Top 10 Facebook moments of 2013

MANILA, Philippines – Facebook underwent quite a few changes in 2013, making things more interactive on one end, yet much less private on another. Plus, besides being the usual vessel for comedy and controversy, it was also the source for one of the most significant offline gatherings in the country.

Here are the top 10 Facebook moments of 2013 that pushed the platform beyond mere “liking.”

 

10. Peachy Bretaña launches #MillionPeopleMarch

It started with a simple, indignant status message on Facebook, and grew into an offline protest with hundreds of thousands of participants across the country. Pinoys really have a knack for using social media to come together, and the #MillionPeopleMarch was certainly a highlight.

 

9. The end of an era for privacy

When before you could manage to be completely invisible to people on Facebook, you can now be searched by just about anyone. Do you feel more “naked” now that these changes have taken place?

 

8. A UAAP or NCAA meme around every corner

Pinoys have definitely taken a shine to meme-making, more so during events like the UAAP and NCAA games. Whichever Teng brother you’re gushing over, there are countless memes out there for your perusal.

 

7. The day Facebook went down

If you’re on social media fairly regularly, you’d remember that one day in October when posting on Facebook just wasn’t possible. It reminded a lot of people that there was life outside of the social networking platform, for better or for worse.

 

6. Super-specific social searching now allowed

Which restaurants do most of your friends go to? What new bands would you probably like? With Facebook’s social graph search, you can get an answer easily—at the expense, however, of your and your pals’ privacy.

 

5. Introduces hashtags a la Twitter

Love or hate hashtags, they were more widely used in 2013, thanks to Facebook’s adoption of this trendy tagging function. They certainly came in handy during the #MillionPeopleMarch and #YolandaPH, don’t you think?

 

4. Connecting a family in the most unexpected way

Facebook has always aimed to connect people no matter where they are, but this heartwarming story takes the concept a notch further. Would this have happened before the age of social media?

 

3. $3 billion dollars is a measly sum

Turning down Facebook’s $3-billion offer to buy your company may seem like the craziest thing, but not for the owners of photo app Snapchat. We don’t doubt these guys’ self-worth, that’s for sure.

 

2. George Takei’s page is ghostwritten

Original Star Trek star, comedian, and LGBT activist George Takei has arguably one of the cleverest Facebook fan pages out there. It turns out, however, that he has ghost writers to help deliver the wit, and fans became severely disappointed.

 

1. The University Secret Files

Brimming over with casual sex stories, romantic confessions, and rabid rants, the “Secret Files” pages of the country’s top universities are a fascinating phenomenon. Would you confess your darkest secrets in anonymity? 

How was your own year with Facebook? Share your story in the Comments section! – Rappler.com