“We are in the midst of a communications revolution. The use of social media for communication purposes continues to increase, while "old school" messaging media like email is on the decline. Facebook is reportedly valued at 50 billion dollars. It has the potential to reach 700 million users worldwide. The advertising revenue associated with Facebook and other Social media is expected to generate approximately $8.3 billion dollars annually by 2015. Significantly, according to one survey, 81% of companies have implemented (or plan to implement) social networking in order to enhance their exposure. Seventy-three percent of small and medium businesses reportedly employ social media for marketing purposes.” (The Legal Implications of Social Networking: The Basics (Part One) By David Navetta on June 11, 2011Posted in ECPA, Social Networking) Facebook is one of the leading social media applications available on the web. It attracts all types of people from different ages and nationalities due to the growth of its reputation and amount of members. It appeals to individual who seek to locate family and friends. It allows its users to have daily contact with people that they do not live close to and whom they would not be able to keep in contact with otherwise. For example, a grandmother who has not seen her grandchild is now be able to see them on Facebook. She can chart their daily growth and activities through pictures, posts, and videos submitted by their parents. Adults are able to connect with their children and monitor their daily activities with friends as well as keep track of their gaming interest. Children have the ability to play games without having to create and save various accounts with each individual website because they can now log in with their Facebook accounts. This also gives them the opportunity to connect and compete against friends who are also playing the game. Facebook has mastered the art of communication and connectivity through its website. Advertisers flock to the site because of the large amount of information that circulates on Facebook on a daily basis. “Whenever we surf on the web we disseminate a large amount of information that could be used for different purposes. Contrary to what you might believe, this information is very precious for private businesses and government agencies.” (http://resources.infosecinstitute.com/concerns-on-social-media-monitoring/) Facebook has the ability to monitor people and companies who use their site. This is a reason that many of its users create accounts with alternate names and identities in order to protect their privacy. Facebook allows its users to control their privacy settings. Many people will only allow those who they know to read and share their posts. Users do have the ability to send friend requests to people that they know, but the person on the other end has the right to decide if they want to accept of decline the request. Facebook also allows users to block other members that they do not want to access their page for safety and personal reasons. Users can feel safe against the possibility of stalkers or ex-partners accessing their information. However, parents are still able to monitor their children’s daily post and even their friends post if needed be. “The social media are vital component in today’s intelligence analysis, but if it is quite simple for governments to acquire a huge quantity of data, their elaboration is not so simple. We must consider that due to the possibility of pollution of the sources by the same intelligence agencies, the information might not have the proper level of reliability. The principal factors that complicate the research of specific are the contents inside the ocean of information which are dimension of the data acquired the ability to correlate correctly the information, and the avoidance of poisoned information. The information extracted could produce wrong analysis due intentionally, or not, to manipulation of data that causes the loss of consistence of results. It also has great dynamism of social media users; each individual usually goes to several networks, and different profile makes the cross analysis more difficult and the increasing awareness of users in the monitoring activities.” (http://resources.infosecinstitute.com/concerns-on-social-media-monitoring/) Therefore, social media employs ODR which “in the consumer context refers to the use of ICT tools and methods (usually alternative to the court system) employed by businesses and consumers (B2C) to settle conflicts that arise out of economic transactions between the parties, particularly in e-commerce. It is often distinguished from other fields where ODR is used, such as in the commercial field (B2B), in the public sphere to resolve government and citizen (G2C) disputes, and in the resolution of disputes related to intellectual property. A consumer transaction (B2C), akin to a consumer dispute, will be one where an individual, acting on a personal capacity, buys goods or services for his or her personal use. Conversely, a business is an individual or an entity that acts on a professional capacity selling goods or services as part of their profession.” http://www.mediate.com/pdf/cortes.pdf. Facebook employs ODR since they use their business more for the public concerning available games and distribution of advertisement within their system. This method allows them to resolve any issues that may arise since it generally comes from businesses that require internet access and/or data. Facebook relies upon smartphones and other devices that require you to download the app and/or access external website. They can also use ADR, which “refers to the processes for resolving disputes without going through the increasingly overburdened court system. ADR processes are used in resolving many disputes that never get to court, as well as providing a means of settling the cases that are filed in court.” (Alternative Dispute Resolution: How To Resolve Your Dispute Without Going To Court. Prepared by: The Alternative Dispute Resolution Committee, and the Committee on Arbitration 1996, The Association of the Bar of the City of New York. http://www.nycbar.org/media-aamp-publications/brochuresbooks/alternative-dispute-resolution-how-to-resolve-your-dispute-without-going-to-court#what) ADR works well with Facebook’s structure since it currently is one of the most used social media. It allows the company to avoid small disputes and issues that are not directly related to their business. “The governments are facing serious difficulties related to monitoring new media. According to CALEA, (Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act) passed in 1994, every communication provider must make their system wiretap-friendly, but today the scenario of communication is totally changed. The majority of communications are digital transmissions that make large use of the Internet. Despite this consideration in 2004, the intents of the act have been extended also to ISP by the Federal Communications Commission. The situation is very complex; the implementation of a wiretapping system by ISP hasn’t found an application de facto.” (http://resources.infosecinstitute.com/concerns-on-social-media-monitoring/) Facebook advertises itself for usage on smartphones and tablets. Mobile devices are an ideal method for users who want to keep in constant contact with friends and post continuous updates on their personal lives. Facebook allows these updates as a method of keeping users interested in their site. This is also beneficial for advertisers as these users are constantly seeing their product. Additionally, Facebook maintains the interest of young adults and children by providing games and activities that are associated with their accounts. Daily, Facebook and other external sites add new games to attract the interest of old users and to entice new users to their site. Facebook is an example of how social media is a dominating trend in entertainment. It fulfills the user’s personal needs by allowing them stay in contact with family and friends. In addition, it meets the needs of its advertisers by introducing their products to its users while simultaneously exposing them to advances in technology.