The Conversation: Facebook Lets Groups Thrive

June 28, 2010— -- Facebook is on the edge of hitting its 500 million fan mark sometime in July, and despite recent controversy over its privacy settings, the site continues to become a more integrated part of everyday life.

While lots of people use the site simply to stalk their exes or connect with grade school friends, more organizations have taken to Facebook to spread a message. Sometimes that message can take a serious tone, for example, boycotting BP in the midst of the oil crisis in the Gulf of Mexico. But Facebook has also become a vehicle to promote more jovial causes, such as the Facebook club dedicated to getting Betty White to host "Saturday Night Live."

In today's Conversation, ABC's Stephanie Sy speaks with New York Times technology reporter Nick Bilton about how Facebook has become the perfect outlet for those looking to grow an online following. Do 1 million fans really turn into 1 million people who are ready to take some sort of action? Are people Facebook fanned out, or will the trend of Facebook as the place to start a movement only grow in the future?

Also, hear from the men and women behind some of the most successful Facebook pages, which range from pages dedicated to awkward family photos to an organization that helps people deal with depression and drug addiction. Learn why they took their messages to Facebook, and what kind of response they've gotten.

For all of Nick Bilton's reporting with The New York Times click HERE.

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