Facebook Needs to Check That Facelift

Hey Facebook, remember all of that boasting and babbling you were doing about "caring what your users think," urging them to contribute to the fundamental Facebook dialogue? Well now is your chance to put your lack of money where your mouth is.

A third-party poll asking users to vote on Facebook's recent redesign has gotten quite a bit of attention, attracting nearly a million votes, with only 6 percent of the voters saying they like the new redesign.

The comments section of the poll provides the type of valuable feedback typical to the likes of Facebook users:

* Boo! It sucks. Bring back the old layout.
* lame dont get it lame
* I HATE IT, I HATE IT. H A T E ! ..... H A T E ! ...... H A T E !

And so on.

Admittedly, Facebook claims 175 million users worldwide, so this measly million represents a half of a percent of the overall Facebook voice. But the poll is being distributed by word of mouth (or, in this case, finger), and replies are still coming in by the second.

Considering its newfound appreciation for democracy, transparency, and user happiness, should Facebook take these poll results into consideration? Or, alternatively, should it launch a poll of its own?

According to Facebook spokeswoman Meredith Chin, the site isn't planning to launch a poll, nor will it be making any site design decisions based on the results of the third-party poll.

But it has been keeping an eye on the results. "We can't totally ignore it, because obviously if people are feeling compelled to respond to a third-party poll like that it's definitely on their mind," said Chin on a call with Internet Evolution.

While not working with the creators of the poll, who are unaffiliated with Facebook, it is instead asking for user comments on the redesign through a feedback section of its site tour.

"We have a whole team going through those and sort of analyzing them and deciding what are the biggest pain points for people and how we can improve the home page going forward," she says. Chin wouldn't say specifically yet what changes Facebook plans to make based on user feedback but expects to be able to in a few days.

As VentureBeat points out, it's typical of the vocal minority on Facebook to rise up against any and all changes. The addition of News Feeds caused a similar uproar, as did the site redesign just prior to this latest one. Typically, everyone settles down and some end up actually liking the changes in the end. Fine.

But part of what people really like -- or liked -- about Facebook is its clean interface and the ease of navigation. The more Facebook redesigns its site, the less focus it seems to put on those critical elements, and the less apparent it is that users' voices are heard or considered.

And it's all the more reason that you should join our Facebook group to oust Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg from power! So far, as per true Facebook activist fashion, we're 17 people quietly sitting in a group on Facebook getting nothing done. Join us!

? Nicole Ferraro, Site Editor, Internet Evolution
Channel: Consumer Internet, Personalization & privacy, Web 2.0