An example of social media that promotes the exchange of messages between people across the world is Facebook. Facebook was created in 2004 by Mark Zuckerberg, whose mission was to bring people together with different backgrounds and encourage interaction (Facebook, 2010). There are over 500 million users in the world with a population of 6.8 billion, which means that about 1 out of 14 people have a Facebook account. One impact that social media has on intercultural dialogue is providing a common medium for exchanging messages, and many people around the globe can use the Internet to communicate and collaborate. There are more than 70 translations available on the site, and about 70% of users are outside the U.S. (Facebook, 2010). According to Mark Zuckerberg, “If Facebook were a country, it would be the 6th most populated country in the world.” This social networking among numerous countries
Sawyer 4
enriches social lives through ignoring the factor of distance. Social media brings people together with different backgrounds and encourages interaction.