This service will allow users of the 500 million strong network to pose questions to each other in a similar fashion found on microblog website Twitter. 

 

According to a media statement “Facebook Questions helps you tap into the collective knowledge of the more than 500 million people on Facebook. For example, if you're vacationing in Costa Rica and want to know the best places to surf, you can use Facebook Questions to get answers from nearby surfing enthusiasts. Because questions will also appear to your friends and their friends, you'll receive answers that are more personalized to you.”

 

“To ask a question to the community, just click the "Ask Question" button at the top of the homepage. You can also ask questions about your friends from their profiles, similarly to how you would post on their Walls” the statement explained.

 

 Facebook's director of product management Blake Ross added that "with this new application, you can get a broader set of answers and learn valuable information from people knowledgeable on a range of topics." 

 

Initially the service will be restricted to a limited number of users, although Blake confirmed that Facebook will "be developing it rapidly based on their feedback.”

 

Although it is currently unclear where the website intends to take this platform in the future, the company seems keen to buck a trend which other online behemoths such as Google and Yahoo! are beginning to take note of.