Welcome to MSP the Musical. It’s hard to think of the world without Facebook. MSP looks at the central role Facebook has assumed in the digital economy and wonders: can it last another 15 years?

Episode Transcript

These shows are dictated to and transcribed by machines, and hurriedly edited by a human. Apologies for the typos and grammar flaws.

We’re celebrating a birthday this week. No, not mine or Matt’s or BFM’s. On Monday 4th February, Facebook turned 15 years old. Today MSP takes a look at the impact of that legacy.

Hang on. It says here that today’s show is a Space Opera. Are you going to be singing?
•You know how most musicals have two parts the speak-y part and the sing-y part.
•I thought I’d do the speak-y part and you could sing the questions.

I’m not singing.
•But I’ve told the listeners it will be a Space Opera.
•They’re expecting this to be our Mamma Mia or We Will Rock You
•We’ve got CO2 cannons and pyrotechnics and everything.
•Rich was going to run through the studio in one of those flame suits, screaming.
•It was going to be legendary.

My contract says I have to sit in this studio with you. It doesn’t say anything about singing.
•Does it say no singing?

It doesn’t tell me if I should or shouldn’t kick you under the table. There are some things that you assume. Not singing is one of them.
•I’ll be honest. I’m a little disappointed.

It’s not my name on the show’s title.
•Then we’ll just have to apologize to the listeners.

Show Links:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/adamhartung/2011/01/14/why-facebook-beat-myspace/#1a784be0147e
https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2012/12/2012-year-facebook-finally-tried-make-some-money/320493/
https://yourstory.com/2018/02/facebook-turns-14/
https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-facts-about-facebook-11548374613
https://mashable.com/article/mark-zuckerberg-facebook-wsj-op-ed/#0O3rCvqIcsqI
https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2019/01/wsj-op-ed-mark-zuckerberg-speaks-down-users-and-misses-point