Sep

2011

2:08pm, EDT

Facebook Timeline tells 'story of your life'

Facebook / Livestream

By Wilson Rothman

Today at the Facebook F8 developer summit, Mark Zuckerberg introduced a new kind of profile view called "Timeline." Instead of a profile and wall, it's a more controlled view of your world. As the name suggests, it gives you an easier way to view past events, older photos, trips around the world, using chronological, and in some cases geographical, navigation.

Instead of anchoring your page with a profile pic, you keep your profile pic but add a cover photo, something more panoramic, that doesn't have to represent you so much as look cool. You can jump around in time, all the way back to your first posts, and you can enter a Places map and browse different places you've been. You "star" the most momentous experiences of your life, making them widescreen, and you can remove stuff you'd rather not remember.

There's a private activity log now, too, so that you can go through everything you've ever posted, and select the stuff that you want your friends to see.

And it's not just about photos and posts. You can put the apps you want where you want, for easier access to the stuff you'd like to do. Facebook is clearly no longer just about creating a profile for others to see; it's more about creating a home that you use for communicating but also for consuming media. Timeline, with the anticipated apps coming for music, movies and media — along with the already insanely popular games — makes it possible.

Facebook CTO Bret Taylor says that they will roll out Timeline progressively "over the next couple of months."

When it goes live, you can publish it right away, or you can look it over and play with it, then make it live, explains product manager Samuel Lessin, in a helpful blog post.

I put a MASSIVE Timeline example shot below, so scroll down and have a gander. Also, there's also a great Timeline info page on Facebook. Meanwhile, here's an brief explanatory video:

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Catch up with Wilson on Twitter at @wjrothman, or on Google+. And join our conversation on Facebook.

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Browse: featured, facebook, timeline, mark-zuckerberg, facebook-timeline

Jump to discussion page: 1 2 3 4

Keinichn

That last picture.....wow. Could it get ANY more cluttered and disorganized? Facebook really is going the same route as MySpace.

18 votes

#1 - Thu Sep 22, 2011 2:39 PM EDT

Couponista Momma

Yes, very cluttered. There's just too much going on and it's not a good thing. Less is more!

12 votes

#1.1 - Thu Sep 22, 2011 2:50 PM EDT

mmga1

I totally agree and I think I will join my friends and move on to Google+. I can't even get fb to load half the time anymore. Very dissappointed.

3 votes

#1.2 - Thu Sep 22, 2011 3:34 PM EDT

Taja-2232761

Yup...welcome to Myspace 2.0h we failed again

2 votes

#1.3 - Thu Sep 22, 2011 3:54 PM EDT

arjohn

While I applaud their efforts they missed the boat. While some may want/like all this it over complicates what was once a great platform. Give us CHOICE -- keep it simple to -- this monolithic set-up.

1 vote

#1.4 - Thu Sep 22, 2011 4:38 PM EDT

undecided still

hate it will be moving to another site leave my wall alone!

3 votes

#1.5 - Thu Sep 22, 2011 8:57 PM EDT

mindy-2063780

it is the end of facebook- finally!

#1.6 - Fri Sep 23, 2011 1:38 PM EDT

NLS, San Jose, CA

that was my first thought, it looks like myspace - don't like!!

#1.7 - Fri Sep 23, 2011 7:22 PM EDT

jerett

Get a life and get off facebook. There is a whole world out there!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

6 votes

#2 - Thu Sep 22, 2011 2:45 PM EDT

rach-4157403

I agree I am deleting my account - -BLEAHHHHH

ANd this loser is rich

2 votes

#2.1 - Thu Sep 22, 2011 3:13 PM EDT

Mick-4157351

What? Aren't you on a computer right now? There is a whole world out there!!!!!!!!!!!!!

6 votes

#2.2 - Thu Sep 22, 2011 3:14 PM EDT

bologna sandwich

rach,

I'm with you! I think the facebook craze is O-V-E-R!!!!! Maybe I'll try this new google+?? Does anyone have a link for it?

1 vote

#2.3 - Thu Sep 22, 2011 4:19 PM EDT

Ziti

I signed up for Facebook with great trepidation because of its continual format changes and ongoing privacy issues. So before I friended anybody, I experimented with the account features. I wanted to see if I actually would use it; and if I did, how I should and could use it in the best way for me. I friended only one trusted person to see how my stuff played out at the other end.

That was two years ago. I'm glad now that I never filled out my profile, hid my status(es), posted photos, played games or friended more people. I think my fears about invasions of privacy and misuse of personal information have been well founded.

I still have my FB account, but I now use it only to sign into sites, blogs and groups of interest with greater ease, and to read and comment on their updates via the wall. As for family, friends and colleagues, I prefer communicating with them in person or with those electronic technologies that allow everyone to maintain their privacy, distance and dignity, but still exchange information quickly. IMO Twitter wins hands down for this. this.

The best part: I still have a real life, which I find is a lot more interesting and fun than spending hours on end creating and then maintaining a (possibly fake) digital one. Better yet, it's mine to share with those people who actually care about me.

#2.4 - Thu Sep 22, 2011 4:35 PM EDT

vilmos levay

right on, ziti, right on!

especially the part about wasting precious time creating a (more than likely enhanced) digital "life"...

#2.5 - Fri Sep 23, 2011 8:34 AM EDT

bscol

I agree with Jerett! Get off of the computer and live a REAL life! other than you, who really cares about what you think and do every minute of every day? other than you, who really cares about your whole entire life history? YOU AREN'T THAT INTERESTING!

7 votes

#3 - Thu Sep 22, 2011 2:46 PM EDT

Chad-4157412

Thus says the guy that is on a computer commenting on an article.

11 votes

#3.1 - Thu Sep 22, 2011 3:14 PM EDT

bscol

#1 - I'm not a guy and #2 - I am on my lunch break at work and reading news articles. Certainly not the same thing as posting every freaking thing that happens to me every day on Facebook!

4 votes

#3.2 - Thu Sep 22, 2011 3:22 PM EDT

Dp86

I agree with Bscol about posting what you think and what you do EVERY minute of the day. But facebook is a great way to keep in touch with the people you love. The only way one of my best friends could keep in touch with her son, who was in Iraq serving his country was Facebook. She would log on every morning and just wait for him to be able to sign on. Once his profile pic would pop up under her chat, I saw tears of joy coming down her face because she knew her son had made it another day. So facebook does have it's advantages.

#3.3 - Thu Sep 22, 2011 3:41 PM EDT

maga

some people are that interesting....

1 vote

#3.4 - Thu Sep 22, 2011 3:50 PM EDT

glitterfairy

I love face book because it allows me to stay connected with all of our family back east. We moved to Colorado seven years ago, and while we have lots of great friends, we don't have any family out here except...us. So, it is nice for us to keep tabs with each other on fb. Also, I do make mundane posts I guess, but I also post pictures that the grandparents love, and I get to see how fast my nieces are growing. I don't like how fb keeps changing, and I'm not sure how I will like the new changes. But, I'm a busy Mom that has better things to do than sit on fb all day. If I hate the new changes then I'm not sure what I'll do to keep in touch with everyone since they ALL use fb. I guess if we all hate it we'll have to collectively decide to change to something else.

2 votes

#3.5 - Thu Sep 22, 2011 4:08 PM EDT

Cameron Ford

I actually like it.

2 votes

#4 - Thu Sep 22, 2011 2:47 PM EDT

Luis-3276590

FACEBOOK is down with the FEDS now this is a good way for the government to keep track of your entire life!! BOYCOTT IT.

5 votes

#5 - Thu Sep 22, 2011 2:53 PM EDT

Mick-4157351

I truly believe this is true....Excellent way to track who is following the Beast system and who isn't.

2 votes

#5.1 - Thu Sep 22, 2011 3:08 PM EDT

UDunnoBro

I hear what you are saying!

1 vote

#5.2 - Thu Sep 22, 2011 3:10 PM EDT

RL1108

I agree!!

1 vote

#5.3 - Thu Sep 22, 2011 3:15 PM EDT

aj216789

I totally agree too!

#5.4 - Thu Sep 22, 2011 5:28 PM EDT

vilmos levay

"And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues." Rev 18:4

#5.5 - Fri Sep 23, 2011 8:37 AM EDT

Diane-4157213

All these changes "Suck!" sorry you can all "nail me to the cross" but its the truth! Some of us like life simple and like it has been, all these changes to facebook lately, a few of my friends and myself are thinking about just leaving it!

5 votes

#6 - Thu Sep 22, 2011 2:53 PM EDT

Laura-3089574

I would like to be able close my account and erase everything, but unfortnately you can't. So I am done with facebook, by the way I hate the new changes.

2 votes

#6.1 - Thu Sep 22, 2011 3:25 PM EDT

Voter-in-LA

You most definitely can close your account and have everything go away. Simply delete your account (follow their instructions) and then make sure you follow the fairly simple instructions of NOT LOGGING into your account for 30 days as will be specified in the cancellation email they send you. Of course if you had everything wide open for all to see then yes there will be digital archives somewhere but otherwise you're history as far as FB is concerned. You'll get a few emails for a few months trying to implore you to rejoin but if you can't resist that temptation then in all honesty you don't really want to close your account, do you?

#6.2 - Fri Sep 23, 2011 10:31 AM EDT

Foreclosure Defense Attorney

I don't think you can get all your data erased from Facebook ever. I didn't log in to my account for about 2 years, then went back in and it still had all my data from 2 years earlier - friends, photos, posts, messages, everything.

#6.3 - Fri Sep 23, 2011 2:19 PM EDT

Lipio-4157231

There are more people who feel the same way about FB going the same route as MySpace. Look what happened to MySpace... hardly anyone uses it anymore. I'm sure the advertisers on FB won't be happy if a lot of people decide to stop using it. There are ways to put all the same info on FB but in a more user friendly way.

2 votes

#7 - Thu Sep 22, 2011 2:55 PM EDT

Dani-04

Personally I like it. Its much more personalized. Good job.

#8 - Thu Sep 22, 2011 2:59 PM EDT

Kitt1957

I agree that it looks like Facebook is morphing into Myspace. That is not a good thing and the cluttered page look is why I left Myspace.

4 votes

#9 - Thu Sep 22, 2011 3:03 PM EDT

tocool37

Looks like My Space, time to move over to Google+

4 votes

#10 - Thu Sep 22, 2011 3:04 PM EDT

Texas-2383987

Myspace was the first thing I thought of when I saw the new layout. Yuck! So much easier to admire myself if I just hang a mirror on my computer screen.

5 votes

#11 - Thu Sep 22, 2011 3:04 PM EDT

Lucy7609

Texas, exactly. People just don't need to know that much about me, and I don't care to know that much about them.

1 vote

#11.1 - Thu Sep 22, 2011 4:57 PM EDT

Kat-3944393

Facebook is optional... just like much of the other stuff out there "changing our world." You can choose how connected you want to be in the virtual world and make good use of these technologies. Since it's there to serve us, not the other way around -- if you feel it doesn't enhance your life, it's ok not to have it in your life.

#12 - Thu Sep 22, 2011 3:05 PM EDT

UDunnoBro

Problem is, it USED to enhance my life, but now it's being turned into something that only enhances FB itself. So, no more for me.

4 votes

#12.1 - Thu Sep 22, 2011 3:11 PM EDT

mommasad

If I wanted a webpage I would have one....fb...keep it simple.

5 votes

#13 - Thu Sep 22, 2011 3:06 PM EDT

eddie s-802886

Well I guess after you make your first few Billions you tend to think you know it all and what is good for everyone who uses your product...Which by the way, has sunk every Company I have ever known that had that attitude from Ford to Countryside to Allis-Chalmers farm Tractors to SEARS to Coke....

Prime time for someone with the Money to create a "In your Face" Network and go back to what the customers want and wipe out FB......

5 votes

#14 - Thu Sep 22, 2011 3:08 PM EDT

lodrod

Uhhh...can you say MySpace?

2 votes

#15 - Thu Sep 22, 2011 3:08 PM EDT

consider-it

I signed up for a facebook account to see my family's photos and albums because they'd always send me emails and tell me they put the pictures up so I should go look at them. I am really not into it. It took me a while to figure it out but it was pretty simple. Now these changes are making things a bit too complicated. It's losing it's appeal to me. I don't want to spend much time on facebook. I play some games there when I'm able and bored. Now, when I sign on I am at my home page but I can't find my "freinds" since I hadn't assigned them to any lists! I spent an hour trying to navigate through the mess they put up there just to find my son! The only friends I can see are the ones who post on there regulary. My son is way to busy to spend so much time there. Same with my daughter-in-law. I know these changes are all about the money they make from advertisers since there is so much spammy ads on the thing! It's free to use but is it worth the trouble? I think not.

5 votes

#16 - Thu Sep 22, 2011 3:08 PM EDT

Corneilous Phillips

I feel that they are invading our privacy really bad and I don't want every moment of my life being seen by others I want it to be simple like my life is not invaded by people it's nobody business to see what I just liked or who status I commented on I can say anything on somebody status and people can see it and that's not cool at all we need to do something about this really! Most of these changes are not always good for us I think he works with the government now and they can track us at every single step and watch what we do and that's not cool at all.

3 votes

#17 - Thu Sep 22, 2011 3:09 PM EDT

T.M

Anything you put on the internet is available to everyone......

1 vote

#17.1 - Thu Sep 22, 2011 3:41 PM EDT

Kathy 1948

I am 63 years old and just figured out Facebook and now it has changed and is very confusing.

3 votes

#18 - Thu Sep 22, 2011 3:09 PM EDT

Jhene

exactly facebook comes with changes almost every other damn week with new applications and believe me when i say this mark zuckerberg just keeps making facebook more @!$%#ed up with alot of mess everyday, we are soo fed up and tired of those changes leave the damn thing as it was geeze.

2 votes

#18.1 - Thu Sep 22, 2011 3:35 PM EDT

Melissa the mom

I've already signed up for Google+ and am hoping my family moves over there, too. The only reason I'm on Facebook is so I can connect with the family that doesn't live near me on a day to day basis.

4 votes

#19 - Thu Sep 22, 2011 3:10 PM EDT

Melissa the mom

Why would anyone want people to know where they are at any given moment, which movies they watched on Netflix or Hulu, and every other tiny thing in their lives?

4 votes

#19.1 - Thu Sep 22, 2011 3:27 PM EDT

Lucy7609

No kidding- what, no area to display when your last bowel movement was?

2 votes

#19.2 - Thu Sep 22, 2011 5:00 PM EDT

mommasad

If I wanted a webpage....I would create one...fb. Keep it simple.

3 votes

#20 - Thu Sep 22, 2011 3:10 PM EDT

Bri-4157346

Are they going to keep the chat feature? I don't see it on the screen shots of the new layout, I hope they don't disable it

#21 - Thu Sep 22, 2011 3:11 PM EDT

UDunnoBro

Nope, it's being dropped because its no longer needed. Once you know where your friends are, where they've been, what they're listening to, and you can see videos of what they're doing - why would you need to chat?