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21.2.11

Hello, My Name Is Facebook

Have we gone too far when a parent decides its a positive to name their child after a social network? Does it matter that the parent is Egyptian, and feels it's a tribute to the power of Facebook in the recent political revolution? Or does it just represent a long-term lack of parental judgement?

We all remember seeing the protester holding the sign that said "I Love Facebook". It was a sign of the times, a sign that displayed the grass roots power of the people who used social media in the protest...and a sign made out of cardboard. But, there is no doubt that Facebook was an integral part of the overthrow of the Mubarak regime...along with Twitter, email, and text.

That said, I continue to wonder almost daily what we will do when social media has come...and gone. Yes, it is a power and force in just about every ones life in some way today. Either because a person uses it themselves, has friends that do, consumes news content delivered by it...or in some cases news made by it. But how important is the "whatever happened to Facebook" question in 10 years...when your name is Facebook!

So here's hoping the young Egyptian girl named Facebook gets a good nickname...and that the Father doesn't name his next child "Twitter"!