by Marie Lorraine

Created on: March 27, 2010

What was once a website created exclusively for students of Harvard University has become the ultimate social staple of our era. Facebook has come so far that it is rare to meet anyone these days who has not succumbed to making their own profile. While there are obvious benefits to the ease of communication Facebook provides, it is important to take into consideration that this kind of fingertip access to just about anyone has its downsides as well.

It is common to hear people who use Facebook on a daily basis refer to it as “addictive” because of a seemingly compulsive need to check the page for updates, or update their own status several times a day. Because Facebook is so accessible now that it is available on most mobile phones in addition to computers, status messages become a sort of a running diary of events in a person's life, and many users will post the kind of information that would normally be reserved for a close friend or confidant on their pages.

Every time a person logs on there are likely to be several new posts giving insight, sometimes very personal, into the lives of their friends, and this appeals to the voyeur in most people, making them want to check over and over again for the latest news and gossip.

Facebook profiles, in general, are created under a person's real name. This means that anyone who knows a person's full name can find their Facebook page with relative ease. Because of the current popularity of the site, the assumption that almost everyone has a page has lead everyone from exes, to concerned parents, to stalkers, to employers to search and find the profiles of specific people. While it is possible to make your page private for anyone who is not on your friends list, that cheesy picture of you chugging a beer with your arm around your married co-worker will show up by default, as will your location or school.

Also, take into consideration that not everyone on your friends list might be who they say they are. People who intend to find out information about you can take many forms, and the smartest way to do so would be to take the appearance of a friend. Just keep in mind that if you wouldn't want your boss, your mother, or a potential stalker to see something, it is probably best not to put it on any part of your Facebook page.

Social networking sites have become invaluable for instant and fun communication with everyone from neighbors and friends to family living overseas. While enjoying the ease with which we can keep up with our Facebook friends, it is important to also keep in mind not to let it become a compulsion that will keep us from productive or more personally rewarding activities. We also need to remember that while our page might seem private, it is on the internet and nothing on the internet is truly secure from public view. It is common for daily users of Facebook to say they have a “love-hate” relationship with the site, and if we consider the downfalls of it as well as the benefits, it is possible to have a safe and enjoyable experience using social networking at its finest.

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