Boomerville? Social media shakes up with new names for Facebook

Article content

Zuckerverse. Timesuck. Faceplant.

Article content

These are just a few of the suggestions that are spreading online following reports that Facebook plans to rebrand with a new group name. The company declined to comment on rumors or speculation, of course, but the Twitterati had no problem.

The debate went from sane to crazy to bizarre.

“Meta” was one of the more sober trend suggestions, referring to Facebook’s informed desire to take on a name that focuses on the metaverse, a virtual environment where users can hang out.

Bookface, Facegram, Facetagram, FreeFace, FreeTalk, World Changer.

On the wilder side, Twitter user Dave Pell made a comparison to musician Kanye West, who recently changed his name to “Ye.”

“It would be wonderful if Facebook changed its name to Ye,” he said.

Article content

Several humorous suggestions reflected online speculation that the alleged rebrand was fueled by founder Mark Zuckerberg’s longing to make Facebook “cool” once again.

The platform has been abandoned by many younger users who have moved to apps like Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok, and it has become increasingly populated by older people.

“Teenage Wasteland,” suggested a wit.

“The app for the elderly because that’s what we young people call it,” university student Vittoria Esteves in Rome told Reuters.

“Boomerville,” Marco suggested, referring to the so-called baby boomers born in the years after World War II.

‘STREISAND EFFECT’

The online naming party was sparked by a report on tech site Verge that a newly named group would act as the parent of all the company’s brands, including Facebook itself, Instagram, and WhatsApp, and reflect a focus on reality. virtual and augmented.

Article content

An announcement is expected next week, according to the report.

However, many suggestions reflected public concern about how the company handles user safety and hate speech. Internal documents leaked by a whistleblower formed the basis for a hearing in the United States Senate last week.

“Fake book”, for example. Tracebook.

Other people were skeptical about whether a name change would be enough to detract from the growing legal and regulatory scrutiny that has tarnished the company’s reputation.

“It’s going to be the Barbra Streisand effect,” said Thomas van der Hoven, a 20-year-old student from Glasgow, referring to the phenomenon where the quest to suppress something inadvertently accelerates popular interest in it.

“So they are going to try to change it, and then that will just put the focus on the fact that they are changing it. Why are they changing this? “He added.” So I’ll probably spit in their faces again at some point. “