The social networking site referred to as Facebook is one of the top social media websites today. Born in 2004 Facebook is ever changing and improving with time. Many have their opinions about this site but most will agree that the way we communicate in today’s society has greatly been affected by Facebook.
This was defiantly not my first time using Facebook. I first started using this site when I was in high school. When I first got my Facebook I had mixed feelings about it and didn’t think it was going to last. MySpace was the current popular social media site that I had familiarized myself with before Facebook. When Facebook came about I was not so convinced on the idea. I found it confusing and was not a fan for about a year. Then suddenly a volcano called Facebook erupted. MySpace died out and it died out quickly. Everyone I knew soon found themselves attached to the hype of Facebook. It has been that way ever since and is now considered a social norm in society.
Being a long time user of Facebook I utilize the site in many ways. Being able to catch up with friends who I haven’t seen in a long time or family members who live out of state is extremely nice. I also am constantly using Facebook to connect with students from school to talk about projects or homework assignments. I also use Facebook for my job. Our salon has a Facebook in which I help update to market our business.
There are however many other ways people utilize Facebook. One of those ways is to self-promote themselves. Facebook can give employers a good sense of who you are and skills you may have. In an article about social media for public relations Top Rank Online Marketing said, “A majority agree that knowledge of social networks is either important or very important when it comes to PR and marketing hiring.” Making companies aware that you are knowledgeable with social media can give you a better opportunity for landing a job. Companies in today’s society do a lot of promoting and marketing through online sources making it a good idea to become familiar with sites such as Facebook. A second way people utilize Facebook is to show their creativity. By allowing members to upload personal pictures and videos people can use Facebook as a creative outlet. The third way people can utilize Facebook is by being able to find and research a business with the click of a button. You can obviously use Google or any other search engine to get reviews or directions to somewhere, but Facebook gives you much more than that. By having a Facebook members can instantly see where their friends are dining, drinking, or shopping. They can also get feedback and comments about places of business they are interested in.
When starting our Facebook project we were urged to create a new Facebook even if we already had an existing one. This was because it is very important to keep your professional and personal lives separate. What we as students do on our own time should remain separate from our school and work lives. Keeping the boundary between these two is an important tool to learn and carry out in our future.
The choices we have on Facebook regarding making certain things public or private might not be what you think. Although we do as Facebook users have the choice to make pictures or certain statuses private there are still ways for employers to see them. When Facebook became so popular the act of being more aware of what employees are putting on their Facebook’s became popular as well. Bigger companies now have programs in which they can search current and future employees Facebook’s to see material they have put on the web even if it’s under private settings. So to answer the main question anything you put on the web isn’t private and if you don’t want anyone to see it, don’t put it online.
Regarding social media sites and etiquette there are some rules to follow.
#1 Avoid posting anything when under the influence. This goes for posting images from the night before as well that showcases you in a way you wouldn’t want a boss or future boss to see. Even if you post something inappropriate and delete it in the morning the information is still out there to find. In the article, “Examining Students’ Intended Image on Facebook: “What Were They Thinking?!”,”questions arise on why people, particularly students post certain pictures on Facebook. College students post inappropriate pictures that can and do hinder their search to find a job.
#2 Avoid posting every little thing that you do in the day. Over usage can be just as bad as posting inappropriate things. Your news feed does not need to know when you are going to the gym, walking to class, are bored in class, or what you’re having for dinner.
#3 Do not use social media sites to bad talk other individuals. This act has serious consequences and in some cases can be fatal. Avoid discrimination of any kind because people will see it and there will be consequences.
#4 Don’t be-friend, follow, or accept anyone you do not know. Stranger danger people, the Internet has turned into a scary place where there are people lurking around every corner. Be very cautious in who you accept because they are then instantly capable of knowing your every move.
#5 Be careful when posting on your friends walls or pages. Just because the picture or words aren’t on your page doesn’t mean that it won’t affect you or your friend in a negative way. Your name is attached to the picture or words and can be traced back to you. In addition bad pictures of your friends can leave a negative trail for them as well.
Personally I have not encountered any awkward situations on Facebook. I did however briefly deactivate my Facebook because I was extremely annoyed with what it was doing to me and my friends. When I would go out to dinner with friends or family members everyone had their face buried in their phone. When it came down to having a real-life conversation with someone social media such as Facebook took first priority. Facebook was running my life and I felt like I was almost addicted to checking my news feed. After taking a few weeks to detach myself from Facebook I feel like I got my sanity back and my friends now know when we are out for dinner their phone stay in their pockets.
Even though I haven’t encountered many awkward situations there are many others who have. Social media sites like Facebook can be beneficial in many ways, but can also have serious consequences on lives. In the article, “A World I Don’t Inhabit: Disquiet and Identity in Second Life and Facebook,” the idea that we create all of these social media sites to promote the real us and we end up with trying to fit in so bad we lose who we are. By having the ability to be whoever we want to be and put any information about ourselves on these sites we can forget who we really are and put false information about us online which misleads people.
