The 
trading debut of Facebook didn’t exactly burst out of the gate like many people expected. But while the company was getting pounded in mid-day trading Monday, shares of “tracking” stocks — companies people invested in to own a piece of Facebook before it went public — have suffered terribly in its wake.
None more so than fellow social giant Zynga.
Shares 
of the social media site’s close ally Zynga briefly hit an all time low Friday and closed down precipitously. Editor at large Chris Morris looks at why investors fled – and what might lie ahead.
Through sheer force of will, Facebook managed to avoid closing at below its IPO price during its first day of trading on Wall Street. Unfortunately, that didn’t help its allies.
Zynga saw its stock lose roughly 14 percent of its value Friday – after briefly dropping to an all time low. Shares of the company closed at $7.12 following what can only be called an insane day of trading.
I 
never expected to have to go to the police because of Facebook.
I’m an avid user, checking in multiple times per day, but like most people, I thought of it as a lark—a place to let friends know about minor achievements and grievances, share pictures, and reconnect with acquaintances. And it was – until someone threatened my then three-year old daughter.
Facebook 
likes Zynga – a lot.
While the social game maker endured some close scrutiny during its IPO because of its reliance on Facebook, the relationship is actually more of a codependent one — and Facebook will be the first to admit that.
Five 
months after Zynga was center stage on Wall Street, Facebook is readying for its own IPO. And the parallels between the two companies are startling.
At the time (and since it began trading), FarmVille house Zynga was criticized for its over-reliance on the social media site. Investors grumbled that the offering was a dog and pony show — and investors would have no real say in the company’s operations, since the majority of shares remained controlled by Mark Pincus. And the company’s valuation seemed impossibly high.
It’s 
no secret that Mark Zuckerberg will become an even richer man when Facebook shares begin trading. And you don’t have to look too hard to see his top lieutenants will do quite well also.
But the Facebook gravy train is a long one – and some of the people who will benefit from the initial public offering are ones you might not expect.
Chris Morris: Journalist 