Risks To Facebook: IPO Filing Lists Mark Zuckerberg, Google+, The Government As Risks

As part of its much ballyhooed S-1 filing on its road to going public, Facebook ($FB) also listed a set of "Risks Related to Our Business and Industry." These risks are laid out as a sort of warning for investors, a litany of things that could go wrong for Facebook and bring it crashing back down from its sky-high valuation that could reach as high as $100 billion when the company begins officially trading publicly.

Some of the risks listed should be no surprise -- members becoming uninterested over time, rival startups stealing users away -- while others are a bit more unexpected. (Example: One of the risks facing Mark Zuckerberg's company: Mark Zuckerberg).

Below, read why Zuckerberg could bring about the downfall of the company he created at age 19 in 2004, and check out the other major risks facing Facebook, including China, the U.S. government, and -- gasp! -- we the media! In all, the Facebook S-1 filing listed 38 major risk factors facing its "industry and business"; we've picked out the nine that caught our eye.

Hungry for more Facebook facts, check out the most interesting new stats Facebook revealed in its S-1. Read on to see how you helped Facebook get to where it is today.

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Comments

[barbarahoward49]

09:59 PM on 02/05/2012

And he's a psychopath.

[DitchDocMD]

09:00 PM on 02/05/2012

Well one problem with FB as with MySpace and even now kind of with youtube, popups, advertizing, and banners, which are what actually generate revenue for these organizations gets annoying to users of the sites. FB is going to have to diversify quite a bit to withstand the long run. A simple change in privacy laws for example could instantly result in users closing accounts and in fact I've heard more and more people hiding or closing down their profiles on FB simply because more and more professional organizations, employers, and agencies are holding pictures, comments, and information in one's profile such as political or religious views,, against that person in obtaining licensure or a job. I've heard professors going out of their way to disuade students from putting anything that could potentially embarass the student or school on FB or youtube or face potential ramifications which could in other words result in expulsion from the school.

[tchspirit6]

12:29 AM on 02/06/2012

agreed. way too many people, groups, organizations have access to what we "innocently" send only to our facebook buddies.

[Canefighter]

04:28 PM on 02/05/2012

I wont buy any shares, I think it will not grow much beyond what it is now. That is just my thought not advice. I can say it is a great idea that went good for him.

[tchspirit6]

12:29 AM on 02/06/2012

agreed. and me thinks it peaked.

[LiberalLee]

01:10 PM on 02/03/2012

You mean besides the rather obvious fact that there isn't anything REAL about the thing? That there's nothing concrete they make or sell? Nothing to actually generate revenue?

[EastCstOlsenGrl]

06:30 PM on 02/03/2012

oh god. please don't tell me you're another one of those "wall street people don't DO anything so F them for making so much money" whiners.

[LiberalLee]

06:38 PM on 02/03/2012

No. I'm actually married to someone that worked on W. St. and in European banking and between us we make between
$200-$250K in annual income.
And he's in IT, so it's not as if either of us is unfamiliar with either technology, or financial workings.
Bad guess on your part.
Sounds like I touched a nerve for some reason.

[porschefan1540]

09:55 PM on 02/05/2012

Well, at $100 billion valuation, they must be generating revenue somewhere.

[barbarahoward49]

10:00 PM on 02/05/2012

There's certainly that illusion.

[LiberalLee]

10:22 PM on 02/05/2012

Ads and letting people use it as a forum for ads.

[lucky2020]

12:46 AM on 02/03/2012

kickingitlive.com is the newest thing coming out itll be out in 4 short months and you know what people youll see how boring fake book and gooogooo is itll incorprate a video sight in house like u tube but also be a social network watch for it soon itll be the NEW WAVE OF SOCIAL SITES TO TAKE YOU INTO THE FUTURE more funner more exciting less pushy less nosey we are all kicking it on this planet untill we arent youll be able to kick other members lol not literally but technically soft or hard depending on how much attention you want and itll incorparte some awsome new wave futristic features youll alll love this sonoma beach so much fake book will fade fast

[theron mote]

12:43 AM on 02/03/2012

yea, and you thought he was crazy for not selling for 100 million a few years ago, and now its worth 100 billion. hey he created the company so therefore he should have final say. remember when apple fired steve jobs because they thought he was a threat, and the company went to the toilet til he came back. everybody always think they know best, but the truth is, only the one with the plan and the dream knows best. and I think he has proved that! don't let the greed take over, because thats when things start going wrong.....

[Ganz]

09:30 AM on 02/03/2012

well said

[barbarahoward49]

10:01 PM on 02/05/2012

Steve Jobs had a product.

[Kerry Cook]

02:25 AM on 02/06/2012

When does the Steve Jobs cult plan on moving on? He was a greedy thief & focused more on marketing than building/making new tech. When it came to the iPod, his focus was on designing the pretty boxes they came in. Sigh...

[lucky2020]

12:41 AM on 02/03/2012

am i the only guy who doesnt need fake book it seems its over rated even google plus is a bore until aawsome new wave site comes about ill pass and keep reading play boy hahaha

[TNTtim]

07:16 AM on 02/03/2012

I am not on face book and I see what it does to others. What a big waste of time.

[reapz13]

07:20 AM on 02/03/2012

I'm not a fan either. I liked MySpace when it was big, but hate Facebook. It just seems like a cheap knock off that invades every aspect of your life and privacy.

[adika3z]

12:34 AM on 02/03/2012

Mark Zuckerberg is the CEO of Facebook,
what is mark nationalization,
what mark parents came from because of his last name is zuckerberg,
who is a CEO of Twitter now,

[silverlake10]

12:22 AM on 02/03/2012

Sounds like he has way too much power and is an unknown as far as responsibility is concerned.
Hopefully this problem will be resolved with a minimum of damage. The central problem of our society seems to be immaturity of leadership.

[jelder5900]

12:07 AM on 02/03/2012

Why would anyone buy minority shares in a company at this kind of price? What if this kid meets his maker two months from now? The shares and control would pass to his heirs. Does anyone know who they are and are they qualified to take control? Buying these shares is nothing but a donation to the existing Facebook shareholders and hoping that a greater fool will come along later to pay more for them. As for the pros on the street, they will be buying .....and then SELLING....QUICKLY, LOL.

[kennlrs]

11:40 PM on 02/02/2012

Just like Microsoft founder, Zuckerberg dropped out of college to start a new Internet company. I guess they feel that if they don'[t start a new company while in college,some other bright student will have the same innovative ideas and will start up a similar new company. They can avoid the nickname of "college dropout'[ by returning later to get a college degree but this might be hard to do what with " married with children" and being head of a wealthy worldwide company.

[ahnree]

11:29 PM on 02/02/2012

he is so smart that he could be psychotic in a few years.

[barbarahoward49]

10:02 PM on 02/05/2012

I believe he already is.

[Fred Hughes]

11:24 PM on 02/02/2012

People are so jealous. Most of the people who put him down wolud gladly change places with him if they could. But for me, I don't think I would want that much responsibility on my mind.

[barbarahoward49]

10:06 PM on 02/05/2012

I'm not jealous. Why on earth would you say that? This child is a bizzaro. He has no life except for his cyber business, and he has no respect for the personal information of each individual who has a presence on his site. That frightens me.

[Fred Hughes]

10:36 PM on 02/05/2012

If a person feels their life is so personal, then they shouldn't be on facebook.

[jerseygirl759]

10:56 PM on 02/02/2012

Investors do have a reason for concern. The unnecessary changes in format that Facebook is making are not wanted by the majority of users and many are sick of it already. This new timeline profile amongst other changes are slowly making Facebook an unsafe place as we slowly lose control of information that is shared, we are opening ourselves up for a variety of things like stalkers, pedafiles, unwanted attention from people we do not know or want to know, to name a few. Zuckerberg has upset a lot of users with the changes he insists will make Facebook better. The old saying if it isn't broke don't fix it applies here. Then again, why should he care. He has already made his money.

[kennlrs]

11:45 PM on 02/02/2012

To jerseygirl759: I think the correct quote is "If it ain't broke don't fix it." Just like rocker Bob Dylan sang his song "The times they are a'changin' " Or the Beatles sang a song called "It's been a hard day's night..."

[Michael Leinbach]

11:46 PM on 02/02/2012

The changes Facebook recently made are horrible!! I used it because it was simple. Now its absolutely horrible i dont go on anymore so you are right.

[thatmankev]

10:47 PM on 02/02/2012

Some people are so stupid. Anyone, not only Mark Zuckerberg, would be a risk of they owned 58% of company stock. They have the majority of the stock therefore no one can overrule them. I mean come on people, this isn't about Zuckerberg, it's about anyone in his position when a company is trying to go public. I feel like this is common sense, apparently not... wow.

[EastCstOlsenGrl]

06:32 PM on 02/03/2012

thank you. finally some common sense in this lands of idiots.