I went for a run with a friend the other day. We started talking about the phenomenon of Facebook, the latest social media craze. I like to think I joined before it became popular so I was one of the first ones. If I had time to really think through the ways it would affect my life I may have never joined, mostly because I have never really wanted to do the "cool" thing unless I wholheartedly believed in it. There are people who are not on facebook, believe it or not and I immediately tell them not to join. But then I quickly explain to them why I think this.
Timewaster - If you are not careful it can be a major time waster. A few months after I first joined I started checking it more regularly and would spend a couple of hours every night looking at people's profiles etc. I know there were many other things I could have done with that time, i.e. sleep.
Privacy- When you join facebook you have to be prepared to share your life, all of it, past, present, & future with everyone. Sure there are privacy settings that have been implemented but it still is a place where information is easily shared.
Fly on the wall - It is very easy to peek in on other people and their lives. For some people it doesn't seem wrong but sometimes it is a little strange sneaking in on their lives.
Like - There are many companies that are trying to market their products. In order to get their coupons or deals you have to go to their page and "like" them. There are many people who "like" a lot of things but then we don't know what they really like. As an example I only like a few pages or businesses so now if someone looks at my page they know what I really like.
Although there are some negatives to facebook I think there are many great things.
Social Outlet - As a mom who stays at home with three little boys I need a social outlet. I do get out and see people but with facebook I feel like I don't need to get out as often. I can see how others are doing simply by getting on the computer. It's also encouraging to read daily updates from other moms. I know I'm not alone.
Reconnecting - It truly makes me happy to see some of my high school friends on facebook. I love seeing that life is treating them well and that they are living a happy and fulfilling life.
Family Ties - This is a great way to stay connected to family even if they are in other parts of the country. I also like that I can post pictures of my family for others to see.
Important Updates - Last year when my husband was in the hospital I was able to quickly update everyone so people could be praying for him. I was also able to give updates as his recovery progressed. What a great way to communicate to family and friends when we are in need. On the opposite spectrum I was able to share the news of the birth of our son. (but not our first two sons since facebook wasn't as popular then).
I think this whole facebook (and even twitter) thing is very interesting. I'm especially anxious to see how it develops over the years. To think that even at our wedding which was almost seven years ago no one was updating their status about anything is crazy. Now it's part of many people's daily life. And who knows how it will affect my boys as they grow up.
In the meantime I will try to continue to enjoy the great things about it.
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