Miss604 Poll: The Facebook Effect

It’s become a part of almost every conversation I have lately because at some point someone mentions something they wrote, did or read on Facebook. Up until a little while ago if I dared talk about anything computer or internet related in a social setting I was made fun of. Now, social media has allowed for every man, woman and their dog (literally, have you see dogbook yet?) to get connected, online.

Part of the attraction is news feeds: You get that Facebook notification email that someone sneezed so you hop on over to your profile or home feed.

Scenario #1: Love. Once thing that John and I were talking with Duane about was when someone changes their relationship status… “Bob is now listed as single” WOOSH! Everyone rushes to Bob’s wall to ask questions, see what’s up, are there pictures up of his newfound single-ness? What happened to Betty? WOOSH! Rush over to Betty’s wall, she’s got a nasty status update posted: “Betty is thinking Bob should drop dead”. Uh Oh! Suddenly (depending on your privacy settings) your hundred contacts, colleagues and acquaintaces know that you are sleeping on the couch tonight.

Scenario #2: Full Dance Card. Thanks to people sending event invites to everyone on their friends list, I seriously have about 5 different options of ‘things to do’ almost ever night of the week – and I have less than 100 people on my list. I am by no means some super hyper popular person but wow, yeah. Do I formally “decline” events that I cannot attend or do I leave them awaiting approval long past the event date? What if I decline one but then that friend can see that I’ve accepted another? What about those poor SOBs that haven’t started drinking the Kool Aid – they won’t be able to see the event because, it’s *only* on Facebook. Suddenly I feel like we’re put into two classes: total ‘social’ sweethearts or anti-social non-responsive a-holes.

Scenario #3: High school. Now I went to an awesome school with only about 300 people so you pretty much knew of everyone. Unfortunately for some, there were some people that you just didn’t really want to know and now 10 years later… you could seriously care less about them let alone remember the last time you thought of their existence. But this is Facebook and you could a) lurk and see what they’ve been up to/how good they’re looking b) chat them up.

With b), suddenly all past differences are tossed aside (because we’re all adults now, eh) and you are just so happy to write on their wall “OMG I haven’t heard from you in AGES how are you?”… let’s see hmm “…over the last TEN years I’ve…”

Don’t get me wrong at all, like I said, I love my little high school. I just find it funny that ex’s or strangers are suddenly all about contacting folks, just because they *can*, well at least until they get blocked anyway.

Scenario #4: Security. My brother is currently looking for a job. I asked him tonight if he was on Facebook yet, to which he replied that he heard at a seminar that employers will search for you, on Facebook and Myspace, to either learn more or see what you’re really like.

I understand but I have to say … “everybody’s doing it!”. In my case, I have a pretty public blog that even my bossed asked me to help him subscribe to the other day. It’s a non-issue as I’m totally Googleable anyway. My Facebook profile is straightforward and honest, just like this site. I omit a couple names, I don’t post my mobile number and I usually only add people that I have met, know or at least know of (or we have several friends in common). But there must be some kind of censorship going on especially if you know (or don’t know) just who is reading. This opens things up perfectly for Miss604.com poll #3:

Regardless of its use, it’s addictive even if you won’t admit it. Check email, check Facebook – it’s become a part of our daily routines and I’m just wondering where it’s going to go from here.