Patch Poll: Will Facebook Disappear?

Nearly one billion people have personal profiles on Facebook.

Think about that for a second. There are 6.8 billion people calling Earth home right now, and about one of every seven of us use Facebook. According to WorldHunger.org, worldwide, around one billion people are hungry right now, the same number of people who have Facebook accounts.

Astonishing? It really paints a picture of how widespread (and even invasive) Facebook has become. But will it last?

Since Facebook's recent Initial Public Offering, where the public could become investors in the company, analysts have begun debating the profitability and mortality of the social-media and friend-making company.

According to the Huffington Post, one such investment analyst says the company will "disappear within eight years."

Eric Jackson, founder of the investment firm Ironfire Capital, says no matter what happens, Facebook will always be a "big, fat website," and no matter how hard it tries, it wont bridge the gap to the next big thing.

He predicts that Facebook will go the way of other tech companies that come and go when the next big thing inevitably arrives.

Local Reaction

resident Marty Wexel, 42, disagreed when asked him what he thought of the idea that Facebook would disappear.

"It's not going anywhere," he said. "I mean, it's so massive and wildly popular and has been for years."

Lakeville resident Cathy Hart, 31, said she thinks Facebook will stick around because people think they need it.

"It's not like CNN.com or something," Hart said. "People are attached to it because it's become a place where they keep photos and mementos. Facebook is too popular with individuals to go anywhere. Heck, I'm there, too. There are photos my friends have taken of my son that I wouldn't see or have if it wasn't for Facebook."

What do you think? Is Facebook here to stay, or will it fizzle out like MySpace and other tech companies—Web Crawler, etc.—have.

Tell us!