Interesting Post

BREAKING -  Facebook has announced a host of new changes to its design and new plan – charging users!

Mark Zuckerberg announced a host of new changes to Facebook.   He did not, however, comment on the fact that he was closing Facebook down next year.

WWN’s  J.B. Smitts broke the story that Facebook was shutting down on March 15th, 2012.  Maybe this helped Zuckerberg come up with his new plan?

Pressure from angry users has been too much and Facebook is looking at an alternative, something that will persuade Mark Zuckerberg to keep the site alive:  his social media platform is going to start charging users!

According to sources outside the company, Facebook is planning a subscription-based service with monthly fees starting at $0.99 for a basic “friendship” which allows for the posting of text and just one profile picture.  This fee will increase, depending on the number of friends you have, the messages posted and sent, and the pictures/videos/ games put on a user’s page.  The monthly fee will be capped at $50.00 per month at the high-end.

Bottom line:  the more you use Facebook, the more you will pay.

Reports are that all existing content has been “grandfathered” and will not be disrupted – though Facebook has decided to share this data with government agencies, including the FBI , the CIA and Michael Moore.

Goldman Sachs, which had been planning to raise $1.5 billion in financing before they learned that Mark Zuckerberg wanted to shutter the site, is thrilled at the prospect of Facebook converting to a pay service.

“The addition of this substantial revenue windfall makes Facebook all that more attractive as an investment,” said Tom Wotozowski, Senior Vice President of Goldman Sachs.  “This will make it the largest corporation on the planet, in the history of the planet.”

Industry watchers estimate that the new fee-based program will generate well in excess of $20 billion in new revenue for the company – based on the most conservative assumptions of usage and the proposed tiered fee structure.

These estimates, of course, account for the fact that millions of users may quit Facebook in response to the imposition of fees.  “I’m not going to pay for Facebook!  It’s like paying for air.  It’s not right,” said longtime Facebook junkie,  Jessica Samsille.  “Screw them, I’m going back to MySpace,” said Bo Chan.

No matter.  Facebook executives are excited at the prospect of charging users. “We’re going to make money hand over fist,” said Facebook CEO Cindy Shooman.  “I think converting to a pay service is something that will make Mark want to keep the site going.  And I’ll finally get to buy an island in the Mediterranean.”

March 15th, 2012 is Facebook Day.   The site will either shut down, or start charging users for its service.

Beware the ides of March…

[Reporting by Floyd Collins on WWN's Financial News desk]

PALO ALTO  – Facebook continues to deny rumors it is shutting down on March 15th of 2012.  WWN, however, has confirmed that it is true.

On January 9th, WWN’s ace reporter, J.B. Smitts, broke the international story that Facebook was going to close down on March 15th because Mark Zuckerberg wanted to return to a normal life.   The story caused a worldwide sensation, and J.B. Smitts has been nominated for a Pulitzer Prize for breaking it.

Facebook COO, Sheryl Sandberg has publicly denied the rumors, saying, “Facebook is not going to close down.  Not now, not ever.  We’re just getting started.”

David Ebersman, the CFO of Facebook, and the man working with Goldman Sachs on the new Facebook financing deal said, “many people feel that the deal with Goldman Sachs will lead to a change in Facebook or that we might shut down so that the government won’t force us to go public.  All of those rumors are false.  We are going to be stronger than ever after March 15th.”

But WWN has spoken to insiders at Facebook who strongly contradict the public statements of the executive management team.

Sources inside Facebook tell us that the company is already making plans on how to handle the big shutdown.  “We can’t just turn it off on March 15th of 2012.  There will be a revolution,” said one insider.  “We have to prepare our users for the end of Facebook and offer them ways to keep their social networks alive.”

Zuckerberg maintains that one year is enough time for users to prepare for the demise of Facebook.  It also gives rival sites time to build up their user base.

There were rumors that Zuckerberg himself was going to appear on the Oscars on February 27th, when The Social Network is sure to win Best Picture of the Year Award.  But Zuckerberg did not show.  New rumors are that Zuckerberg will make “an important announcement to the world” about the future of Facebook when he meets with President Obama in the White House on June 15th.

Meanwhile, there is panic all around the globe as Facebook users (and addicts) are frightened that they may lose their social networking community.  Top celebrities Tyra Banks, Mila Kunis, Britney Spears, Lady Gaga, Justin Beiber, Ashton Kutchter, Carrot Top, Meryl Streep, Danny Bonaduce and the Real Housewives of New Jersey and Atlanta are all panicking about losing Facebook.  “I’m addicted to Facebook,” said Tyra Banks. “Without it, my life is over!”

An online petition was started just hours ago to help persuade Zuckerberg and Facebook to remain open.

The organizer of the “Please Do Not Shut Down Facebook Petition”, Fritz Barnkopf, said, “we hope to get a million or more signatures before the Oscars, so Mark Zuckerberg will reconsider his tragic decision.”

WWN is following this developing story closely – constantly talking with Facebook insiders.  We certainly are rooting for Facebook to continue because it’s an important part of our own social media strategy and leading source for our site visits.

WWN is your only reliable news source on this – and all – breaking news stories.

And now… one of the MANY videos from panicked Facebook users about the shut down:

All the buildings reflect the desire of their creators. The builders have stepped away from the ordinary standard of architecture, we can say that these prominent structures are among the unique treasures of the world, which transmit the bizarre sense of uniqueness, which shows contemporary exotic forms of external and internal design and permissible visionary architect. 41 more images after the break...