Facebook Issues

As far as social networks online, Facebook is the one that I, along with most other college students, use the most. I’ve spent hours on it at a time and actually procrastinated on this very assignment by deciding to check my Facebook first. It’s where I keep up with my high school friends, share pictures with my friends, and talk to people thousands of miles away. I always find it interesting to find out about the problems that this growing network causes. I found an article entitled “Facebook Can Cause Problems for Students” on http://www.pacertimes.com/home/index.cfm?event=displayArticle&uStory_id=89d244c6-e062-472a-be18-30740962c09c. This article starts out by discussing privacy issues on Facebook. I know that I personally used to feel much safer on Facebook rather than other networks such as MySpace because you had to be in high school or college to be a part of it. However, this is no longer the case because anyone can have a Facebook now. But at least you have to confirm them to be your friend before they can view your profile, right? Wrong! Anyone on the same network as you can view your profile regardless of rather or not you’re friends. I know many people who do not go to the University of Alabama, yet somehow they’ve managed to get onto the Alabama network. This article goes on to talk about pictures posted on Facebook. It talks about the trouble students at universities in northern Kentucky got in for having pictures of themselves drinking alcohol posted on Facebook. This is something that we all as college students should take seriously and be careful as to what we choose to share with people on Facebook about our personal lives. Not only can these pictures get us in trouble right now at our universities, but these pictures could prevent us from getting jobs in the future. Facebook has even gotten students in trouble with the Secret Service! This article tells the story of a guy who made a joke on Facebook about assassinating the president and the Secret Service came after him. So even when joking around with someone on their wall, we have to be aware that people are reading what we are saying and may choose to take it the wrong way. One girl in the article advises, “Don’t put anything you wouldn’t want your mama to see.” I thought this was very good advice and will most likely keep you out of trouble. Also, there’s a chance that your mom has made up a fake profile and has a Facebook herself. You never know! The end of this article talks a little about identity. It discusses how pictures you post on Facebook affect the way you are viewed by others. Not only do the pictures affect it, but also the things you write in your profile, the groups you’re part of, the people you’re friends with, and the thing s you write on people’s wall. These things give off a certain image of yourself. Rather that image is accurate or not, that is the impression people get of you and your character. When using Facebook, we should all be more aware of how we choose to interact and who we choose to interact with.