could experience the positive and transformational effects of sport — values of friendships, respect and excellence. At the beginning of the 1900s that experience was a social experience, but one that was largely limited to those who had the resources and time to travel.

      By the 1960s, Marshall McLuhan was already predicting that the evolution of electronic communication media would significantly reduce barriers of time and space. In effect, he said, the planet would be reduced to a "global village." Both visions now live side by side.

      More than ever before, the most successful games are not only those that provide the most outstanding physical infrastructure for athletes and spectators, but also the most outstanding online experience for virtual fans and spectators.

      The Torch Relay

      This Thursday, the Olympic flame is being lit in Olympia, Greece. Canada's Olympic torch relay will be the longest ever held in one country, covering 45,000 km (or nearly 28,000 miles) on a 106-day journey by some 12,000 torchbearers carrying the torch through over 1,000 communities and landmarks across the country.

      In the past, traditional media such as newspapers, radio and television, would record and tell the story of the relay. Now, citizens are telling the story themselves by sharing their photos, videos and thoughts on their Facebook profiles, their blogs and other social media. This new reality is what led the Vancouver 2010 team to reach out beyond its website and engage significantly in the social media space.

      In Canada, where Facebook is already extremely popular, we've actively encouraged local Olympic torch relay celebration communities to use Facebook to build local engagement, enthusiasm and momentum. Communities such as Sydney, Nova Scotia, and Red Deer, Alberta, are using Facebook to communicate local torch relay news, stories and photos on Facebook Pages.

      Anyone can follow the torch route as well. We've complemented our website with a Vancouver 2010 Olympics Page. It includes links to the interactive torch relay map, as well as a 2010 video that will give you a taste of the experience we're trying to build for the world.



      Fans already are commenting as they discover who's been selected as a torchbearer, and soon we expect to see more fan-submitted photos and accounts of the Olympic flame making its way across the country.

      Creating the Online Venue

      On a global scale, we worked with volunteers and Facebook in Canada to build the Vancouver 2010 Olympics Page as an effective tool to engage the world. The majority of the fans are international, including significant engagement from countries one wouldn't normally associate with winter sports, including Indonesia, Venezuela and Columbia.

      These fans prove the fundamental assumptions of Facebook: People with shared values and interests — not necessarily geography — will seek out and connect with each other online.

      In our case, we have built the Facebook Page and provided basic content, such as timely news, images and videos, and let the fans do the rest. In a surprising irony, this is not too dissimilar to what organizing committees traditionally do in order to host the games — build venues, provide information and let the athletes and fans do the rest.

      By bringing Facebook, including Facebook Connect and other social media into the mix, we are getting closer to the goal of making the games a meaningful social experience for fans in Canada and all over the world. More than ever before, the Olympic games are the games of the global village.


      Graeme hopes you'll participate in the 2010 winter games by becoming a fan of the Vancouver 2010 Olympics Facebook Page.
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    • Topics: Pages, Guest blog
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    • Causes Return to Their Grassroots Online
      by Joe Green on Tuesday, October 13, 2009 at 2:56pm
      Joe Green is the co-founder of Causes, a Facebook application that empowers anyone to mobilize their friends for social and political causes. Last week Causes began the second America Giving Challenge in partnership with the Case Foundation —
      a nonprofit organization that encourages the use of technology in that sector — and Parade Magazine. For 30 days, causes compete to win cash prizes for their organization based on the number of donations they receive. We've asked Joe to share his perspective on how activism is evolving on the Internet.


      ...People are adopting "Facebook Babies," but they aren't virtual infants with a penchant for online social networking. They are the nearly 30 orphans in China that have been given life-changing surgery and foster care by a nonprofit organization called Love Without Boundaries with money they raised through the Causes application on Facebook.

      Amy Eldridge, who directs this U.S.-based nonprofit in Oklahoma, relies on volunteers to recruit, educate and mobilize supporters. When someone has a question, volunteers are ready to reach out and personally respond. When Amy shares the story of a baby who needs help, her supporters respond not just by donating but also by committing to raise money from their friends.

      Amy's volunteer-focused approach is classic grassroots organizing — maximizing people's impact by empowering individuals. "Any smart nonprofit realizes that none of their work gets done without their supporters," Amy recently told me. "We now have 170 volunteers in 9 countries with a designated job."

      When you learn how Amy runs her small nonprofit, it all sounds very logical and probably a bit unremarkable — but this is not how most nonprofits operate.

      If you are one of the 75 percent of Americans who donated to a nonprofit last year, chances are you were solicited through direct mail or by a telemarketer. In addition to leaving individuals disengaged, top-down marketing tactics have high overhead costs that prevent smaller nonprofits from growing and driving innovation.

      It was not always this way. Until the 1970s, typical involvement with nonprofits looked a lot more like Amy Eldridge and Love Without Boundaries. People joined local chapters of charitable organizations whose members were friends and whose leaders were volunteers. They worked through their social connections to do everything from cleaning parks to raising money, but this shifted after the 1970s. Nonprofits began focusing on top-down marketing tactics in response to a broad societal shift away from membership in voluntary associations of all types.

      Now, the Internet — and social media specifically — is rebuilding the social infrastructure that has been crumbling underneath nonprofits for decades. As David Smith, director of the National Council on Citizenship, explains: "God, friends and Facebook provide a civic safety net." Facebook, with its representation of people's real identity and relationships, presents an unprecedented opportunity to bring the ideals and techniques of grassroots organizing to a massive number of people online. In doing so, the playing field has been leveled for individuals and organizations of all sizes.

      A paradigm shift is under way in the nonprofit world. Through the Causes application alone in just over two years, 85 million people are now involved in more than 300,000 user-created causes that educate, advocate and fund nonprofit work.

      Last year, in partnership with the Case Foundation, Causes started America's Giving Challenge to help nonprofits discover the potential of online organizing. The competition allows any U.S. based cause to enter and win cash awards for their nonprofit based on the number of different people that get involved through donating. We designed it so that the amount donated was irrelevant, instead focusing on the number of people who got engaged.

      More than 26,000 people donated nearly $600,000 to mostly small grassroots organizations. Love Without Boundaries, the 2008 winner, was awarded the $50,000 grand prize and used the money to help 10 orphaned children with heart disease. More importantly, they were able to capitalize on the momentum of the Giving Challenge to continue to develop a vibrant organization of engaged supporters.

      With this year's Giving Challenge in full swing, I want to encourage you to jump in. As grassroots organizing teaches us, an individual can have a large impact. There are so many ways you can make a difference — from donating any amount no matter how small to inviting your friends to participate or sharing information about the causes you support and joining discussions. Become a leader in your cause, and influence the people around you to do the same and discover what you can achieve when you organize.


      Joe is addictively refreshing the Causes page to track the challenge leaders and to challenge you to get involved for your favorite cause.
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    • The Role of Technology in Promoting Tolerance
      by Abraham Cooper on Tuesday, September 22, 2009 at 11:42am
      Rabbi Abraham Cooper is the Associate Dean of the Los Angeles-based Simon Wiesenthal Center and Museum of Tolerance, a leading Jewish human rights organization with over 400,000 members. As a global activist for human rights for over 30 years, Rabbi Cooper is closely involved in producing exhibitions for the Center's acclaimed Museum of Tolerance and supervising its annual report on digital terrorism and hate. We've asked him to share his personal perspectives on freedom of expression and how people around the globe can leverage digital... technologies to promote tolerance.


      "Who knows," said Jean-Marie Gustave Le Clezio, when he received the 2008 Nobel Prize for literature, "if the Internet had existed at the time, perhaps Hitler's criminal plot would not have succeeded — ridicule might have prevented it from ever seeing the light of day." Considering that the courageous pro-democracy demonstrations in Iran were inspired and empowered by the social networking revolution, it seems appropriate to ask the more than 300 million people using Facebook whether the dramatic events in Iran make the French writer a prophet in his own time.

      There's no denying that cyber-freedom is limitless. Just ask blogger Xeni Jardin, who visited a remote Guatemalan village without televisions or telephone landlines. Yet, at a nearby Internet café, a village elder absorbed the news of Barack Obama's victory and declared, "If a black man can enter the 'Casa Blanca,' maybe a Mayan person one day can become President of Guatemala."

      Today, online activists have enacted many changes via social networking through tools like email petitions, virtual town meetings and online organizing — from Ukraine's cell phone driven "Orange Revolution" protesting corruption in the presidential election to South Korea's "mad cow" protests against tainted meat imports that were orchestrated by text-messaging teenagers.

      Going back in history, it's possible to imagine digital technologies — from websites to cell phones to Facebook and Twitter — making a real difference. Imagine if these options were available to Soviet dissidents and refuseniks who, back in the 1970s, were limited to secretly communicating by one handwritten samizdat at a time. Maybe the "Iron Curtain" would have come down a decade earlier. Or perhaps the outcome would have been different in Tienanmen Square in 1989 had Chinese protesters been able to communicate and organize instantaneously.

      Or maybe not. It remains to be seen whether real tanks or motorcycling shock troops such as Iranian President Ahmadinejad's Basij militia can be ultimately trumped by virtual protests. Would YouTube posts from inside the Munich beer hall where Hitler launched his abortive 1923 putsch have made the Nazis look ridiculous or, more likely, created a cult following among young people in search of a strong leader? Would smuggled cellphone videos from Auschwitz have horrified and mobilized the German public or world public opinion to stop the factory of death? Not likely, given that images of mass murder actually sent back home by Germany's "willing executioners" failed to change anything.

      There's little reason to believe the Internet could have stopped genocide in 20th-century Europe any more than it has in 21st-century Africa.

      In 2009, regimes such as Myanmar nip their potential Internet problem in the bud by outlawing the Web: no medium, no message. But China and Iran take a more sophisticated approach. The Chinese government has found hi-tech means to thwart Internet dissent. Tehran seems to be going further. Using technology bought from Nokia Siemens, Iranian authorities have identified dissenters who used technology during the recent street protests. And they are using Internet technologies to confuse tweeters with disinformation, a campaign that even denies the martyrdom of Neda, the symbol of people's civil outcry.

      As Big Brother regimes manipulate the Internet, extremist movements strive to exploit it. In 1995, when the Simon Wiesenthal Center began tracking online hate, there was one hate website. Today, there are more than 10,000.

      Let's face it: From the printing press to the telegraph, to radio and television and the Internet, innovation has always been a double-edged sword. Contrary to the technological Utopians, there is no such thing as an invention whose potential for good cannot be perverted for evil.

      Scholar Marshall McLuhan's "global village" has arrived, but it's populated by the good, bad and ugly of humanity. Alas, Mr. Le Clezio, the Nobel laureate is wrong: Technology will never deliver us from evil. Only decent people can. We all must do our part to ensure that social media lands on the side of the good.


      Rabbi Abraham Cooper would like to hear from people using Facebook on behalf of human rights.
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    • The Future of News Will Be Social
      by Arianna Huffington on Monday, August 17, 2009 at 6:00am
      Arianna Huffington is the co-founder and editor-in-chief of The Huffington Post, a nationally syndicated columnist and author of 12 books. With HuffPost launching a new social news feature today using Facebook Connect, we asked her to share her perspective on the ways social media is shaping the future of news.


      Despite all the current hand-wringing about the dire state of newspapers, we are actually in the midst of a Golden Age for news consumers. We can surf the net, use search engines, access the best stories from around the world, and... interact by commenting and forming communities.

      The days of publishing pooh-bahs dictating to us what's important and what's not are over. We now can get the news we want, when we want it, how we want it and where we want it.

      The Web has given us control over the news we consume. Now the explosive growth of online social networking is fundamentally changing our relationship with news as well. It's no longer something we passively take in. We now engage with news, react to news and share news.

      News has become an important element of community—something around which we gather, connect and converse. We all are part of the evolution of a story now—expanding it with comments and links to relevant information, adding facts and differing points of view.

      In short, the news has become social. And it will become even more community-powered: stories will be collaboratively produced by editors and the community, and conversations, opinion, and reader reactions will be seamlessly integrated into the news experience.

      I've always been obsessed with news. As the daughter of a newspaperman, I grew up with the smell of newsprint and the buzz of breaking news. I've also always enjoyed bringing people together from different parts of my life and facilitating interesting conversations. In the past, these have taken place around dinner tables, on group hikes or at book parties. Now, via cyberspace, those conversations have gone global. And they are happening in real time.

      One of the reasons we launched The Huffington Post was to enhance and facilitate those conversations. While our goal was to create a one-stop spot for news and opinion with an attitude, community has always been a key element of the site.

      The launch of HuffPost Social News today brings together my two loves: nonstop news and the passionate discussion of the news with my friends.

      Using Facebook Connect, HuffPost Social News weaves the news and opinion of HuffPost with the social capabilities of Facebook. It connects HuffPost users to their Facebook friends, the news they are reading, and the stories they are commenting on.



      Want to know what your friends are reading? Check out their Facebook-powered stream on HuffPost and the personalized Social News widget that appears as you navigate the site. Want to see your friends' comments above the thousands of strangers commenting on a story? Log in to HuffPost Social News using Facebook Connect and that happens automatically.

      HuffPost Social News also taps into another big trend I see emerging in news: personalization. People connect to each other using their real identities and have real conversations.

      HuffPost Social News is just one early piece of the social transformation of the news industry. We will be adding more social features and personalization in the coming months, and I expect to see news organizations around the world doing the same. The news is simply more interesting and engaging when we experience it with friends.


      Arianna hopes you'll sign up and join the conversation about news.
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    • Community Crime Fighters Turn to Facebook
      by Scott Mills on Tuesday, August 4, 2009 at 11:04am
      Constable Scott Mills has served as a police officer with the Toronto Police Service in Canada since 2002. His current role is Community Youth Officer for the Toronto Crime Stoppers program, where he works to build healthy relationships between young people, community members and the police department. We've asked Scott to share his experiences using Facebook to fight crime by connecting with the community.


      There's no doubt that Facebook has revolutionized the act of sharing and communicating with friends. Often overlooked, however, is the... impact these tools can have on public safety. Because community engagement is critical to effective law enforcement, police officers must be where the people are, and these days, the people are on Facebook.

      For the last two years, I have used my Facebook account, as well as Facebook groups, events and Pages, to inform Toronto residents about crimes in their area and encourage them to provide anonymous tips. Messages can be broadcast quickly and easily to wide audiences with immediate feedback. Outreach through Facebook has helped Toronto Crime Stoppers sniff out threats against local schools, bring much needed help to people at risk of committing suicide, warn the public about criminals on the loose and even locate missing persons.

      In addition to enabling us to gather tips more efficiently and effectively, Facebook also has helped us build a stronger, more meaningful connection with the community we serve. My department runs programs aimed at keeping kids off the street and away from trouble. These programs include presentations at local schools, Bicycle Moto-Cross (BMX) camps, legal graffiti competitions and dance contests. Through photos, videos and links, Facebook has allowed us to promote these programs to those who need them most, which will hopefully lead to fewer people getting involved with crime because of boredom or lack of options.

      I'm proud of the work we've done and passionate about the potential for tools like Facebook to aid law enforcement. Policymakers and police officers from around the world still have a lot to learn about how to use social media to build connections to enlist the public in preventing and solving crimes, but police departments in cities around the world are starting to take notice. Last fall, at a conference hosted by the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL) in Johannesburg, South Africa, the group's Secretary General Ronald K. Noble said:

      People routinely use the Internet to find former classmates or individuals with similar interests.... there is no reason why law enforcement should not use this same resource to find fugitives or encourage members of the public to use social networking sites to report sightings of criminals.

      Recently, police departments — in municipalities as large as Vancouver, British Columbia in Canada and as small as Brunswick, Maine in the U.S. — have created presences on Facebook to communicate more efficiently with the public. I'm happy to see this trend develop across Canada and around the world, including in the U.S. where the municipality of Boston is now using social media to track down stolen bikes. We'll continue to work hard to make sure law enforcement is taking full advantage of today's communication tools. All of us can do our part by using the Internet not just to keep up with friends but also to help keep our communities safe.


      Scott Mills is asking for your help through a Facebook status update.
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    • Connecting and Sharing the Army Way
      by Kevin Arata on Tuesday, June 30, 2009 at 11:22am
      Lieutenant Colonel (LTC) Kevin Arata is the Director of the Online and Social Media Division of the U.S. Army. Since January 2009, he's worked on developing different social media platforms as methods of communication for the Army. We've asked him to share some of the ways that soldiers are using Facebook to connect with each other and their families.


      Some people are shocked when they see a Facebook status update or message coming from a deployed soldier. At the U.S. Army, we see it as another positive move that allows our soldiers to feel... connected to friends and family at home, even when they're half a world away. Allowing our audience — including our soldiers — to connect and communicate through social networking is still considered risky business by some, and we do face unique challenges. The risks to operations security felt by some, or the fears that our soldiers will post "unbecoming" information, are outweighed by increased communication and sharing.

      Soldiers: Past, Present and Future
      In this era of persistent conflict and frequent deployments, service members are under constant stress due to the demands of the military lifestyle on both their psychological and physical well being. Facebook has made it easier to stay in touch with loved ones back home. Two months after we launched the official U.S. Army Page on Facebook, it has become a meeting ground for soldiers, their spouses and families to share insights, support and encouragement. In one of many examples, a proud mother of a soldier from Virginia wrote on our Wall about her regular chats on Facebook with her son:



      There's no better way to get ready for joining the Army than to hear advice directly from soldiers who've lived it. Through our Page, recruits are able to ask questions of other current and past soldiers and gather many different perspectives much more quickly than through phone conversations or e-mails:



      Old friends from previous assignments are also able to stay in touch, or even reconnect, through Facebook. In fact, just a few weeks ago my boss, Colonel Jim Miller, told me he recently linked up with three of his Desert Storm buddies on Facebook after nearly 10 years. He found out they were living within miles of him in Washington, D.C., and was able to get together for a reunion dinner.

      Military Brats
      "Brats" — the term commonly associated with those who grow up in the military — often face the challenge of being separated from friends as their families move to different military bases. When I was growing up, once you left a group of friends, you were relegated to keeping in touch by writing letters or racking-up long-distance phone bills. Often times, as those friends were moving too, contact was lost and so was the friendship. Now, military children can keep in touch much easier with their friends. My kids, having spent all of their lives moving from place to place, use Facebook to connect with friends from my previous duty assignments.

      Army Senior Leaders
      Often people assume social networking sites are a place only for young people, but our senior Army leaders understand it's a great place for them to connect with both their older peers and the young troopers who are the backbone of the U.S. Army. An increasing number of Army senior leaders now have Facebook Pages, including General Ray Odierno, where you can stay updated on their daily activities.



      The Army is embracing a new way to communicate — one that increasingly involves connecting over a social networking site as much as it means communicating about the Army through an evening news broadcast. Along with our main Army Page, other units and installations are reaching out to establish a dialogue through more than 40 other official Army unit and installation Facebook pages. You can find a lineup of all the official social media platforms for the Army here.

      Facebook captures the power of relationships in a way we've only begun to explore. Whether you're a general officer or a soldier deployed to Iraq who gets a glimpse of home through a Wall post or a photo, it's a powerful medium for our community of more than 1.1 million soldiers and their spouses, family members and children.


      Lieutenant Colonel Arata hopes you'll join the conversation at the U.S. Army's Facebook Page.
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    • What It Means to "Friend" Your Father
      by Gene Fant on Sunday, June 21, 2009 at 8:12am
      In honor of Father's Day, we are republishing a column about fatherhood and friendship that originally appeared on June 2 in the Jackson Sun newspaper of Jackson, Tenn. Gene Fant teaches English at Union University and is the author of "Expectant Moments: Devotions for Expectant Couples," a devotional memoir about the birth of his twins, Ethan and Emily, who are now 11 years old.


      A couple of years ago, I started a Facebook account to communicate with my students. Many of them had stopped using e-mail, and this was the only way I could catch... them in a timely manner.

      After about a year, I started finding some of my own friends, from high school, former jobs and even elementary school.

      It was awesome to reconnect, in some cases after 35 years, to see how much their kids look like they did the last time I saw them or to see what they're up to.

      It's sort of like having access to everyone's Christmas newsletters, only I get to see them over the course of the year rather than in one simple note.

      I think, however, that Facebook might be about to die. My dad "poked" me the other day to see if we could be friends.

      So did my aunt, my brother's mother-in-law and a bunch of other folks from the previous generation. This means that it has expanded to two or three generations beyond the basic 16- to 22-year-old set.

      Becoming Facebook friends with my dad, however, got me to thinking about being actual friends with my dad.

      I am Gene Clinton Fant Jr., named after Dad. I look just like Dad. I have a degree from one of his alma maters. Our voices are eerily similar. We're awfully close, and I call him for insight and advice all the time.

      "Friends," however, that's a different matter. We fought like crazy during my teen years.

      He held a firm hand of discipline. He made sure that I did not only what I was told to do but also what I ought to do without being told.

      He insisted that we spend time together as a family, sometimes in ways that excluded my friends or that contradicted my personal plans.

      I know that he was ready to pack it all in on a few occasions and let me figure out what the real world was all about, but he constantly held me to high standards.

      He admonished me and he prayed for me, sometimes out loud and lots of times in quiet when I didn't even realize that he was doing it. There's no way I would have called him my "friend" when I was about 15.

      It's amazing how much coolness he developed when I was about 22. I learned that my successes on the job and in school were related to his discipline.

      I found that my high standards for myself were invaluable. When I became a father myself, Dad suddenly gained extra-cool status, as I found myself echoing the words he had uttered to me.

      His standards had become my standards, his wisdom my wisdom. Somehow along the way, we had become friends, not because he had bought me things or given in to my whims in an effort to be my pal, but because he had earned it through demonstrating his resolute love for me.

      I always cringe when I hear a parent brag that he or she is "best friends" with a 13-year-old child. More times than not, this means that the parent has bought such friendship at a cost of all authority over the child's life.

      If you don't think so, then watch what happens when a teenager's friends try to say something even remotely harsh or corrective to him or her. They are friends no more.

      There are seasons to life, and the role of parent is the one that ought to take precedence over our child's most formative years. There will be a season of friendship that is earned, not purchased, down the road.

      Of all the friends that I have on Facebook, there are many whom I love. There are a few whom I respect. There are none that I both love and respect quite like my dear friend, Gene C. Fant Sr.


      Gene is proud to be "Jr." today, just as he is honored to be a "dad."
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    • Going Green with Your Friends on Earth Day
      by Lisa P. Jackson on Wednesday, April 22, 2009 at 11:03am
      Lisa Jackson is the Administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which works to protect human health and the environment. Since joining the EPA in January of this year, she's used technology to raise environmental awareness. In recognition of Earth Day, we've asked Lisa to share ways you can get involved in protecting the environment.


      Today, we're celebrating the biggest Earth Day in history. We expect one billion people — nearly one in every six people around the world — to participate in activities to help protect the... Earth and those who live on it.

      This is a defining moment with some of the best opportunities we'll ever have to make a change and save our planet. The actions we take — or don't take — are going to affect what happens today and for generations to come.

      This Earth Day, EPA is on the job. But we need your help, which is why we're using Facebook and the Web to expand our Earth Day activities.

      We just launched "Pick 5 for the Environment," on our Facebook Page where you can commit to five everyday activities that can help make a difference for our planet. For instance, you could commit to recycling and reusing electronics, which will keep hazardous substances out of our landfills. Take your old computer, DVD player or other electronics to a recycling center rather than throwing them in the trash. Save electricity by installing programmable thermostats and using energy efficient products. Most importantly, be sure to spread the word to family and friends.



      There are many other ways you can get involved on Facebook. Create your own groups or events for Earth Day, or even spread the word about being green through a status message to friends.

      Together, we really can make a difference in protecting our environment. We can have a clean environment and a strong economy. We can make the move to clean energy by cutting emissions and lowering energy costs for families and businesses. And we really can stop the rapid advance of climate change.

      It sounds ambitious — because it is. But it's a future that's within our sights. All we have to do is help each other get there.


      Lisa hopes you'll stay tuned to all the ways you can protect your community and our planet by connecting with the EPA's Facebook Page.
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    • Overcoming Autism to Build Friendships
      by Barbara Fischkin on Tuesday, April 14, 2009 at 2:51pm
      Barbara Fischkin is a parent of a young adult who suffers from severe autism — a neuro-biological disorder that affects one's ability to communicate. She has written extensively about her experiences with her son, Daniel Mulvaney. We've asked her to share their experiences communicating through Facebook as part of our recognition of Autism Awareness Month in the United States.


      As parents of a young adult who suffers from severe autism, my husband and I have wrestled with many questions over the years ranging from the practical and the medical to... the philosophical. Our son, Dan, is 21, but he's not an average 21-year-old. For one, he's never had a girlfriend. He stopped speaking as a small child and sometimes he has trouble sitting still or keeping his hands off delicate objects when his senses are overloaded by his surroundings. In some instances, he even struggles to demonstrate to other people that he understands what they are saying to him.

      Sometimes, though, the questions my husband and I ask one another about Dan are just downright funny, and thank goodness for that. Those questions tickle us on days when humor is what we need most. Earlier this year, we had one of those funny Dan questions when I asked my husband, Jim, "Do you think Danny would like to be friends with a beautiful 55-year-old showgirl?"

      After giving me a look, Jim, who is 54, responded, "Don't I get first dibs?"

      "She keeps her clothes on," I said.

      "Too bad," my husband replied, still grinning.

      "She wants to be his Facebook friend," I emphasized.

      That is how, earlier this year, a Facebook friendship began between my son Daniel Mulvaney and a terrific woman with an even better name, Chou Chou Scantlin.

      Chou Chou is far more than a showgirl, but rather a powerhouse of a singer and a former Shakespearean actress. She and her husband are the creative forces behind a nationally known costumed revue that resembles the nightclub acts of yore, Doc Scantlin and his Imperial Palms Orchestra. For years, Chou Chou has also been struggling — mostly in private — with a high functioning form of the very same autism that Dan has been living with since he was 3 1/2 years old.

      As part of a lifelong quest to understand what troubles her, Chou Chou one day searched for "facebook for autistics" and found a blog I had written about Dan. It mentioned that he had joined Facebook and that the combination of text and photographs, representing many people he already knew, seemed to make it easier for him to focus and communicate, even without speech.

      Chou Chou, who can perform, in part, because she sees light instead of the beloved members of her audiences, wrote to me about her own similar reaction:

      "In a social situation, or just being out in the world, there is much torturous confusion. E-mailing is faceless but not in a good or inviting way. It is like talking to someone who's in a dark cave. The phone is no good, because, well, the expressions seem all wrong on both ends. Then came Facebook. I can see [my friends'] faces, which I adore, but there is no getting overwhelmed or confused by their expressions, movements, voices or idiosyncrasies. It is so simple and light and charming, and since people take the time to connect it takes away any fear that you are bothering them. As I read the postings on the other walls, the mystery of socializing unfolds to me in a way I have never understood."

      Dan, who clicks to make friends on his own but needs help with his motor functions to get his fingers to the letters he wants, has expressed similar thoughts in his own way, writing on his Facebook profile: "i lik e p eople but u really need understand autism i dont show a lot but i feel much and want many many friends."



      When Dan joined Facebook last year, he and I both found he responded better to Facebook than to any other communication-typing program, even those put out by educational scholars. It works for Dan, much as it does for Chou Chou. No other program combines photos, the option for brevity but brevity with warmth that this one does. Dan now has 149 Facebook friends all over the world, many of whom were his counselors at a wonderful sleep-away camp for individuals with disabilities. His counselors often post pictures of Dan's happiest moments there, more of which he expects to have this summer. Those photographs really cheer him up through the winter doldrums.

      He is also one of 19 members of a Facebook group for individuals with autism who type with more articulation than they speak. The group is just getting started, but already there have been short discussions about the rigors of typing instead of talking, music preferences and, thanks to Dan, a very tentative question about making friends with the opposite sex. Dan is still waiting for someone else in the group to respond to that question. As many of us know, waiting for a response is part of Facebook — and friendship, too.


      Barbara is toasting Chou Chou and Dan's 148 other Facebook friends.
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    • Making Facebook Accessible for Everyone
      by Carl R. Augusto on Monday, April 6, 2009 at 4:02pm
      Carl Augusto is the President and CEO of the American Foundation for the Blind, a U.S.-based non-profit organization that expands possibilities for people with vision loss. One of AFB's priorities is broadening access to technology, and AFB is working together with Facebook to make the site more accessible and user-friendly for people who are blind or visually impaired.


      I am a huge music fan. I played in two garage bands when I was younger and today, I can still be found playing guitar, listening to music and updating my "best of" music ... lists. When I first heard about Facebook, I thought it was the perfect place to reconnect with former band members and talk about music, but then I ran into a problem. As a blind person using Facebook, I had trouble updating my profile and using the site.

      You may be wondering how people with vision loss use computers or surf the web. The answer is quite simple: People who are blind or visually impaired use a screen magnification program to enlarge fonts in order to optimize the screen for reading, or they use a screen reading program that reads the text aloud. These are quick, efficient and helpful solutions — that is, if the websites and computer programs are properly designed.

      The challenge is that not all Web pages are compatible with screen readers and magnifiers. When a website is built without regard to accessible design, screen reading software cannot interpret the information, which prevents the blind person from accessing the site. Social networking sites present some especially difficult challenges. For instance, images are an important part of the site experience, but it is rare that photos get described. Even while in the middle of reading a page, comments or links can change in ways that are undetectable to the screen reader or fall outside the viewing window of screen-magnification.

      About two years ago, AFB approached Facebook in order to combat the accessibility problems of blind members who were having trouble using the site and its applications, including AFB's own cause on Facebook. From our very first interaction, Facebook has been responsive to our feedback and committed to finding solutions to these problems. This has underscored the fact that Facebook is a community dedicated to all of its members, including those with disabilities.

      Because of our collaboration with Facebook, there is an accessibility-specific help center page to channel feedback from the disability community and provide instructional tips on using assistive technology with Facebook. We're also working together on design changes that will make the site more usable for people with visual impairments.

      While our ultimate goal of making the Internet fully accessible is far from being attained, we are making progress toward reaching that goal by working together with organizations like Facebook.


      Carl enjoys sharing his list of top vocalists with his friends and colleagues on Facebook.
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    • Facebook dans ma propre langue
      by Jimmy Lavoie on Monday, April 6, 2009 at 5:37am
      Jimmy Lavoie est un utilisateur de Facebook âgé de 16 ans, venant du Québec (Canada). Il a récemment collaboré au comité de traduction de Facebook en français canadien et est présentement positionné au sommet du palmarès des traducteurs de cette langue avec plus de 56 000 mots gagnants et plus de 8 000 phrases gagnantes. Nous lui avons demandé de partager ses motivations pour participer à la traduction.


      Après plusieurs mois de dur labeur, Facebook a fait ses débuts en français canadien la semaine dernière. En traduisant Facebook, mon but était... de créer un site qui semble naturel aux yeux des Canadiens francophones, dont ils se sentent à l'aise d'utiliser. J'aime la langue française et j'essaie de la protéger, autant sur Internet que dans la vie de tous les jours. Je suis particulièrement fier du français québécois, également appelé français canadien, qui est considéré comme étant un dialecte différent du français européen.

      Au Québec, nous nous efforçons de garder notre langue en vie. Depuis 1961, nous avons notre Office québécois de la langue française (OQLF), qui fait la promotion du français canadien et qui le régit. Il joue un rôle semblable à celui de l'Académie française, l'institution qui fait autorité sur la langue française en France. Par exemple, au Québec, presque tous les anglicismes ou les mots empruntés à l'anglais n'ont pas été retenus par l'OQLF et leur utilisation est considérée comme fautive.

      Il y a quelques réalités différentes entre le Québec et la France, ce qui fait que la traduction française pour la France ne convenait pas tout à fait à la plupart des Canadiens francophones. Même si les deux versions sont en français, vous allez clairement voir une différence entre les deux. Par exemple, dans la version francophone du Canada, les « high schools » sont appelées des « écoles secondaires » et les « colleges » des « cégeps », alors que dans la version française de France, les « high schools » sont appelées des « lycées » et les « colleges » des « universités ».

      Les gens, au Canada et au Québec, passent beaucoup de temps sur Facebook. C'est pourquoi je crois important que ces gens aient droit à une version dans leur propre langue. Lorsque j'ai commencé à traduire, je ne m'attendais pas à être le plus grand traducteur. En fait, c'était plutôt un travail d'équipe avec plusieurs personnes travaillant à rendre le projet possible et à approuver les meilleures traductions. Je suis très fier de la version francophone canadienne et j'espère que les autres Canadiens francophones le seront également.


      Jimmy est impressionné par le travail de tellement de traducteurs, dont celui de Charlène Ouellette, de Myriam Pepin et de Guy Bergeron.

      ---

      Facebook In My Own Language

      Jimmy Lavoie is a 16-year-old Facebook user from Québec, Canada. He recently worked on the community translation of Facebook into Canadian French and is currently ranked as the top translator for that language with more than 56,000 winning words and over 8,000 winning phrases. We asked him to share his motivation for participating in the translation.


      After many months of hard work, Facebook debuted in French Canadian last week. As I worked on the translation, my goal was to help create a site that feels natural and comfortable to French Canadians. I like the French language and I try to protect it, on the Internet and in real life. I'm especially proud of Québec French, also called Canadian French, which is recognized as a different dialect from the European French language.

      In Québec, we strive to keep our language alive. Since 1961, we've had an "Office québécois de la langue française (OQLF)," which means "Québec Board of the French language." It is dedicated to promoting and standardizing Canadian French by playing a role similar to the French Academy, France's authority on the French language. For example, in Quebec, almost all Anglicisms or words borrowed from English are prohibited from French-language websites and official documents.

      There are some differences between Québec and France, which made the French translation for France not quite right for most French Canadians to use. Even though both versions are in French, you will clearly see a difference between them. For instance, in the Canadian French version, high schools are "écoles secondaires" and colleges are "cégeps," whereas in the French version for France, high schools are called "lycées" and colleges are called "universités".

      People spend a lot of time on Facebook in Canada and Québec, which is why I think it's really important for Facebook to be available in people's native language. When I started, I didn't expect to be the top translator. In fact, it was more of a team effort with a lot of people working to make it possible and agreeing on the best translations. I'm really proud of the Canadian French version, and I hope other French Canadians will be too.


      Jimmy is impressed with the work of so many translators, including Charlène Ouellette, Myriam Pepin and Guy Bergeron.
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    • Topics: Translation, Language, Guest blog
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    • Working Together to Keep You Secure
      by Jeff Williams on Thursday, April 2, 2009 at 9:24am
      Jeff Williams is a principal group program manager for the Microsoft Malware Protection Center (MMPC), and he recently worked with the Facebook Security team to protect you from the Koobface virus. We've asked him to share more about his work to help stop the spread of the virus.


      At the Microsoft Malware Protection Center (MMPC), researchers from around the world are spending time to find, understand, and—when we're at the top of our game—eradicate the threats that interfere with your enjoyment of the Internet. Our team researches malicious... software and delivers technology to remove viruses and spyware. Recently, we've been working with Facebook to fend off a virus called Koobface, which has been affecting users of both the Windows operating system and sites like Facebook.

      Koobface, which first surfaced in May 2008, spreads by delivering fraudulent messages from people whose computers have been infected. While the Facebook Security team was able to detect the virus quickly and reset people's accounts, some computers remained infected and continued to spread Facebook messages with seemingly harmless subject headers like "Check out this video" or "LOL." Without the most up-to-date anti-virus software, if you clicked on the links within the messages, your Facebook password and account information could be stolen. Then, your account could be used to help the virus spread by sending even more fraudulent messages to your friends.



      In working with Facebook, we were able to add detection of Koobface to our Malicious Software Removal Tool (MSRT), which checks computers running Windows software to detect and remove viruses. By adding this threat to the more than 100 threat families already in MSRT, we're helping to protect hundreds of millions of people. Since releasing our newest version of MSRT two weeks ago, we've removed Koobface nearly 200,000 times from over 133,677 computers in more than 140 different locales around the world.

      Our work doesn't stop here. Koobface is constantly changing to avoid detection, or as we call it "highly polymorphic," with over 20,000 variations to date. Sometimes we remove the virus from the same computer more than once. We're also working to detect new variants of the Koobface virus as they're discovered, so we can provide ongoing protection from this threat.

      If you have Windows installed on your computer and are already using Automatic Updates, you should be receiving the MSRT each month as part of our standard security update. If you think your computer may be infected with Koobface, you can use our free online virus scanner here. You may also want to protect yourself further with one of our anti-virus products or one from a company you trust.

      You can read more on Koobface and other threats on the MMPC blog. More useful tips and information are also available on Facebook's Security Page.


      Jeff is always ready to battle malicious software with companies like Facebook.
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    • Topics: Security, Guest blog
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    • Facebook Connect Goes to the Movies
      by Gibson Biddle on Tuesday, March 24, 2009 at 2:30pm
      Gibson Biddle is the Vice President of Product Management at Netflix, an online movie rental service with over 10 million subscribers. We've asked him to post on the Facebook blog about how Netflix and Facebook are bringing you a new way to connect with your friends at the movies.


      At Netflix we believe that movies make for great conversations. That's why we are excited to announce a new way for you to join the conversation with your Facebook friends about your favorite movies using Facebook Connect.

      ...Netflix members can seamlessly link their Netflix and Facebook accounts through Facebook Connect, turning the connection on or off at any time. You can get started by logging in to Netflix.com using your Facebook account.



      From there, you'll be able to rate a movie from one-to-five stars and write reviews. You'll have the option to share that information back to Facebook, where your friends can see it regardless of whether or not they are Netflix subscribers.



      Your Facebook friends can learn more about a specific movie that you've reviewed by following a link back to the appropriate movie page at Netflix. If they are a Netflix member, they can also add that movie to their own Netflix queue to rent and watch later.

      With Facebook Connect, we hope it will be easier for you to share the movies you love with all your friends. Join the conversation today, and let us know your feedback on the Netflix Facebook Page.


      Gib can't wait to connect with his friends about their favorite films.
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    • Topics: Facebook Connect, Guest blog
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    • Giving Red Noses for Good and for Fun
      by Chris Ward on Thursday, March 12, 2009 at 12:30am
      Chris Ward is the Creative Communications Director at Comic Relief, a charity organisation in the U.K. whose vision is a just world free of poverty. We've asked him to write about what they're doing on Facebook to enhance their activities for Red Nose Day, a popular fund-raising event where people across the U.K. 'do something funny', including buying and wearing plastic or foam red noses, to support the charity.


      Since the first Red Nose Day was launched in 1988, raising £15 million and seeing some of Britain's finest comedic talent donning Red... Noses for charity, the world has changed considerably. Back then, we developed one day in the year that connected fundraising schools, offices and homes across the land. We added to the mix the nation's favourite celebrities, sprinkled in a Red Nose or three, and got the entire UK engaged and involved in a fantastic night of comedy on BBC One.

      The day has become a phenomenon through the years, but we have always had to innovate to keep the momentum and raise awareness of the plight of those less privileged in the UK and Africa. Since then, a total of £420 million has been raised through Red Nose Days, and they have involved millions of supporters, including some of the biggest names in UK music and entertainment.

      Working with Facebook this year was a natural progression in the way that we connect with our supporters. Even though our televised evening of comedy will be the culmination of the campaign, we needed a digital platform to get so many people motivated and engaged. Facebook was the natural choice, opening up a whole new fundraising channel and a resource for connecting with over 17 million potential supporters in the UK alone.



      Today, 21 years since our launch, doing a good deed is as easy as a click of a mouse and could literally mean the difference of tens of thousands of pounds for Red Nose Day 2009. Help us prove the power of community by sending a Red Nose from the Facebook Gift Shop to your friends. All the proceeds will go to our efforts, and you'll be doing something funny for money with your friends.


      Chris Ward, the Creative Communications Director at Comic Relief, is wearing a red nose.
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    • Topics: Gifts, Pages, Guest blog
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    • The New Facebook Marketplace Powered by Oodle
      by Craig Donato on Tuesday, March 3, 2009 at 8:15am
      Craig Donato is the CEO of Oodle, which is a growing online classifieds service that organizes millions of classified listings from across the Web. We've asked him to post on the Facebook blog today about the launch of Facebook Marketplace powered by Oodle.


      Today, we're launching Facebook Marketplace powered by Oodle—and adding even more functionality so you can easily create, share and respond to listings. Facebook first introduced the Marketplace application on Facebook Platform in May 2007 as a way for people to post classified listings on... the site. Marketplace helps people buy and sell furniture and household items in a trusted environment. Late last year, Facebook turned to Oodle for its expertise in online classifieds, and Oodle has built an entirely new version of Marketplace focused on giving people a place to buy, sell or give things away to the people they know.

      If you previously had the Marketplace application installed, you'll continue to see it bookmarked on the Applications tab in the lower left hand corner of your screen. And if you have an active listing in Marketplace, you'll be given the option to transfer it to the new Facebook Marketplace powered by Oodle.



      You'll be able to access the Facebook Marketplace powered by Oodle from the Application Directory, as well.

      We're also excited to introduce new features including Sell for a Cause, which allows you to donate the profits of the items you sell to over a million participating charities including UNICEF, the Sierra Club and local organizations like the Boys and Girls Club of San Francisco. For instance, I'm selling some of the toys that my kids have outgrown to support the Samaritan House, a local charity in Oodle's hometown of San Mateo, California, that supports programs for families in need. If every person on Facebook sold something for just $1, we would be able to collectively raise over $175 million for causes around the world.



      In the coming months, we'll be rolling out even more functionality and categories, so please be sure to let us know how we're doing.


      Craig Donato, CEO of Oodle, urges you to sell (or buy) something for a cause you believe in.
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    • Topics: Applications, Platform, Marketplace, Guest blog
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    • The Facebook Neighborhood
      by Shaun King on Tuesday, January 27, 2009 at 12:46pm
      Shaun King is the Lead Pastor at The Courageous Church, a new congregation that opened its doors for the first time in Atlanta, Georgia earlier this month. Prior to founding The Courageous Church, Pastor Shaun was a mentor at several inner-city Atlanta schools. He's worked tirelessly in his community as a volunteer and activist, often using Facebook and other online tools to organize. While Facebook does not endorse any particular religion or belief system, we believe that there is broader meaning to Shaun King's story, which is why we've... asked him to post on the Facebook blog about his experiences using the site.


      The Courageous Church is a vibrant, diverse community of faith—not just a Sunday morning destination. Our mission is to bring people together from throughout our city to be a catalyst for positive change in the lives of our members and take up causes that are in desperate need of attention. While many of our goals and dreams are tied to the Church, the ways that we've used Facebook to build our organization and reach out to people can be duplicated by anyone for any purpose—religious or secular.

      Churches have an important role to play in fostering a sense of community, which is especially important in a city as large as Atlanta. There's a saying around here: when you run out of sugar in Atlanta, you don't borrow it from your neighbor—you just cook something that doesn't need sugar. We're trying to change this prevailing sense of disconnectedness thanks to the pervasive power of technology. People aren't just connected to those that live on their block anymore. They can go online with Facebook and connect with hundreds—even thousands—of friends in ways that are surprisingly deep and real. For so many of us, Facebook is not just an online accessory to our daily lives but an active community that we engage with every day.

      So when we decided to launch The Courageous Church here in downtown Atlanta, it was natural to build our community from within the Facebook community. We organized a Facebook group and invited friends in Atlanta and around the world to join. But we didn't stop there. We shared information—status updates, messages, wall posts, notes and more. Leading up to our church's grand opening, we purchased Facebook ads to attract more attendees to our first service. For less than half the cost of traditional marketing activities, our Facebook ads engaged tens of thousands of people throughout Atlanta helping us generate an audience of nearly seven hundred people for our first Sunday service. Facebook helped us connect with people like Tiffany Nichols and Whitney Wright, and today, over half of the people that are a part of our church first learned about us on Facebook.

      We've also used Facebook to rally our congregants around important causes. We recently took up an effort to purchase new school uniforms and toys for every child at a local Atlanta elementary school. Our congregants used Facebook to share our mission and mobilize their friends. Our initiative spread like wildfire. With the support of hundreds of people from twenty-two states in the U.S. and several countries around the world, we raised more than $20,000 for our efforts.

      At a time when people are struggling to find a place where they belong, we're inspired by the connectedness that Facebook enables. We encourage other organizations to think about how to use technologies like Facebook to galvanize and elevate their efforts. We shouldn't accept the idea that we don't know our neighbors.


      Shaun King, the Lead Pastor at The Courageous Church, hopes you'll reach out, connect and reap the rewards.
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    • Topics: Religion, Guest blog
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