Facebook's Telescope on Human Behavior - Technology Review

Excerpt from an interview with Facebook Data Science team leader Cameron Marlow

"TR: Why does Facebook need a team of academically trained researchers like yours?

Marlow: We conduct science research to answer the most pressing product questions. How do people derive value from Facebook? What motivates interactions? How do these change over time? The science of Facebook is the science of social interaction, so our work addresses fundamental questions about human dynamics, such as personal influence, tie strength, information diffusion, and social support.
Facebook has rethought how to make research have a greater impact in an industrial setting—using it to help make decisions and evolve our products. Traditional research labs like Bell Labs or Xerox Park have [shown that corporate research can have] a profound impact on culture and technology, developing countless inventions."

Facebook's Telescope on Human Behavior - Technology Review