As a Facebook user who has not yet switched over to timeline, I have been observing my Facebook friends' usage of the feature. Not the most common thought of going back in time to see what people were like in 2007 when Facebook became popular with our generation, but more so: what they select to be their "cover photo" with the new display. With the size of cover photos being about 10 times greater than the size of profile pictures, I'm curious to see how if and how these images replaces the notion of a profile picture.
This phenomenon interests me because people choose profile pictures where they look good. Eye tracking studies (ironically enough, funded and conducted by Facebook) show that the top left corner of the page, where the profile picture is placed, is where eyes are programmed to look on someone's profile. So now that the profile picture is so minimal on the page, which will be more dominant?
It's easy to analyze someone based on his or her choice of cover photos on timeline. Do these photos display a pretty image? A meaningful one to the person, such as the place they have a lake house or their favorite city? A strong memory with friends? The university they attend? A photo that makes them look popular? Is more than one uploaded? Are they the same as their profile pictures? Will people keep changing their profile pictures....or their cover photos?
All of these questions have arose, and provide a basis for judgment. I'm interested in seeing the direction they go. What do you think?
 |
| An example from the Web of the new Facebook timeline layout, with the cover photo being a beautiful view |
No comments:
Post a Comment