Pros and Cons of Facebook

                For many people, Facebook has become an integral part of daily life. Whether it be your 50 year old mother that goes on Facebook but only sits on the homepage or your peers that keep Facebook open for a greater part of the afternoon, Facebook has infiltrated most people’s daily routines. Facebook can be a great tool of communication and social networking (that is its purpose right?). Although it is one of the most one of the most innovative, popular and flourishing social networking platforms, there are most definitively positive AND negative aspects of Facebook usage.

                To start, let’s discuss the obvious pros to Facebook. There are two major positive aspects of Facebook that encompass other pros of the social networking site. The first thing, and what I believe is the most resourceful thing Facebook can provide, is the ability to find friends, family and coworkers. What does this do for the younger generation? Reaching out to someone can be difficult but becoming Facebook friends could be that first step that sparks a blossoming relationship. Personally, Facebook has helped me stay participate in the lives of and keep updated with family from India, even when geographically so far away from each other. With the time difference and costly phone bills, I would otherwise be unable to stay as connected as I am with them. I am able to view pictures, see what they are doing (via statuses and other wall posts) and even communicate directly via Facebook chat. And for the older generations? Reconnecting with old friends is made easy with Facebook and can be the reason many folks from the older generation join Facebook in the first place. For example, my Dad hadn’t spoken to his best friend from college since he had come to the United States but found him on Facebook and the two have been in touch since then. For the business oriented Facebook users, the networking power presented are immense and extremely helpful. You may get in touch with people who can help further your career or even just promote yourself and any work you do.

                The other main positive aspect of Facebook is its versatility. When you log onto Facebook, you are able to see a quick snap shot of what your friends are doing. The homepage allows users to see status updates collectively. Facebook has become social organization tool. Events are publicized and are sometimes the only form of invitation to events. The new chat feature has created a more personal interface, as you can interact with your friends who are online directly rather than just browsing other people’s profiles. The many different ways to interact on Facebook (liking, commenting, posting, poking, etc.) has made Facebook interactions more personable and real. Instead of just a profile with basic information, the interactivity has created a new world with the feeling that the people in the profiles genuinely exist.

These features have all given people reason to integrate Facebook into their daily lives and such a thing can be useful but also harmful. What do I mean by that? The ease with which users are able to find other people on Facebook can be convenient but its effectiveness can also bring unwanted friend requests and unwanted attention. Although Facebook has become a great way to network, there can be a lot of drama surrounding things that are said or done on Facebook. For instance, it is common for people to maintain an accurate relationship status on Facebook, whether that be “single” or newly “In a Relationship” with someone else. The transition between these phases can cause a lot of drama and unnecessary attention. It can also create awkwardness. An example: You and your boyfriend break up and you leave the post up on your wall. Your friends who didn't like your boyfriend like the relationship status change. This kind of cyber interaction can ruin or harm future real world interactions. Although Facebook isn't face to face, it is viewed as a way to express real feelings and therefore can be taken as seriously as face to face interactions. 

Privacy issues can be a negative aspect. Facebook has become easier to hack and spam. Although not a huge nuisance, it is still a deterrent. Another issue has come up with personal information sharing. This has caused a huge debate, some critics saying that Facebook is a gross violation of people’s rights. Businesses now use Facebook to check up on a prospective employee. Privacy invasion can be unwanted but is not necessarily the fault of Facebook itself. Each user chooses to be a part of the Facebook world and the risks they take with privacy are at their own discretion. Many new privacy protecting features have been added to Facebook in an attempt to give the user more control over their profile and who sees it. Users can now hide themselves from being searched and can determine what specific groups of friends can and can’t see on their profile (pictures, wallposts, etc.).

Perhaps the biggest con that Facebook faces is the amount of time you can spend on it. Though this is a con people associate with Facebook, it is truly only the decision of the user to log onto Facebook and stay on. Although Facebook isn’t complaining, it can become a real problem. There are even programs out there (ex. Self Control) that can control which websites you can’t visit for a certain period of time and which I know for a fact that many of my peers use to control their Facebook usage when they need to be productive. Why do people spend so much time on Facebook? Humans are naturally curious and Facebook quenches the thirst of curiosity in respect to social happenings. There is not possible way a person could be involved in the life of every single person they know but Facebook provides a medium to feel involved even if not face to face.

Do the pros outweigh the cons? I believe that the user experience is useful, fun, and fulfilling so why wouldn’t they?! Although there are negative aspects to Facebook, many of them can be eliminated by exercising self-control or changing privacy settings.