Now on Facebook: The Zuckerblog?
Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg rarely writes for the company blog, typically taking a byline only when the company is doing some damage control. But on Thursday, the young executive penned a post for the Facebook Blog about his recent trip to Europe, which included a speaking engagement at the Future of Web Apps conference in London.
There's nothing ground-breaking in the post, titled "Hello from Madrid." But considering Zuckerberg is known for keeping to himself, a mild irony for the young fellow who facilitated the sharing of ten billion photos and a cascade of personal information, it's a surprise. Zuckerberg gives few interviews, and when he speaks at conferences, he sticks to talking points.
Mark Zuckerberg (right) at the Future of Web Apps conference in London, with FOWA organizer Ryan Carson.
His focus? How Facebook is having an impact beyond U.S. borders. "A Spanish developer told me how she reconnected with her cousins in Latin America --something that may have not been possible if our users hadn't translated Facebook into Spanish," he wrote. "In Paris, a group of people in the Marais district organized a neighborhood protest against the filming of a TV show in their district. In the U.K., Cadbury brought back the Wispa candy bar after thousands of users campaigned for it on Facebook."
It's not particularly personal. But I'm all for hearing more from Zuckerberg. He's clearly a bright guy, not to mention the fact that he created one of the biggest cultural phenomena of the past decade, and maybe a more open image could help deal with the oft-vicious gossip about Facebook that's constantly swarming around the Web. Plus, one of Facebook's board members is Marc Andreessen, one of the tech industry's most high-profile "CEO bloggers," so Zuckerberg has a good example right in front of him.
That said, it's good to be careful: Some might interpret this kind of post as a sign that the 24-year-old is spending too much time globe-trotting and "focusing on growth" while the rest of Silicon Valley is veering into panic mode.
Either way, travel-related blog posts are way more exciting when they're accompanied by dance videos. Get on it, Zuck.
Caroline McCarthy, a CNET News staff writer, is a downtown Manhattanite happily addicted to social-media tools and restaurant blogs. Her pre-CNET resume includes interning at an IT security firm and brewing cappuccinos. E-mail Caroline.
