FB: 182K new US jobs
By Asha

The University of Maryland has released research which says that the proliferation of Facebook and mobile technology applications has spawned an entirely new industry – dubbed the "App Economy" — that has added at least 182,000 new jobs and contributed more than $12.19 billion in wages and benefits to the U.S. economy this year. Using more aggressive estimates, the Facebook App Economy created a total of 235,644 jobs, adding a value of $15.71 billion to the economy.

Professors at the Smith School's Center for Digital Innovation, Technology, and Strategy have for the first time been able to quantify that Facebook's App Economy has created more than 53,000 new jobs in software companies who make applications for the Facebook Platform. Apps include everything from productivity tools to popular games like "Farmville" that users interact with on Facebook.

The App Economy has also led to job creation at businesses that supply app developers, and in sectors that reap the benefits of increased household spending by app developers and suppliers from new app economy jobs. Researchers conducted an economic impact analysis to estimate that between 129,000 to more than 182,000 people are employed in jobs supported by the app economy.