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Remember the days when Facebook was just starting out? When the very first of your hip, of the minute friends began to migrate over from Myspace? If you were anything like me then you may have sceptically created a Facebook account not really expecting it to go anywhere. If you were like some of my more stubborn friends, you may have clung to your myspace profile for dear life, not giving up until the very last one of your friends had almost completely moved their internet presence over. Maybe you were one of those hip friends who knew a good thing when you saw it. Regardless of your original stance on the social media giant, you most likely never guessed that it would become what it is today.

 It was recently announced that Facebook now garners over 41% of the social media traffic on the internet, sometimes even beating out internet mega-star, Google. Like any brilliant marketing minds would, the powers that be at Facebook have recently set out to take advantage of their massive web presence. You may have noticed that lately Facebook seems to be much more than a simple social media network In fact, it seems to be becoming a one stop shop for almost all of your online needs. With the advent of everything from Facebook Marketplace to casual online gaming like Farmville, Facebook seems to be slowly but surely creeping its way into every aspect of your online life.

 Well, get ready, because they are about to become even more pervasive. Facebook will soon be rolling out a web-wide “like” button. In an attempt to make your web-surfing experience even more interactive, websites will now have the ability to include a like button on all of their pages. “But, wait a minute”, you might say. “Doesn't Facebook already do this with the Share Button?” Not Exactly.

 While the share button does allow you to post articles and clips that you find interesting to your Facebook profile, these are relatively fleeting. Even the most diligent of Facebook stalkers will only be able to see your recent online bookmarks for a few days or weeks depending on how often new information is added to your page. However, the new like button will keep everything you have ever “liked” online in a searchable database. Imagine the kind of targeted marketing that will be possible when these databases are searched for interest trends. Soon, not only will Facebook be able to track all of your online interests, but they will be able to sell those interests to their vast network of online marketers. 

Combine this with the recent addition of Facebook community pages, pages that allow you to like certain topics or activities (such as cooking, or politics), that hope to eventually become the largest source of shared information on the web. These pages, with information that will initally be imported direct from wikipedia, will allow you to connect with other people with the same interests as you. You can share tips, stories, and ideas, and all page updates will appear in your newsfeed. Not only that, but your personal information (city, state, university, place of employment, religion, poilitical affiliation, relationship status, etc) will also have it's own community pages and you will be prompted to become an active part of those as well. 

 So, not only will online marketing be targeted directly to your own personal interests, but it will be targeted to your geographic location and professional, political, religious and romantic leanings as well.

 Personalized advertising pinpointed at each unique consumer designed from a user created internet database? No you are not in a Sci-fi thriller. This is real and it is happening now. Welcome to the future.