I’m totally confused. Help me understand why does a company that is based on computing with a program, or numerous programs require 25,000 employees? Why aren’t the computers doing everything?
NO. I’m not a techie by any means. Just an old retired guy with one old horse left in the corral.
Computers only do exactly what they are told to do, and only if they are told in a way they understand. The engineers are tasked with writing software to keep (or ‘make’, depending on your point of view) the sight interesting, while also gleaning tons of user information and keeping outsiders from penetrating the site’s internal data streams.
Consider the maintenance issue for a fleet of cars or trucks: Someone has to specialize in handling tire issues, someone in diesels, someone in sedans, etc. That’s how such an organization builds up - a whole set of special needs crop up, adding people who handle those issues while helping others.
Add to that the Facebook stasi, and you have a bunch of people in the company.