TOW #25 Here's Why Facebook Is Making You Download Its Messenger App by Kia Makarechi

Reading Goal: Read an intelligent piece that is relevant to my daily life.
Writing Goals: Create a clear thesis statement and effectively analyze evidence.

We’ve all been there. You log onto Facebook, go to your messages, and a notification screen appears. “Download messenger. This person, this person, and this many of your friends are already using it.” The constant pressure from Facebook to download messenger can be annoying. Through it’s use of statistical data and quotes from important figures in the Facebook world, this article serves to explain the reasoning behind Facebook’s big move and to predict where they may go in the future.
Facebook is, at its core, a business and therefore it must make money; this article uses statistics to show the economic motive that Facebook has behind all of their moves. “Currently, Facebook (including Instagram) accounts for 17 percent of time spent on all connected iOS and Android devices...” (par. 5)  so it already has a huge presence in the mobile world. As a mobile super power, Facebook has the capability to dominate its market and maximize profits. Adding more apps and gadgets to its mobile presence only adds more outlets of profit for the company, whose profits exceed billions of dollars per quarter year. These statistics simply prove that Facebook has an incredible presence in the technology world, only to be strengthened by the addition of newer apps. Facebook, in making these decisions, must think of what the company is, and how they can proceed. This article uses quotes from important individuals within Facebook to represent the company and explain why mobile apps are the right direction (or at least, the direction that Facebook is going in, no matter what). The article quotes Zuckerberg in paragraph 5, stating, “There is no argument. Facebook is a mobile company.” Since this is true, it makes logical sense that they would continue on a path of mobile development. These statements justify the actions of the company, both present and future. Using quotes allows insight into the mind of Facebook, giving readers (and Facebook users) a reason for these pushy developments. Running a major company comes with massive perks for sure, but also massive responsibility. Facebook must keep its reputation as a leading mobile entertainer while creating new ideas for profit and status. This article, using both statistics and quotes from Facebook leaders, provides rationale and analysis to users. This way, the next time that they are pressured to use a new Facebook app, they understand WHY.

http://www.vanityfair.com/online/daily/2014/04/why-facebook-is-making-you-download-its-messenger-app.print