I just read two blog posts this morning about big shots in the technology industry who are on Facebook. The posts were Jeff Pulver's Goodbye LinkedIn. Hello Facebook. and Robert Scoble's Why Facebook, why now?

Both posts got me to wondering how many execs from major Internet companies like Google, Yahoo!, and Microsoft could you actually find on Facebook. One of the cool things about the search engine on Facebook is that it shows you what “networks” the people who match the query are members of. Since the person has to have an email address from that domain (either a corporate email address or a college alumni email address) then you can be fairly certain that the profile isn’t fake. Here’s who I found after a few minutes of quick searches, you may have to be a member of Facebook to see the search results

Google Execs on Facebook

  1. Marissa Mayer (view friends): Found via http://www.facebook.com/s.php?q=marissa+mayer.
  2. Adam Bosworth (view friends): Found via http://www.facebook.com/s.php?q=adam+bosworth
  3. Kai-Fu Lee (view friends): Found via http://www.facebook.com/s.php?q=kai+fu+lee

Yahoo! Execs on Facebook

  1. Brad Garlinghouse (view friends): Found via http://www.facebook.com/s.php?q=brad+garlinghouse
  2. Jeff Weiner (view friends): Found via http://www.facebook.com/s.php?q=jeff+weiner
  3. Qi Lu: (view friends): Found via http://www.facebook.com/s.php?q=qi+lu

Microsoft Execs on Facebook

  1. Ray Ozzie (view friends): Found via http://www.facebook.com/s.php?q=ray+ozzie
  2. Steven Sinofsky (view friends): Found via http://www.facebook.com/s.php?q=steven+sinofsky
  3. Steve Ballmer (friend's list marked private): Found via http://www.facebook.com/s.php?q=steve+ballmer

How many of these folks do you think have a profile on MySpace? I think this is definitely another data point which validates danah boyd’s theory on the differences between the user base of both sites.


 

Monday, 16 July 2007 21:44:14 (GMT Daylight Time, UTC+01:00)
Dare, is this Bill?
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=502040841

Or somebody inside Microsoft who has added his profile using a MSFT email domain? He has Sinofsky and Ozzie amongst his friends.

Speaking of Sinofsky, his profile is a bit of a mess - lots of applications on there!

Untitled
Monday, 16 July 2007 22:27:37 (GMT Daylight Time, UTC+01:00)
Bill Gates is also on Facebook. There are many other execs from major companies as well.
Monday, 16 July 2007 22:39:05 (GMT Daylight Time, UTC+01:00)
A Facebook page is the last thing I'd want if I were a corporate executive. I have no idea what drives these people.
luke vibert
Tuesday, 17 July 2007 15:29:22 (GMT Daylight Time, UTC+01:00)
My guess is that these guys signed up to learn about what Facebook has to offer and how it works from end-user UX pov. And if there is an acquisition in the works (as rumoured, $6bn+) you would expect to find them there (esp. the MSFT folks) - using their real names would make it easier to find each other. Just a thought.
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