Stuart Freen is a JD candidate at Osgoode Hall Law School
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg on Monday that the site’s instant messaging system will soon be getting a major overhaul. The revamped system aims to integrate email, instant messaging and text messaging, and will offer users @facebook.com email addresses. the move will put Facebook in direct competition with existing webmail providers including Google, Yahoo and Microsoft.
Zuckerberg touted the new service as being tailored towards social media-savvy young people who find traditional email “antiquated”. Washington Post columnist Rob Pegoraro that the service lacks many advanced email features and won’t be a viable replacement for heavy email users.
Competition between internet giants Facebook and Google is heating up. all week that Facebook would introduce a “”, referring to Google’s hugely popular webmail client. Google Facebook from importing contacts from Gmail, arguing that Facebook was not reciprocating. Google also last week that it was developing a new social networking service to compete with Facebook.