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MAPPED: FACEBOOK’S PATH TO SOCIAL NETWORK DOMINATION (2008-2020)

By Kellie Woodhouse | SDSU Facebook’s Path to Global Social Network Domination

From just a few thousand users in 2004 to 2.7 billion monthly active users (MAUs) in 2020, Facebook is by far the world’s largest social network.

But its massive global footprint didn’t grow overnight. While Facebook is the most popular social network in many countries, this traction didn’t happen overnight. And in other places, it still hasn’t quite taken off.

To see Facebook’s path to domination, we mapped each country’s most popular social network from 2008-2020. The data was tabulated by Vincenzo Cosenza at Vincos.it by examining annual traffic data from Alexa and SimilarWeb. Facebook Grows From the Americas to Southeast Asia

What famously started as Mark Zuckerberg’s late-night intoxicated project called Facemash—a “hot or not” type website for students at Harvard University—soon evolved into the world’s predominant social network.

Before 2008, the social network landscape was populated by social network pioneers such as Myspace and Hi5. Google’s Orkut was the most popular network in Brazil and India, and Friendster found a foothold in Southeast Asia.

But the Facebook wave came in earnest. By 2009, the social media giant took the title of most popular network for the bulk of the Americas, Europe, South Asia, and Oceania, with Orkut in Brazil being the sole holdout until 2011.

The story was similar in Africa, as increasing internet traffic data pointed to Facebook dominating the social network landscape across the

continent (minus a temporary LinkedIn surge in 2017 for Zimbabwe, Ethiopia, Kenya, and Cameroon).

By the beginning of 2020, Facebook was measured as the leading social network site in 151 out of 167 measured countries, or over 90%. China and Russia Resist Facebook’s Pull

The social giant’s growth, however, didn’t come without resistance.

China’s most popular social networking website has been Tencent’s Qzone since the mid-2000s. WeChat—a popular all-in-one messaging platform—does not technically qualify for the above map as a “social networking website”, but the app now has more than 1.2 billion MAUs. Facebook had attempted to gain ground in the country but was banned in 2009.

Similarly in Iran, Facebook was also blocked first in 2009 and then intermittently since. Instead, Iran’s most popular social networks have been Persian sites Cloob and Facenama between 2009-2016. Facebook did manage to capture the #1 spot briefly in 2011, but since then, they’ve been displaced by Facebook-owned Instagram.

The other countries that Facebook has had trouble capturing, despite not being blocked, are Russia and many former Soviet republics. There, social network dominance has switched regularly between the networks VKontakte and Odnoklassniki, both owned by Mail.ru, a Russian internet giant. Facebook’s Monopoly Over Mobile Social Networks

As big of a footprint as Facebook has on social networking, the tech giant’s reach is magnified when factoring in mobile apps that it also owns.

In 2020, the company saw 1.3 billion MAUs on Facebook’s Messenger app, 2 billion MAUs on the world’s most popular messaging app WhatsApp, and just under 1.2 billion MAUs on photo sharing network Instagram.

By Facebook’s own estimates in its Q3 2020 reporting, its core products are used by more than 3.2 billion

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people every month. That means that 40% of Earth’s population (7.8 billion in December 2020) uses Facebook-owned social media.

The question now is if Facebook’s domination will grow further, or if it’ll begin to subside.

With increasing scrutiny of tech giants, the company is facing massive antitrust lawsuits in the U.S. by federal and state authorities, and other countries are stepping up potential regulation as well. At the same time, Facebook is struggling to reach younger audiences in developed countries, which have increasingly turned to Snap and TikTok instead for social media.

Did 2020 mark the height of Facebook’s global empire, or is it just another milestone on the path towards further domination?

To view the interactive map, visit https://www.visualcapitalist. com/map-facebook-path-social-network-domination/

CARLSBAD AUTHOR RELEASES HIGHLY ANTICIPATED BOOK ON AMAZON AND GOOGLE PLAY

“Don’t wait for your daughters to come to you with questions about puberty because that day may never come,” states Carlsbad’s Toyna Chin, author of the newly released book “The Big P: A Girl's Journey Through Puberty.”

This is the author’s second book in a five-part series focusing on the changes a girl’s body will go through as she grows. “Ideally, as a parent, you’ve already begun having conversations with your daughter about the changes she will go through as she matures. Before girls hit puberty they are already begun asking questions about their bodies and this is the perfect opportunity to start those conversations, have healthy dialogues and build trust,” says Chin.

For additional information, visit www.toynachin.com

CONSTRUCTION COMPLETED ON ONE PASEO IN SAN DIEGO

Design firm Ware Malcomb announced that construction is complete on One Paseo located on

the southwest corner of Del Mar Heights Road and El Camino Real in San Diego. Ware Malcomb provided master planning and architectural design services for the retail project component.

Located in the Del Mar Heights community, One Paseo is a mixeduse master-planned project incorporating office, residential and retail space. In addition to providing master planning services for the project, Ware Malcomb designed the 12 single-story restaurant and highend retail buildings totaling approximately 96,000 square feet located within the new development. Ware Malcomb has completed additional tenant improvement projects within One Paseo including The Butchery and ColorCounter as well as Architect of Record services for Pigment and Alcheme.

Additional amenities incorporated within the retail landscape design include a children’s play area with a climbing art log, a relaxing fire pit area, community workout area and a lawn area for events adjacent to the residences and offices. The restaurants in One Paseo feature a mix of first-to-market locations like Blue Bottle and locally owned Parakeet Cafe with outdoor dining and plazas. Ware Malcomb also designed a three-level parking structure accommodating 548 parking stalls with a top level shade structure.

PORT WELCOMES SANDY NARANJO AS NEW PORT COMMISSIONER

The Port of San Diego welcomes Sandy Naranjo as the newest commissioner to represent National City. On Jan. 3, Naranjo was sworn in at a virtual ceremony by her sister, Susan Naranjo, who was deputized by Port Clerk Donna Morales to administer the oath of office.

Naranjo, a South Bay native, is a political economist, environmental justice advocate, labor advocate, and community organizer who has been involved in numerous regional and statewide boards and commissions.

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In 2019, she was appointed by National City Mayor Alejandra Sotelo-Solis to the Sweetwater Authority Citizen Advisory Committee, selected for the AB 617 steering committee to advise the San Diego Air Pollution Control District, and selected by Commissioner Patty Monahan for the California Energy Commission’s Advisory Committee for the Clean Transportation Program Investment Plan.

She was most recently the California organizing manager for Mothers Out Front, a national climate justice organization, and the National City Land Use Policy Advocate for the Environmental Health Coalition. Prior to her work with the environmental non-profits, she was with the San Diego-Imperial Counties Labor Council and the United Food and Commercial Workers.

Naranjo earned three bachelor's degrees in political science, economics, and political economy with a minor in women’s studies at California State University, San Bernardino.

GENERAL ATOMICS SELECTED FOR SKYBORG VANGUARD PROGRAM

General Atomics Aeronautical SystemsInc. (GA-ASI) has been selected by the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center to support the Skyborg Vanguard Program. Skyborg will become the foundation of Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning autonomous capabilities for a family of future USAF unmanned combat aerial vehicles.

GA-ASI will modify two of its company-owned Avenger Remotely Piloted Aircraft with upgraded datalinks and the core Skyborg System Design Agent software, as well as other payloads. These Avengers will then be used as part of various experimentation events in 2021 and 2022, which will enable manned aircraft to control Avengers while in flight and relay specific information between the manned and unmanned aircraft. Flights will be conducted from GA-ASI flight centers in Southern California.ments.

ALASKA AIRLINES ADDS TWO NEW ROUTES FROM SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

Alaska Airlines announced two new routes from its key hubs in San Diego and Los Anfgeles that will begin flying this spring. The airline will launch daily, nonstop service between Los Angeles (LAX) and

Austin on March 18, with an increase to three daily departures on May 20. Daily, nonstop service between San Diego and New York JFK starts on April 4.

“Southern California is an integral part of Alaska’s network and continues to offer valuable opportunities for selective expansion,” said Brett Catlin, Alaska Airlines vice president of network and alliances.

ANTARCTIC ICE PIEDMONT NAMED FOR SCRIPPS SCIENTIST

Scripps Institution of Oceanography glaciologist Helen Amanda Fricker is being honored by the UK Antarctic Place-Names Committee with an Antarctic ice piedmont in her name. The Fricker Ice Piedmont is located on the eastern side of Adelaide Island, a mainly ice-covered island off the west coast of the Antarctic Peninsula.

The pioneering scientist is being recognized for her work using satellites, including NASA’s ICESat-2, to study the evolution of ice sheets in Antarctica and Greenland.

Antarctic place-names honor British individuals who've made exceptional contributions to advancing science in the polar regions. This year, 28 polar scientists were honored as part of a larger celebration to mark the 200th anniversary of the discovery of Antarctica.

Fricker is the co-leader of the Scripps Polar Center.

CALIFORNIA BANK & TRUST PROMOTES ERIC ELLINGSEN

California Bank & Trustannounced the promotion of Eric Ellingsen, a banking industry leader and company veteran of over 20 years, from president and COO to CEO, effective immediately. Ellingsen will continue his role as president with new leadership responsibilities as CEO. He will continue to oversee the growth of

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the bank across the state, including direct oversight of its commercial banking division.

David E. Blackford will transition from his role as prior CEO to executive chairman, with continuing responsibility for the bank’s commercial real estate portfolio.

Ellingsen began his impressive career trajectory at CB&T in a fourmonth temporary role as a junior accountant that led to a permanent position within the company. From there, this led to more senior roles handling risk management, regulatory compliance, international banking and asset/liability management.

In 2012, he was promoted to CFO where he was responsible for the overall financial management of the company and then in 2016, rose to the position of president and COO. In this role, he oversaw business and branch banking, SBA lending, private banking, corporate services, and the bank’s finance and planning functions.

SAN DIEGO COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT’S ANNUAL ECONOMIC IMPACT $4.1 BILLION

The San Diego Community College District (SDCCD) annually generates $4.1 billion in economic activity, according to the latest report from a labor market analytics firm that lauds the SDCCD for playing a pivotal role in reducing economic inequities.

According to Idaho-based Emsi, the $4.1 billion generated by the SDCCD is enough to support nearly 42,000 jobs, or 1 out of every 52 jobs in the region.

Among other highlights of the report:

• 98 percent of SDCCD students remain in the region after graduation and their impact alone amounted to $3.5 billion in added income in fiscal year 2019-20.

• Students will see a return of $6.20 in higher future earnings for every $1 they invest in their education.

• For every dollar of public money invested in the SDCCD, taxpayers will receive $1.40 in return over the course of students’ working lives.

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AGILE SIX AND COGNITIVE MEDICAL SYSTEMS LAUNCH JOINT VENTURE

Two San Diego-based veteran-owned firms -- Agile Six and Cognitive Medical Systems -- announced the launch of CivitasDX, a joint venture to help federal, state and local government organizations better serve their constituents. Agile Six creates custom, digital transformation

solutions for government agencies. Cognitive Medical Systems helps large public and private organizations make the most of their comprehensive healthcare IT investments.

“The formation of CivitasDX is a purpose-driven, strategic move by both organizations,” said Robert Rasmussen, co-founder and CEO of Agile Six, who will also serve as CivitasDX’s managing director. “This joint venture combines our companies’ collective expertise to help a wide array of federal, state, and local government organizations better serve their constituents. We will do so through a robust and modern, yet practical and responsive, approach to technology development. Together we will maximize project outcomes.”

CRISTIANO AMON TAKING TOP SPOT AT QUALCOMM

Qualcomm’s Board of Directors unanimously selected company President Cristiano Amon to take over the CEO position from Steve Mollenkopf effective June 30, the company announced.

Amon started working at Qualcomm in 1995. Mollenkopf has been with the company for 26 years and has served as CEO since March 2014. The company said in a press release that Mollenkopf will stay on “as a strategic advisor for a period of time.”

Amon became company president in January 2018. He has overseen the company’s successful and rapid expansion into the RF front-end space as well as continuing growth in connectivity and networking.

He said in a statement: “We have been at the forefront of innovation for decades and I look forward to maintaining this position going forward. In addition to driving the expansion of 5G into mainstream devices and beyond mobile, Qualcomm is set to play a key role in the digital transformation of numerous industries as our technologies become essential to connecting everything to the cloud.”

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