Should Social Networks Pay Users? Maybe.

There’s been a lot of conversation about the idea that social networks should pay users some of the (m/b)illions that they’re making in ad revenue from the attention we give them. At first, my response was, “that’s utter horse pucky. Facebook created this great tool for social networking and we get to use it.”

But then I started thinking about how much I appreciate that video-sharing site Revver shares advertising revenue with its content creators. And that’s what we essentially are on Facebook: content creators.

Sure, it’s a different type of content. Revver videos can be spread all over the Web and draw tons of attention to their attached ads. Facebook content stays in Facebook and is usually relevant only to the person’s friends. But as Mark Zuckerberg explained in his keynote at f8 this year, Facebook users draw indirect benefit through the social graph from all the other Facebook users. For example, I’m friends with both Bette and Tina, but they don’t know one another. Because both Bette and Tina are on Facebook, I spend more time there putting up photos and information. Both Bette and Tina benefit from one another’s presence because I’m spending more time and energy on Facebook to stay in touch with both of them.

The power of the social graph says to me that Facebook should consider rewarding its most prolific users. If not with money, then certainly with special features a la Club Penguin.

What do you think, should Facebook pay users or compensate them in some other way?

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