We the people of the United States of Facebook... What’s Your Moral Obligation?

The hullabaloo over the recent change in Facebook’s Terms of Service (which today they returned to their previous TOS until they can come up with something better), has been fascinating and all - but something else has captured my imagination.

Just within the last twenty-four hours there’s been a shift in language around this online community that's expanding exponentially as I type.  Twice there’s been reference made to the number of Facebook users - now over 175 million.  That’s not news to most of us - but what is different is that the language has expanded from referencing an online community - to comparing Facebook to a country. A country people. The first reference was made yesterday in an article by Jessi Hempel for CNN Money.  

The second was made by Mark Zuckerberg, the creator and CEO, of FB himself. On the Facebook blog page yesterday, Zuckerberg referenced the size of Facebook and the fact that if it were a country it would be the sixth most populated in the world. He upped the ante even more by claiming that the TOS needed to be something more: “Our terms aren't just a document that protect our rights; it's the governing document for how the service is used by everyone across the world. Given its importance, we need to make sure the terms reflect the principles and values of the people using the service.”

In the true spirit of the new world order in which crowdsourcing is king, Facebook posted a Facebook Bill of Rights (Now catch this - when I just did a Google Search on Bill of Rights the Facebook page rises organically to the top - the US Bill of Rights on Wikipedia is second in line.) and requested feedback and suggestions about how the document should evolve.

The scene is now set for my overactive imagination. I’ll play Angel with my runaway mind today - and Devil in a post tomorrow.  The question - what is our obligation as citizens of Facebook?

175,000,000 users - and growing by leaps and bounds - that’s a lot of power folks.  So, what are we going to do with it? 

If we start thinking of this online international (70% of users are not in the U.S.) community as an online country with governing documents as sweeping as a Bill of Rights - what could that mean for the world?  Why not write a full-on Facebook Constitution? (Of course, we have to keep in mind the countries and peoples who have the capacity to participate in this creation. Most 3rd world countries would be left out.)

So - just go with me here a minute... Imagine that Facebook becomes a young country of heavily engaged and participatory citizens who demand - as they are wont to do now - that they help define the founding documents and principles of the nation.  Millions have an intimate role in crafting a Constitution in the Facebook fashion of communication.  Millions decide what information can be shared and who owns what. Millions begin to define the culture of a country that exists in the online environment - and those millions decide how that culture permeates the offline world.  These millions decide what rights are granted to certain groups of people.  A multi-national perspective on these issues would result in one interesting Constitution...   Could it be an opportunity to craft something even better than the U.S. Constitution?  How would it influence the offline world and our daily lives?

So here it is: Is there a way to use Facebook beyond a social networking tool?  As it evolves into a larger and larger international community, a country even, are there ways for civic-minded people who care about human rights to take control of the Facebook ‘government’ and influence the world for the better?  We know Facebook is connecting millions of people with one another every day... so again I ask - what are we going to do with that power?

My Dad, a judge and constitutional scholar, used to say to me “Tara, you’re privileged and you’re smart. Because of that, you have a moral obligation to give back to society what society cannot give to itself.” (I understand the subtle arrogance in this statement, but the intention is good - believe me.)

What is our moral obligation when it comes to participating in a community of this magnitude? To keep up our 25 Random Things lists?  To share silly albeit fun photos and watch all of our friends’ kids grow up?  Can’t we find deeper inspiration?  How can we put Facebook to use for a greater purpose?

If you had a hand in crafting a Constitution for such an enormously powerful population how would it read, and what rights would you grant your fellow citizens?

We the people of the United States of Facebook...

Tomorrow I’ll tackle what moral obligations Facebook as a company and Mark Zuckerberg as it’s leader might have?  Would love your thoughts...