Given its massive popularity and the aforementioned evidence of some associated decline
in use of other media among certain groups, Facebook clearly meets a particular need. To clarify the nature of that need, we have to understand how (and what) people communicate via this medium, and how that differs from communication via traditional media (e.g., email, telephone, face-to-face interaction). Looking briefly at the evolution of the relationship between the individual and mass media in general terms, over time, may be helpful in this respect.