Facebook has done it again, but on a more drastic scale. The popular social networking website redesigned its user profiles, creating look known as “Timeline”. While the change hasn’t been universally implemented, anyone can enable Timeline. We’ve decided to take a look at the new Timeline and offer you with a guide on how to make the best of it.
Interface Changes
Some users have mistakenly said this was an interface only update. In some respects, this is true, but in reality it’s more than the interface that was changed with Facebook Timeline. Regarding the interface, Facebook Timeline now has a cover image that is shown right when someone visits an individual’s profile. This is the best opportunity for individuals to show an image that best sums them up or that best shows their creativity.
The second major interface change the ability to quickly access your whole history as a Facebook user. This allows you to go back to the beginning of your time on Facebook. Technically, you can go to your birthdate and add a related image to your birth. Timeline attempts to give your whole life story through the internet. It also gives you the ability to see your first posts on Facebook, which can elicit mixed feelings.
Added Features
Facebook Timeline comes with some added features that are outside of the interface update. The biggest feature outside of the interface realm is a greater focus on applications. They add more value to your new Timeline profile. Some applications, such as Spotify and Hulu, showcase your interactions with the application in your timeline. Many major news papers are using timeline and Facebook social graph tools to allow users to better interact with the content. Even though applications aren’t a new feature, Facebook Timeline allows for better organization and implementation into user’s profiles.
Privacy Info and Tips
A recurring problem with Facebook is their privacy issue. Timeline makes your whole Facebook history readily available, which has some people calling foul. However, one thing to remember is that this information has always been readily available. If a user clicked far enough in your profile, they could find any of those posts. However, there are still some added precautions you can take to make your Timeline work for you.
You can go through your profile all the way to the beginning. It take only 20 minutes to skim one’s whole Facebook history. We must remember that Facebook hasn’t been around that along for it to feel like a chore to “clean”. When you see a post you don’t want to be shown, click the edit “pencil” to reveal publishing options. When you’re done, you can use the “View As…” feature to view your profile as a different viewer to make sure the right information is hidden.
My Opinion
I came across Timeline partially by accident. I knew about it being implemented and requested an invite for Timeline, but it never activated on my profile automatically despite my request. However, when I visited a friend’s profile, I was surprised to see it already implemented. When I enabled Timeline for my profile, it seemed to be one of those changes that I had to get used to after a while. I looked through my whole Timeline to weed out the embarrassing posts, which also brought back memories from old posts as well. I feel that seeing the old memories is a major advantage to Facebook Timeline.
Final Thoughts
In conclusion, Facebook Timeline is a really interesting change for Facebook. It changes the focus of profiles. For example, profile photos are put in the back seat, with cover images taking a large role in the profile. In addition, the Timeline interface has the feel of Facebook as a book, containing your social media history. Lastly, another point that came to mind was that Facebook Timeline really shows the importance of putting your profile to good use and posting more. Profiles with more content look best, while profiles with less content tend look barren with Timeline.
Final Note: iOS Facebook users can now see Timeline reflected on the application as well. This was included in the most recent Facebook update.
