Facebook signed up its 100 millionth member last August and is expected to reach 200 million shortly, representing a staggering growth rate that has seen the numbers double in 8 months. This article by the New York Times reviews how Facebook has developed and the challenges it now faces to maintain this momentum and to maximise the potential revenue from this membership base.

Facebook has developed its own momentum as well as a passionate user base that has reacted poorly in recent months to proposed changes by the company to privacy controls and also the recent redesign of users' home page. It is also facing increasing competition from newer start-ups like Twitter, the micro-blogging service which is attracting current media focus, plus there will be a growing issue between the original users of Facebook - young, tech-savvy early adopters - who move away from the service as it attracts a wider (and older) user base.