Facebook protest group hits a million users

Facebook protest group hits a million users

19.09.2008
Facebook protest group hits a million users
Not happy ... groups protesting the Facebook redesign have attracted millions on the social networking website / Screenshot

A FACEBOOK group created to protest changes to the social networking website has attracted one million members and is growing by up to 200,000 a day.

The "5,000,000 against the new version of Facebook" group today reached a fifth of its planned membership, as users unhappy with the website`s recent redesign look for ways to register their discontent.

Facebook unveiled its new look in July, giving users the option to test the design and give feedback before making it mandatory this month.

Organiser Adam Stanborough said he had created the group to give a voice to users who felt the redesign was unnecessary and not user-friendly.

"I never would have imagined that we could get a million members by day 12," he said.

"The growth of the group goes to show how many people disapprove of the new changes."

Mr Stanborough said many users were disgruntled that Facebook did not seek their approval before redesigning the website.

"Facebook did not ask the users first regarding the changes, which in my mind would be marketing`s first job if there was to be such a mass overhaul of the website," he said.

Several Facebook groups have been formed to protest the changes, ranging in size from a few thousand to 1 or 2 million.

However they may be outnumbered by the silent majority of users not bothered by the new look.

Facebook claims that up to 30 million users switched to the new design voluntarily, before it was made mandatory.

"In July, we introduced an `opt-in` program for the new design and were delighted to see that 30 million people voluntarily chose to switch to the new site during the opt-in phase," the company said.

"Of course, since Facebook is part of millions of people’s daily lives, we understand that users may go through an adjustment period."

Facebook said in July the redesign was aimed at removing clutter and curbing spam on user profiles.

Sydney real estate agent Victoria Montano said she began using Facebook to store and share photos and enjoyed the new look, which she opted-into voluntarily.

"Before I was searching for everything, and now it`s in front of my face," she said.

"(But) like everything new, it took me a while to get used to."

Links

5,000,000 against the new version of Facebook group – http://www.new.facebook.com/gro...

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