facebook is the devil

I remember back in the good ol' days of facebook when you had to be a college student to gt an account. Now, anybody with an internet connection can log on and be just as addicted as the rest of us. With the 21^st century being a technology driven time, it only makes sense that social networking sites have taken off and become such a normal part of day to day life. I’m sure there are many of us in the class that check our facebook pages several times a day. I know I do, especially when I am bored or don’t have anything to do. We as a generation have gotten so accustomed to having these information and social tools at our disposal that we feel deprived if we don’t have access.

I mainly use my facebook account as a means to communicate with friends and classmates, but I also use it as an alternate source of news. I found out about a lot of recent news stories via facebook and twitter that I then searched on Google or went to Yahoo! News to find. I learned about the death of Michael Jackson on twitter. I learned about the earthquake in Haiti on facebook. Although it’s purposes might mainly be seen as a diversion from reality or a way to stay connected to old friends, it can also be beneficial for relaying information back and forth. (And not just information about relationships or house parties). It’s also increasingly becoming a way for corporations and advertising agencies to target potential consumers. They can use key words in your profile to determine what your interests are and what you are most likely to buy. It might seem like an invasion of privacy, but most people know now that they are (in a way) throwing away their privacy the minute they click “Sign up!”