Facebook and Information Cascades

The class recently read a novel by Clay Shirky titled, Here Comes Everybody. Shirky talks a lot about how technology--the Internet in particular--has helped to mobilize groups more quickly. This mobilization occurs as a result of online information cascades. Information becomes widely dispersed via the Internet and once several people find out about a particular event, many choose to participate.

One venue that has been a prevalent source of information cascades is the social networking site Facebook. Facebook has numerous features that publicize information. The Newsfeed displays members' status updates. The Events page highlights popular upcoming events. Facebook users can also join Groups that cater to specific interests. When these features are not made private, any person logged onto the web site can view the information provided. Certain links then gain great popularity and all Facebook users start to hone in on these links, leading to information cascades.

Over the past year, I have witnessed several Facebook information cascades that led to the mobilization of people. People who are Facebook Fans of the clothing store Gap rushed to the store's Copley location when Gap posted that it was having a "buy one, get one free" sale on jeans. People who "liked" the Facebook link "Free Cone Day" flocked to Ben & Jerry's at the Prudential Center forming a line over 200 people long. People who were invited to the 5-day Rugby Party Facebook Event swarmed the Rugby house, leading to an overcrowded party where many people were denied entry. These are just a few examples of how information cascades on Facebook have quickly mobilized large groups of people.