Whilst the Google+ social network is by no means sparsely populated (359 million active users
as of May 2013: Ward: 2013), it still isn’t as widely recognised and utilised as Facebook for
social-based communication and rapid discussion instigation. Therefore Facebook was tasked
with the “coffee room” function as it became known, an informal, central hub for internal
discussions, publications, sharing of information and cultural exchange. In identifying key
trends the Executive Summary of the NMC Horizon Report states that: