Goldman deal values Facebook at $50bn

[Iron]

A internet company called Pandora (which has lost $92 million in its lifetime) will be making its stock market debut today, with a valuation of $2.6 billion.

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Pandora-s ... 5.html?x=0

You have to wonder if another dot com bubble is inflating...

Jeff

[Euler]

It's a social networking bubble, a derviative of the dot com bubble. I am sure there are many more on the way! The fact that social networking is attracting such funding shows that competition is intense and likely to reduce returns. But I think that greed will almost certainly take over in the short term. Anybody remember friends reunited and myspace?

[Iron]

Anybody remember friends reunited and myspace?

IMHO, anyone considering Facebook as a long-term investment needs to ask themselves if they can be confident that Facebook will be as dominent in 10 years' time as it is now.

It seems far from clear that it will be. As new technologies come along and people get excited about the latest shiny new toy, Facebook's popularity may dwindle. And let's face it - Facebook is good for killing time and keeping in touch with people, but it's not exactly sexy, edge of your seat entertainment!

Jeff

[LeTiss]

Social networking is a strange business anyway

Just take this forum for example, has anyone seen a photo online of Jeff Waters?

I'd never speak to him face to face


(Only joking Jeff)

[Iron]

Pleased to hear it... (just joking)

BTW, a suggestion to the admins - why not have an 'introduce yourself' section, where people can post photos and a bit of info about themselves? It would be nice to put faces to names...

Jeff

Social networking is a strange business anyway

Just take this forum for example, has anyone seen a photo online of Jeff Waters?

I'd never speak to him face to face


(Only joking Jeff)

[LeTiss]

BTW, a suggestion to the admins - why not have an 'introduce yourself' section, where people can post photos and a bit of info about themselves? It would be nice to put faces to names...

Jeff

My vote goes to Enzabella to get the ball rolling

[Iron]

The Hindsight Fallacy- The real reason it's so hard to predict bubbles.

http://www.slate.com/id/2297471/

[Iron]

Google+ challenges Facebook in social network battle

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-13953416

[Euler]

How quickly fashions change in the modern world!

http://mashable.com/2011/06/29/myspace-sold/

[CaerMyrddin]

Now, that's a massive loss!

[Euler]

Game designer Zynga plans $9bn stock market flotation

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-16004381

Social Network bubble or what!

[superfrank]

Zynga does not charge for its games but makes money from selling add-ons such as virtual weapons, vehicles or buildings which can be used within the games

and this is a $9Bn business?! jeez.

[Euler]

If Facebook changes policy, al la Betfair creaming off top earners, then Zygna is toast. For that reason, I'm out. Facebook will stop growing eventually and then it will start looking for margin.

[Iron]

A few years ago, Friends Reunited were advertising on natoinal TV. It seemed that just about everyone in my year at school was on it.

According to Wikipedia, 'By December 2005, Friends Reunited had over fifteen million members and was bought by British TV company ITV plc for £120 million ($208 million), plus further payments of up to £55 million based on its performance up to 2009. [...] Visitor traffic has declined sharply since September 2007 and the site is now dwarfed by competitor sites in the UK market [...] In August 2009 it was announced that Friends Reunited had been sold for £25 million.'

It's quite possible that Facebook will eventually meet a similar fate, as people eventually get bored of Facebook and migrate to other sites...

If I were Mark Zuckerberg, I'd float the company and leave someone else holding the baby before that happens...

Jeff

[andyfuller]

I think it is already happening and has done for some time. There was a program which included interviews with Zucker and others on the BBC on Sunday night which included a very awkward moment for one Facebook guy when challenged on how they use personal data. It was a real shame they didn't do more News Night style questioning and less presenter walking down the street shots!

The number of people using FB to upload info out of my friends circle has dropped massively in recent years and now there is what I call just a small hardcore that update regularly. Most people just look in for a nosey at what these people are doing and don't upload their own content. A lot of people who joined are totally bored of it and just don't use it at all and I see these trends growing. I would be cashing in asap if I was Mark not that he seems to fussed about cashing in though.