Whitey - 4:15 am on Jan 4, 2011 (gmt 0)

With $500m I think it would be easy enough to work out compelling strategic monetization options to engage community. It boils down to buying and selling something/s.

Shouldn't be hard with resources -it's a big audience that is keen to listen. I wouldn't restrict it to things like dating that will struggle to sustain as models change. They will want the high ground like Google and other big players, and fold in secondary offerings and advertising that blends into the social platform.

Some things and partnerships like Groupon / Ebay / OTA's etc etc could fit well and with a more personalised ad platform with personal profile features . Google doesn't do that well in this way , and indeed search preferences could work better directed through Facebook than Google. But that's not what Facebook does ( yet , could be something many years down the track to consider ).

It will become obvious in time - ultimately it will be a no-brainer concept. Their key advantage is the power to network with unprecedented data preferences. How to harness this into a format, and make it happen will be the job of the brightest brains on the planet that the money can buy.

It seems simple and a bit sexist , but - the first thing people like to do is talk. The 2nd thing woman like to do is look good and shop. Let's go shopping together. Then the guys get influenced by the gals .... sort of thing , without being too sexist or simplistic.