5 Big Facebook & Twitter Changes to Look Out For in 2012

The world as we know it is changing.

Come this end year, and the year of judgement rolling out beyond it, users will see big changes in their beloved worlds of social media. Love it or hate it, these changes are here to stay.

1) Twitter becomes Tumblr

That sounds silly, but really, Twitter has decided to redesign itself… to look just like Tumblr. Proof below:

Tumblr's sidebar is on the right, but still...

Twitter’s chairman of the board Jack Dorsey claims this layout will give users “less places to click, less stuff to learn,” while getting folk to use Twitter more frequently and for longer, thus giving advertisers more reasons to spend their dollars there.

Seriously, Twitter? Each social media network has its own place and time in the interwebs. We’ve already spend so much time on Tumblr, it’s unlikely there are enough hours in a day for us to have another Tumblr.

Verdict: Thumbs down. Nobody likes an interface overhaul, especially when its’ not been justified. You can read more about the changes at http://fly.twitter.com if you happen to want both Tumblr and Twitter together.

2) Twitter gets reduced to four buttons

Not exactly, since they still want to look like Tumblr, but close enough. Expect to see these buttons implemented by the end of 2011.

We'll bet your mom will still ask you how to use Twitter.

Twitter’s Chief Exec Dick Costolo boasts of wanting to “offer simplicity in a world of complexity” with this new look. The latter is supposed to capture Apple’s minimalist style by stripping away unnecessary features and simplifying the service.

We don’t know how much more simple Twitter can get. Next thing you know they’ll do away with all the confusing # and @ prefixes.

Wait, what?

Verdict: We’ll see. This is good for the less internet-savvy, like our parents.

3) No more #hashtags and @handles

The world finally found a common use for the hashtag and now you’re doing away with it?

Come on, it’s just a little joke.

But really, Twitter hopes that by making #hashtags and @handles a want instead of a need, casual users will be able to be on par with their social-media-savvy counterparts in the world of Twitterdom.

“Twitter should be useable by those who know the shortcuts and those who don’t,” Chairman Dorsey said.

Looks like all the Twitter hipsters will need to find something else to use.

Verdict: Thumbs down. In its attempt to reach out to more folk, Twitter is doing away with the very essence of itself.

But enough about Twitter. Here’s what the rumour mill is saying about the social media older brother whose shadow it will always live in: Facebook.

4) Facebook’s inevitable IPO, and what it means

Yup, it's finally going public. Or it has to, anyway.

Rumour has it that Facebook’s IPO announcement and filing with the SEC could come before the end of 2011. With the insane growth it is experiencing – more than 800 million users – The Wall Street Journal is estimating it to go up to the public bar between April and June 2012.

Experts are also expecting its company value to exceed US$100bn and for it to raise US$10bn from the IPO.

But that’s not exactly a good thing, because having shareholders means you have to please them.

I gave you money so you could make me more money!

Folk are concerned that when Facebook goes public, it’s going to have to please its shareholders as opposed to benefitting its own long term goals. This could translate to having even more paid ads and promotions on the site.

Facebook feeds and mobile apps are currently free of ads, but this may be a prime area for money-driven shareholders to want to change, regardless of Facebook’s long term goals.

Facebook changes in future may also be more geared towards driving revenue, rather than improving user experience. This might end up being a true test of money versus morals.

Verdict: We’ll see (and hope). Money usually wins.

5) PayPal and Facebook

I got all this from Facebook!

A little under a month ago, PayPal unveiled a Facebook app that lets you send money to your friends. Aptly titled “Send Money”, it gives you the choice to either send an e-card with money, or just money.

“This is another way to personalise the act of giving money,” says PayPal’s Anuj Nayar.

This is the first app that enables peer-to-peer payments via Facebook and PayPal, and does away with the transaction fee, although other limits and international fees still apply. The ecard aspect is not to be forgotten as well – PayPal was quick to mention that more than 500 million e-cards are sent annually.

Is this a good move at turning the gift card industry paperless, or is it a dud one for giving folk more reason to stay at home and sit on the Internet?

Verdict: Thumbs up. Expect it to both fun and convenient. We personally think they should add a ‘debt collecting’ option to ask your freeloader friend to pay you back.