By Carlos Taylhardat | September 21, 2025
From Excitement to Disappointment
A few years ago, when Art of Headshots was scaling, I was a genuine fan of Facebook. Unlike newspapers that spotlight distant strangers, Facebook gave me something closer: a way to witness the lives of people who shaped my present and past. It was about the people in my life rather than the celebrities that all the media was writing about, and really, when it comes to it, I don’t care about them. King Charles, Donald Trump, the Emperor of some distant place – great!
I remember quietly celebrating an old girlfriend’s new family, smiling at her accomplishments, though she was no longer part of my life. Those little moments made Facebook meaningful.
My enthusiasm was so strong that Facebook itself once reached out to me. Four executives flew in, sat in my studio, and asked questions for hours. Then they flew back to Toronto and San Francisco, leaving me with a $100 Amazon (lol) card as a token of thanks. I really don’t know what I did, but I must have done something. I was a genuine fan, but unfortunately, I’m no longer one…
Narrative One: Users Left Behind
When I first joined Facebook, it felt like walking into a reunion every day. I’d scroll and see weddings, babies being born, friends starting new jobs, even small details like someone’s new dog. It was ordinary life, but it mattered because it was our lives.
That world is gone.
Before writing this piece, I asked my friends:
“How do you feel about the current Facebook algorithm versus the past?”
The answers came fast.
- “I hate that I no longer see much of my friends’ posts at all as well as way too many articles and ads.” — Brenda
- “The algorithm seems to favour groups I follow versus individuals… I feel more disconnected from my friends.” — Cory
- “They gave people a choice to see mostly their friends’ posts with a separate tab, but the default feed is what benefits them, not us.” — Ivan
These aren’t abstract complaints — they’re small heartbreaks. Brenda misses seeing family milestones. Cory feels a gap where his friendships used to appear. Ivan knows there’s a way to see friends’ posts, but the default feed pushes him elsewhere.
For me, it means that when I log in today, I’m not greeted by people I care about. Instead, I scroll through a flood of ads, viral videos, and news headlines that could come from anywhere. The intimate network of friends and family has become a calculated stream of distractions.
For many of us, Facebook no longer feels like a connection — it feels like manipulation.
Narrative Two: Shareholders’ Dream
On the business side, the story looks entirely different.
Meta, Facebook’s parent company, remains one of the most profitable companies in the world. The platform may frustrate individual users, but to Wall Street, it’s a money machine. In 2025 alone, Meta reported tens of billions in advertising revenue, cementing its dominance over the global ad market.
In its latest investor call, CEO Mark Zuckerberg declared that the company was “well-positioned to lead the next era of computing” through artificial intelligence, augmented reality, and immersive social experiences. He described the shift not as a loss of community, but as a necessary evolution, building the foundation for a digital future far bigger than the original Facebook feed.
Investors believed him. Meta’s second-generation smart glasses, developed with Ray-Ban, were hailed by reviewers as “a glimpse of Facebook’s future.” The promise: a world where social media isn’t confined to a phone screen but integrated into daily life. Shares rose nearly 20% this year, fueled by strong ad sales and investor confidence in AI-powered products.
Analysts were blunt. “From a shareholder perspective, the strategy is working,” one Morgan Stanley report concluded. “Meta has turned the algorithm into one of the most profitable engines in history.” Others praised the company’s resilience, pointing out that despite regulatory battles, public criticism, and even declining youth engagement, Meta’s ad targeting remains unmatched.
For investors, complaints about seeing fewer posts from friends are irrelevant. What matters is scale: billions of users worldwide, billions in revenue each quarter, and an algorithm that prints money. If Facebook feels less personal today, the market doesn’t mind — the stock chart tells a different story.
Narrative Three: The Silent Story
I’m not qualified to define what success is.
Yes, I founded a multinational company, Art of Headshots, and had the privilege of working with tens of thousands of clients. For a few, the portraits we created changed how they saw themselves, even altered their lives. That’s real success in one sense. But financially? I lost the company. If success is measured in dollars alone, I failed.
By that measure, Facebook is thriving. It is the envy of Wall Street, a business model so efficient that entire industries try to copy it. From revenue to reach, the numbers make it look unstoppable.
But if success is measured by the passion of its fans — by whether people open the app with joy, curiosity, or the hope of finding meaning in the lives of those they care about — then Facebook is failing. The company has betrayed the originality that made it the most famous social media app in history.
Facebook’s algorithm might be a triumph of engineering and profit. But for many of us who once loved it, that same algorithm feels like a betrayal.
Key Takeaways
- Facebook once thrived on personal connections, but now feels dominated by ads and curated content.
- Users say they feel disconnected from their friends as the algorithm reshapes feeds.
- Investors see the opposite: Meta’s profits and stock price continue to rise.
- New products, like Meta’s smart glasses, show the company betting on a different future.
- The unresolved tension: success for shareholders, disillusionment for users.
Questions This Article Answers
Q: Why do many users feel Facebook is less personal than before?
A: Because the algorithm prioritizes ads, groups, and predicted content over friends’ posts.
Q: How has Facebook’s business performed despite user complaints?
A: Meta continues to post billions in ad revenue and has seen stock gains.
Q: What new products is Meta pushing to investors?
A: Second-generation smart glasses and AI-driven features.
Q: What is the central contradiction in Facebook’s evolution?
A: Users feel abandoned while investors celebrate.
