As I think about my actual use of social media, I immediately think of Facebook. Shocker right? But in reality I am hooked. It is by far my most frequented web site and could even compete for the lead consumer of most of my time out of class. How sad. So, WHY DO I LIKE FACEBOOK? Hm, good question. Well, there is the fact that it has almost every picture of my ever taken, as well of all the pictures of everyone I have ever met, and who doesn't love a good photo album. Aside from the pictures being entertaining, they allow me to keep tabs on people without even having to talk or in this case comment to them personally. For this use, being to keep up with friends, Facebook is a great tool and totally functional. If I want to upload an album I can do it in no time and my friends can keep up with what I am doing. If I want to look at my friends pictures all I have to do is click on the picture. It even has the home page that is customized to who's pages I frequent the most. I hardly have to do any searching myself!
There is one thing I would change about Facebook though and that is- age restrictions. I don't know about anyone else, but when I see a middle school kid pop up in my friend request, or a little girl I used to babysit posting pictures of herself at an 8th grade dance, I get a little creeped out. In my opinion it takes chat room promiscuity to a whole new level. Now kids aren't talking to strangers behind a cement wall, they are out there putting up pictures an allowing any creep to know anything about them. I would love to see Facebook go back to its original ways and put restrictions on who can access it. I haven't really formed an exact opinion as to at what age it would be appropriate to access Facebook, but I know that middle school is just too early. What ever happened to meeting friends organically like going out after school and romping around the playground?
Another obvious useful tool for Facebook is to stay connected and organized with the organizations and causes I am involved in. I must say that event reminders and inbox messages about club meeting or class changes are some of the main reasons I keep my Facebook running. Without them I would be totally out of the loop and missing out on a lot of important information. It is almost to the point that I feel it is a requirement to have a Facebook as a college student.
Going against what I was just arguing, I know that I had a Myspace in middle school, on which I posted pictures and personal content. But that does not mean I think it was the best thing for a 13 year old to be doing. Who knows what I posted on there that might come back to bite my in the ass. As for why I retired from Myspace and transferred to Facebook, the only explanation I really have is that, I wanted to fit in. Myspace just became old news and Facebook was where it was happening. To be totally honest I can hardly remember the functions of Myspace so its hard to think of something Tom could have done to keep it afloat...maybe pulled the fire alarm at the Harvard dorm the day the new site was being launched? Either way phases happen and others are left in the dust. Who knows what the next best thing is going to be. But as for Myspace, I think I am going to remain in eternal retirement.
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