What is The Future of Facebook (Project)?

What is it and does it matter? More on the second question in a minute.  

I just funded a small part of the Kickstarter The Future of Facebook Project. A series of 6 videos from Venessa Miemis and 3 colleagues, they are well on their way to achieving the $5K they need to start the project.

I love crowdsourced and crowdfunded projects. I funded Have Money Will Vlog back in 2006. A very similar concept except the videos were about social issues (I funded a Colombian documentary). 
They are using social media smartly. They are sparking ideas via Quora and then soliciting videos of some of the more interesting ideas. There is a nice sampler of people in their teaser video including Doc Searls, Om Malik and David Kirkpatrick - author, The Facebook Effect. David's book is one of the best and most insightful about Facebook - the company and the man. And it's his comment in the teaser that provokes my second question, does the project matter?

David Kirkpatrick reports that Mark Zuckerberg has a clear view of the development path far into the future. So if the future of Facebook is in his head, does all this outsider speculation matter?  I am sure he does have a clear picture of what features he will develop. But even with this controlling vision, the development gestalt of Facebook is try and try often. Even Mark doesn't know what will work. He certainly cannot predict how this scale of social networking may change us. The video is less about what features the platform will have but what future it may fashion for us all. 

It appears thoughtful. I like where its going.They use social media to create an fund the projectThey allow people who care to participate and show that participation  

This project does matter. Go ahead, give a little, get a lot.  

Comments

[VenessaMiemis]

thanks for supporting the project, john!

the public participation so far on quora and via interviews has been great.... we're working on some very cool animated scenarios for the video series that i think people are going to really dig.

we'll keep all the backers posted on progress via kickstarter, and generally via the twitter account (@futureofFB) and facebook page.

cheers!

- venessa

[Brad Fallon]

That is a good project and more because you helped in funding it. I admire people who make their way to give information to others in their own little way. Keep it up.