In this age of social networking, having a virtual identity and connecting with people globally has become a norm. With over 660 million users all over the world and 23 million users in India, Facebook has been reigning supreme for over seven years now. But, with the new Google + gaining momentum, is it posing a threat to Facebook? Not in the near future, it seems, if one goes by celebrities’ preferences.All film stars prefer Twitter to update their fans about their moves and use Facebook to keep in touch with friends and well-wishers. Says actor Sonu Sood, “I feel Facebook is really convenient and user-friendly. I really like the privacy settings, which help me keep tabs on all the information on my profile. It is just so appealing. As for Google+, I have seen it once or twice, but I have not really explored it.” Budding actors of Tollywood, Nishanti Evani and Sundeep Kishan agree. Nishanti admits, “I haven’t really got hooked to Google+ as yet. I am on Facebook very often and I like it.. to stay in touch with friends, get invitations for various events, the updates, sorting lists, privacy settings and everything. I sit for like an hour and update everything. Now, it takes care of the screening part for me. I don’t want to switch to Google+, as I have to update all of it again.”. Sundeep Kishan believes it is difficult to get off Facebook. “I guess it will be really difficult to replace Facebook with anything. It has been a part of my life for over six years now. Facebook has been experimenting with looks and layout so many times, but still somehow we get used to it,” he explains.Theatre personalities like Seema Azharuddin say though both Google+ and Facebook serve the same purpose, they prefer Facebook to Google + anyday. “Both work for me very well. But, since my network on Facebook is stronger and I use it to invite people for all my shows, promote causes and everything, I would prefer it any day,” says Seema. Another theatre enthusiast and actor, Shalini Rao, from the Samahaara theatre group says, “I’m inactive on Google+ solely because it has nothing to offer that Facebook doesn’t, except for the group video chat, which is pretty cool. The fact that Google+ allows people to add you in their circles without your permission puts me off. So, yeah I think I have my hands full with Facebook now, don’t need another social networking account.” But not all are put off by Google+. The hangout feature, several students and corporate employees believe, is a killer application and use it to video chat with friends either overseas or in other States. “One can chat with nine people in a hangout. It’s really cool. Facebook has no videochat facility though we heard it has tied up with Skype,” Kiran, a corporate employee, points out. He chats with his friends in the US and the UK every weekend on Google+. Prakash, an elderly man, who keeps in touch with his sons in the US on Skype has an altogether different take. “Google+ allows us to have videochat with both of my sons at the same time. What more can you ask for?” he questions. So, the battle between the two online giants may just boil down to one thing: addiction vs utility. It’s Facebook as a whole vs Google+’s Hangout.
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