My Thoughts on the Facebook Username

If you’ve read my blog before you know I’ve been a pretty big fan and defender of Facebook. When they rolled out their big changes earlier this year I more or less told people to deal with it; but to be honest I understood why they complained. It was a full interface change and people didn’t immediately see the benefits. However, I was pretty surprised to see complaints and grumblings about Facebook adding a username. This is not an update that changes how you browse Facebook or adds any new information. It’s change that you more or less see once on your end and then it makes how you find people and how people find you easier.

Here is the main reason for the username: it’s a pain in the ass to give someone your facebook profile link. Where on Twitter it’s, “check me out- twitter.com/jcasabona” on Facebook it was “facebook.com/proflie.php?id=20034562.” You tell me which is easier. So now, you add a username and it’s, “check me out- facebook.com/jcasabona.” Simple. And there is an argument that people will make up stupid usernames and it won’t be as easy to find them, but that’s only their loss. And the username isn’t enabling people to be dishonest about their name. If they want to give a fake name, they’ll give it.

The real issue is that people are ready to criticize Facebook for every change they make now instead of thinking the added feature or UI update through. If they think other services aren’t going to make changes, they are wrong. Web Apps evolve and change based on the current state of the Internet and how most users user their app. All I ask as a web developer, nay- as a user!- is that before you jump on the Facebook hate bandwagon you ask, “Why did they do this?”