For all the virtues of Facebook extolled by proponents of online social networking websites, I cannot deceive myself any further. The negative side effects of using Facebook are many and real, and in order for Facebook to continue to me a useful social networking tool, these must be faced adequately.

Firstly, Facebook is a major distraction from other tasks at hand, some of them rather urgent. I sometimes find myself taking a short break from my work on Facebook, and before I know it, I will be busy updating myself on my friend's profiles and photos, or playing some latest Facebook application. These activities burn away my precious time, when I should instead be working hard on my assignment to meet those already tight deadlines. I have also found myself surfing or chatting on Facebook in class, and I usually miss out on important nuggets of information doled out my the lecturer, or find myself in awkward situations when called to answer a question that I missed because I was so engrossed on Facebook.

Secondly, Facebook gives a false sense of keeping close contact with my friends or acquaintances. I find myself 'poking' a friend studying overseas, or writing a short message on my friend's 'wall', updating him or her on the latest happenings in my life. I then feel content, thinking that I have managed to maintain contact with my friend. But all this feels hollow after a while, and truly nothing can compare to the personal touch of a phone call, of a personalized birthday card, of a pen-written letter, or best of all, a face-to-face chat over lunch.

Thirdly, Facebook provides an information overload. I am constantly updated on what is happening in my friends' lives. Sometimes, this can be truly exciting and informative, other times, it can be downright ridiculous and mundane. Imagine reading about somebody brushing their teeth! Reading such notes is a waste of time. Granted, this is a problem not of my own doing, and there is little I can do to mitigate such problems. However, I try to be a gracious online citizen by not updating on the smallest detail of my life, in the hope that my friends will reciprocate my good intentions.

However, I believe that such negative effects all stem from a lack of discipline. Nobody can deny the benefits of Facebook, so long as it is not used in excess. I must possess the determination and discipline to prioritize urgent tasks over Facebook. I should make an effort to periodically contact my friends to find out how they are doing, and I should consciously avoid updating frivolous and mundane updates on my profile. Doing so would ensure that the benefits of Facebook continue to outweigh the negative effects, and continue to be a useful tool for networking.

Learn more about this author, Timou.
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