The Association for Competitive Technology last week visited Facebook’s new Menlo Park headquarters. We were able to explore their new campus designed with an urban layout while checking out cool new tools like a touchpad directory in each building with GPS-linked scrolling Facebook profiles allowing employees to easily find each other’s offices.
Facebook was excited to have the apps folks on hand to see what they have in store for developers. Eager to demonstrate its strength in the mobile space, the company has been busy flexing its muscle in this marketplace with acquisitions, new app development, and providing resources for third-party mobile app developers.
Facebook just unveiled its latest initiative in this space, the App Center. App developers are facing a crowded marketplace posing challenges to getting their apps noticed. Enter Facebook. They have built a platform allowing developers to attract and build communities around their apps. At the App Center, Facebook users can see which apps their friends are using and look at their recommendations before downloading. Providing a trusted resource for app consumers makes the App Center a valuable market resource.
The App Center also provides assistance to developers with tools to help navigate the regulatory framework. In particular, Facebook helps developers comply with privacy laws, providing guidance on giving users control over their data, informing them how their information is being used, and explaining what the app is doing and why. With privacy policy requirements pending from the California Attorney General’s office, and additional measures under consideration at the federal level, this is an incredible resource for developers.
It’s also important to consider Facebook’s work in the context of the U.S. economy. During a period of recession and sluggish growth, the social networking company has provided a remarkable platform for job creation. The number of people working on apps running on Facebook far exceeds the social networking company’s employment numbers.