Facebook - Toronto is the Social Media Capital of the World

Alright before my West Coast Vancouverites (who I love dearly) accuse me of being a T.dot homer or my Montrealites (je t'aime beaucoup)  start calling me a wannabe New Yorker with visions of grandeur, hear me out on this one.

Ahem (clearing throat)... Toronto, our beloved city, sometimes sufferer of inferiority complex and four decades of hockey disappointment, loser of two Olympic bids and a consolation prize of a B-listing World Expo....is (drum roll) The Social Media Capital of North America and Facebook Capital of the World.

Now I don't have all the historical stats but something of a "tipping point" happened in Toronto over the last few months that has caused Toronto to be virtually swathed in Facebook. If you haven't been invited to join yet, you have your answer. 

Look at these eye-popping stats on Facebook membership numbers:

Agent Wildfire's Analysis of Facebook Numbers by Census Area (April, 2007)

City	Facebook Members (as of April 17, 2007)	Population (k)	Facebook Members       Per K Capita
Toronto	490,605	5,113	96.0
New York	203,982	11,561	17.6
Chicago	193,671	7,929	24.4
Boston	134,137	1,835	73.1
Atlanta	124,493	5,138	24.2
L.A.	100,758	9,948	10.1
Dallas/Fort Worth	92,238	6,003	15.4
Seattle	92,077	2,496	36.9
Detroit	82,600	1,971	41.9
Miami	30,859	2,402	12.8
Vancouver	153,598	2,116	72.6
Ottawa	105,908	1,130	93.7
Calgary	86,090	1,079	79.8
Montreal	80,303	3,635	22.1
Halifax	68,094	372	183.0
Edmonton	57,129	1,034	55.3
London	326,252	13,000	25.1
Australia	35,403	20,804	1.7
Japan	9,414	128,805	0.1
Russia	2,976	142,400	0.0
Sources: * April 2007 - Facebook,  2006 Statscan Census est., 2006 pro. U.S. Census, 2007 Wikipedia

This is the "off the scales" type of stuff; essentially one in ten Torontonians are Facebookers. Walk through that subway car, I guarantee you you'll find at least eight Facebook friends. Head down to the Air Canada Centre for a Raptor game, chances are you'll find close to 2,000 people ready to join your Facebook group...go to The Drake, I guarantee you another 50 ... and its spreading like wildfire.   

No U.S. city comes close to Toronto's Facebook dominance. Although varying definitions of census areas may explain some of the difference, Toronto's stats are charttoppers by any definition and Canadian cities fare exceptionally well across the board. 

In fact, Haligonians could claim #1 status in the world easily if we include our definition of cities below 1 million, but we won't because that would make my argument a bit messy (kudos to my easy coast cousins nonetheless, a remarkable small city achievement - hopefully we can grab a pint to celebrate at the Lower Deck).

What's the "smoking gun" linked to Toronto's frenzy for Facebook?

- We have a large university educated population?

- We have a large creative class of knowledge workers who hang out on the net too often for proiductive living (true according to Ipsos).

- We are worldly, social people who seek out online social networks more than any other country (true according to comScore).

- We are connected online more than any other country (true according to Ipsos).

- We distrust central authority and like to receive our info and social exchanges from other people  not broadcast media (true, according to Environics and Mood and Mindset).

- We live inside during 1/2 the year and either watch hockey or social network (true according to the flurries I saw the other day)?

- We have a large ethnic population who seeks out tribes of similar interest? (according to Canadian Geographic, 42% of Toronto's population is foreign-born)

- Gays and lesbians like to socialize online? (Toronto is recognized as a centre for gay and lesbian culture and one of largest and craziest Pride parades anywhere in the world)

- My Space did a really crappy job in Canada?

- We support underdogs? (Facebook only represents 10% of North America social media traffic vs. My Space's 80+%)

- 5% alcohol Canadian beer is making us behave differently than 4% alcohol U.S. beer?  (true according to my last few St. Patrick's days)

- the CN Tower is jamming alternative social network signals to our neighbourhoods? (it's possible, right?)

- I don't know, but somehow Mike Myers, Karim Rashid, Rachel McAdam and Neil Young are involved

What do you think?

Any way you slice it, these numbers are a revelation to me of Einstein-ian proportions and begs some serious discussion and with data-supported bravado to our other cousin metros, allows our very own Hogtown to claim Uber Social Media Capital status in North America.

and for Torontoians.... I now officially proclaim, if you have not joined Facebook by the April 22, 2007 and live in Toronto, you are offically part of the mainstream, well on your way to dancing the Macarena, listening to Barry Manilow and still wondering why the old Canadian Tire spokesguy isn't on TV anymore.

By the way, in the time it took me to write this article, 71 more Torontonians have joined. It's spreading, are you ready to join this cult!  If you are, drop by my profile and become my Facebook friend, won't you :)   

Comments

[j rez]

how do i disabled my friend request and un block my block thing off off

[j rez]

how do i disabled my friend request and un block my block thing off off

[j rez]

how do i disable my friend request thing

[sam]

Just like myspace with all its problems .
Face book is cool but we still use myspace to promote our band. Whats cool is the automation software out there like http://www.myfriendbuilder.com/ it automates adding friends and emails. Probably not for what you are useing myspace for but it is great for bars and bands.

[Ryan]

I think Torontonians don't have an outdoor social physical life. Thats why they love to sit and look for it on the net. When it comes to socializing, Europeans, South Americans and Asian country people are more sociable. These people have a good physical life so they don't look for it in the virtual world unlike Torontonians.

[Ryan]

I think Torontonians don't have an outdoor social physical life. Thats why they love to sit and look for it on the net. When it comes to socializing, Europeans, South Americans and Asian country people are more sociable. These people have a good physical life so they don't look for it in the virtual world unlike Torontonians.

[rocketbride]

one of the other things about networks that i find interesting is that you get amalgamated into the larger city. the toronto network includes the gta; i would suspect that that halifax network includes ALL OF NOVA SCOTIA as facebook doesn't like to differentiate.

also, mainstream media coverage of facebook in canada has been exploding; since i joined in late march, it's been mentioned on the cbc almost every week.

[rocketbride]

one of the other things about networks that i find interesting is that you get amalgamated into the larger city. the toronto network includes the gta; i would suspect that that halifax network includes ALL OF NOVA SCOTIA as facebook doesn't like to differentiate.

also, mainstream media coverage of facebook in canada has been exploding; since i joined in late march, it's been mentioned on the cbc almost every week.

[andi michalow]

why wont it let me make a facebook??/

[Devin Turner]

Hey im asking u not to delete my profile i love my profile and im going to have to start all over again on faacebook so pleaseee

[Anthony]

Man I been off of facebook for 6 days because my page was blocked but some people I know they page was only blocked for only one or three days and thats crazy cause it ain't like I been stockin people and when I meet new people I let them know that and a lot of people I know we are friends now and we know each other and I ain't like that japanese kid that killed all dem people and for stupid reasons I'm just tryn to talk to friends and wrok out some issues whats the use of having a block cause u have to email people back and if u know a lot of people it ain't your fault you social I thought that was what facebook was for.

[Anna Anderson]

My facebook account was disabled and i would really like to know why????
this is how i communicate with my friends, if i need homework and also just for funn.
can you please fix my account?

thanks

[Holly]

Can I have my account back please and I need it back?

[jamie]

I have been spending time finding and messaging old friends and now I am "disabled" for using facebook for what I thought it was ment for, am I wrong?

[jazmine]

How to get my page from being diabled on facebook

[jazmine]

How to get my page from being diabled on facebook

[Craig Grant]

I really want my account back!!! Can u please return it to me???

[Craig Grant]

I really want my account back!!! Can u please return it to me???

[Rachel Hayward]

Hello.My name is Rachel. I would like to know why is that my facebook is disable, this morning my friend's have sending me msg and I could still writting them back. But, if I wanted to senting message to othter friend's I couldn't but I am still online. I would like to know how I could able getting back my messages so, I could keeping touch of my old friend's in high school and now on facebook.....And try not making things happen again?

truly
Rachel Hayward

[ty shayfer]

why was my account disabled?I haven't been using messages like that or anything

[ty shayfer]

How will my messaging be back to normal? because i was told it will be restored in a few hours and that was yesterday

[Sally Schwaizer]

Want to interact with men/women who read, travel, dine in fine-dining places, homeowners etc. Must be thinking out of the box--innovative and want to enjoy life/people/places/cultures etc.!!

[Sally Schwaizer]

Want to interact with men/women who read, travel, dine in fine-dining places, homeowners etc. Must be thinking out of the box--innovative and want to enjoy life/people/places/cultures etc.!!

[ty shayfer]

um hi doin, i have a question about the messaging, If the messages were to be deleted will the account deletion treat be taken away from my user account on facebook?

[Dana H]

Here is the EMAIL DRAMA that unfolded erly this week that enabled my account again

From: jrgenius.com
Date: 04/23/07 20:53:20
To: disabled@facebook.com; warning@facebook.com; Appeals from Facebook; appeals-comment@facebook.com; sfortin@facebook.com
Subject: Fw: Re: your Facebook account ...danah@jrgenius.com

My account email address is blocked so I am sending this via holyhealthy.com
danah@jrgenius.com is the account that was blocked
Dana

Subject: [rt.facebook.com #4298885] re: Dana Horochowski's account ...
From: "Dennis from Facebook"
Reply-To: appeals-comment@facebook.com
In-Reply-To:
References:
RT-Originator: sfortin@facebook.com
To: tom@cyberclass.net
Date: Mon, 23 Apr 2007 13:16:55 -0700


Hi Tommy,

Thanks for writing into us regarding this matter. Although I would like
to address your concerns, due to security reasons, we cannot release
information about this account unless we receive an e-mail from its
login email address. If you can send us an e-mail from that address,
please include all of our previous correspondence in your message and I
will do my best to attend to this matter. I'm sorry for any inconvenience.

Thanks for contacting Facebook,

Dennis
Customer Support Representative
Facebook



[tom@cyberclass.net - Sun Apr 22 17:50:13 2007]:

Greetings:

Dana Horochowski was a mutal friend of myself and a number of my friends
on Facebook. We are all wondering why Facebook disabled her account. The
perception is that Facebook is policing it users like the Gestapo Police.

Dana was sharing lots of good information with her network of friends at
Facebook and we appreciated her input. We do not understand why her profile
disappeared. As of this date we have received a message that Dana
acknowledged your warning and she was set to honour whatever the policy was
that got her disabled.

We wish to know what happened as we do not wish to have our accounts
disabled. Please explain to me what we have to do to make sure that our
Facebook accounts are not disabled. I'll pass the message on to others. In
the alternative a number of Dana's friends will be emailing Facebook to
find
answers.

And what can we do to help get Dana's account enabled?

Enjoy this day!
Tom