Facebook: What’s Not to “Like”?

The expanding role of Facebook in the modern world is one of indeterminate limits and ever-growing prominence.

It has become so popular that babies are being named after it.  Indeed, CNET News (2011), a media news site, reported in February that an Egyptian baby was actually named Facebook “to celebrate the importance of the Web in the struggles of Egypt’s people as its citizens cast off long-standing oppression.” Such an honor is of comparable magnitude to infants who have previously been named after Biblical heroes, historical giants, and even celebrities. Yet this is only a tiny snapshot of the incredible influence Facebook has accumulated worldwide in its few short years of existence.

As such, whether one is a “Facebooker” or not, this revolution in communication is a force everyone must reckon with. What began as a small-time social experiment in a college dorm room has rapidly evolved into a many-headed hydra that sinks its teeth into almost every aspect of our lives. Depending on each user’s choices regarding the regulation of this technological behemoth, its fangs can either enhance or inhibit his way of life. Facebook is a widely used social network that comes with both advantages and risks, but for wise users who are careful about what they disclose on the site and how long they spend on it, Facebook’s commercial, academic, social, and personal benefits make it a worthwhile time investment.

For such a global phenomenon, Facebook derives from relatively exclusive origins. As recorded by webhostingreport.com (n. d.), a professional web hosting company, Facebook founder and current CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s first conception of the idea of a local network came, interestingly enough, from a site he created at Harvard called Facesmash. On this website, fellow classmates’ photos were displayed for viewers to judge who was hotter. However, Zuckerberg apparently accessed these photos by illegally hacking into the college network, and as a result, he nearly faced expulsion. In addition, the same source alleged that since Facebook’s creation in 2004 (originally dubbed “The Facebook”), the social network has been bombarded with lawsuits, legal issues, and controversies, including the accusation that Zuckerberg stole the idea from his classmates, Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss.

Though it is not altogether surprising that the history of such a profitable enterprise is riddled with conflict and intrigue, it is interesting to note how Facebook’s somewhat shady path to power seems to have ultimately become overshadowed by its present-day utility—not unlike the way Americans’ unjustified methods of seizing the natives’ territory often remains largely forgotten to the country’s inhabitants today.

What exactly is Facebook’s present-day utility? The first truth to recognize is that its usefulness lies in its popularity, which has permeated almost every corner of the globe. According to the Nielson Company (2010), which provides businesses with an understanding of what consumers watch and buy through statistics, Facebook was the most-searched term in both 2009 and 2010, defeating even terms such as “Myspace,” “Youtube,” “Ebay,” and “Google.” In 2010, four variations of “Facebook” made the top ten, accounting for 3.48% of all searches. Hitwise (2010), one of the leading online competitive intelligence services, also notes that of the top ten most-visited websites in 2010, Facebook was number one, surpassing Google and Yahoo from 2009.

These statistics suggest that a high proportion of internet users all around the world use Facebook, thus generating a more-than-wide-enough audience to attract the interest of individuals and groups of all types—from friends to family members, businesses to political organizations, colleges to news publications. Whether these people are attracted to Facebook due to its advertising potential or its ability to connect users with loved ones, many are drawn to this massive gathering place. With so many different sources competing for Facebook users’ attention, it would behoove us to be aware of how the site’s various features and intricacies can add to our life experiences—and how they can injure them.

To entrepreneurs and advertisers, Facebook is a dream come true. Schwartz (2010) stated in Gifts & Accessories (a monthly magazine geared toward businesses and gift-related industries) that Facebook is “one of the most effective ways to get word-of-mouth advertising that ever existed—and it’s completely free” (pg. 31). Indeed, never before has there been an easier way to access so many consumers at such an individualized level. Advertisements are not just randomly thrown at viewers; rather, they are personalized to most closely match the interests of each user.

One company, Synapse (2010), conducted a research study (also published in Gifts & Accessories) to measure the value of a Facebook fan (someone who “Likes” a particular company’s page). It found that “81 percent of fans feel a connection to the brand (versus only 39 percent of non-fans)” and that fans spend an average of $71.84 more on a particular brand than non-fans over a two-year period (pg. 34). There is little question, then, that businesses view Facebook as having immense potential for showcasing themselves.

In addition to commercial benefits, Facebook has added convenience to the academic world. Students and teachers can utilize its communication system to keep in touch regarding homework assignments, questions about topics, or due dates. Much of the hassle of making up work has been removed because so many of a student’s classmates regularly check Facebook that there is often a favorable chance that the student will be able to find out needed information either instantaneously or at least before the next school day. Also, Facebook has catalyzed the rise of successful online academic groups such as literature circles.

According to the librarian magazine Knowledge Quest (2009), “With an understanding of social learning theory, the school librarian can use affordances in Facebook to turn a predominantly social experience into a successful academic learning environment and, in the process, scaffold the development of students’ literacy skills” (page 33). In other words, Facebook’s popularity among students can be utilized to advance academic progress. The scholarly potential of Facebook is virtually boundless.

Yet another aspect of Facebook’s virtues is its social impact. It has in effect made an already-shrinking world even smaller. Whereas before a student might never see or hear from his high school friends again after graduation, Facebook adds a remarkable quality of permanence to previously temporary relationships, allowing old friends to remain in contact for decades to come. Even the obstacle of geographic separation does not prevent acquaintances on opposite sides of the planet from keeping in touch with one another’s developing lives and struggles.

Muise, Christofides, and Desmarais (2009), in conducting a study on increased jealousy among Facebook users that was published in the academic journal Cyberpsychology & Behavior, pointed out how “Facebook assists in maintaining relationships that may otherwise be only ephemeral, and it may in fact connect people who would not otherwise communicate” (pg. 442). Though e-mail and telephone might arguably accomplish the same thing, only Facebook has such a broad network of dedicated users that frequently fill people in on their lives and are likely to respond to messages. This is opposed to e-mail, with which many accounts lie dormant, and telephone, which requires a much more deliberate effort to connect with someone and always entails the risk of wasting time and money trying to call someone who is not available.

Even locally, friends often find they can learn a lot more about each other from Facebook than they would ever care to ask about in person. Those who are usually timid in public situations often find it easier to participate in conversations on Facebook Walls or chat boxes. Klages, Pate, and Conforti (2007) asserted in Curriculum and Teaching Dialogue, the journal of the American Association of Teaching and Curriculum, that “one of the most substantial benefits of online collaboration in virtual classrooms is the increased chance that students who are usually shy and reserved will likely participate more in e-mail discussions” (Pg. 296). While this should not necessarily be the ultimate solution to an introvert’s increasing extroversion, it is certainly an effective place to start and build upon.

Finally, Facebook has a definite influence on the personal lives of individual users. Gonzalez and Hancock (2011) conducted a study for the academic journal Cyberpsychology, Behavior & Social Networking in which they found that the self-esteem of an individual often improves when a Facebook user views his profile, and even more if he makes frequent changes to it (pgs. 79-83). They also asserted that “Facebook is a unique source of self-awareness stimuli in that it enhances awareness of the optimal self” (pg. 82).

To many “Facebookers,” this social network serves as an important outlet of pent-up emotions. By posting grievances or exciting updates on their statuses, users fulfill a social need for empathy, acclamation, and general acceptance that they might not have otherwise attained face-to-face. Christofides, Muise, and Desmarais (2009) noted in a study about disclosing information on Facebook (also published in Cyberpsychology & Behavior) that “adolescents who disclose more information on their social network sites receive greater social support from their same-sex friends” (pg. 343). As a result, Facebook possesses an intimate significance in such users’ lives.

Nevertheless, as with any force, Facebook has proven capable of being extensively abused. A body of cyber-felons has rejoiced in the advent of Facebook alongside our guileless friends and family. Privacy has become an enormous issue. As reformed English burglar Fraser (n. d.) stated in an article from businessinsider.com, another news site intended for the benefit of businesses, “The information people give out on Facebook, when linked up with other information freely available on the Internet, is an absolute goldmine for criminals.”  He added that “there are many examples of people essentially setting themselves up to be victims.”

Even the other side of the law admits the ease with which devious “Facebookers” can access a motherload of personal information about careless users who disclose too many details about themselves—such as e-mail accounts, phone numbers, home addresses, and even credit information. The article also explains how criminals take advantage of the “Friends of Friends” privacy setting to obtain such details. In addition, the same source mentions how social networks like Facebook are also used for stalking and bullying, even leading to rape and murder.

Dave Marcus (n. d.), director of security research for McAfee Labs, says that cybercrime is a rapidly expanding industry in which criminals are finding new targets. And on top of illegal identity theft, unwary Facebook users often disregard the possibility that parents, school administrators, and potential employers can gain substantial insight into the minutia of their lives by simply browsing through photos and publicly disclosed personal details.

Certain occupations such as nurses can unintentionally risk their jobs by revealing too much about clients or patients on Facebook. RCN legal services director Chris Cox (2009) stated in Nursing Standard that “using a networking site to exercise a grievance, or to talk about something that happened at work, risks breaching a patient’s confidentiality” (pg. 10). He added that “it is an area of growing concern for us. The potential risks associated with these communication sites are not fully appreciated” (pg. 10). Facebook is a social chainsaw—highly dangerous if mishandled.

Besides privacy concerns, Facebook also has the potential to give birth to formidable social dilemmas. All of the trivial dramas experienced with people in person are only amplified on Facebook. One participant in the jealousy study conducted by Christofides, Muise, and Desmarais (2009) admitted that “I was already a bit jealous and insecure, but I think that Facebook has definitely made me much much much worse.”

Behind the virtual safety net of a computer screen, people are often much less cautious in how they behave towards others on the Internet. I have personally witnessed several individuals who seem to be completely different people when conversing online. While this is not necessarily a negative effect in itself, it does frequently entail aggressive, hurtful, even threatening language that would never have come out face-to-face or even over the phone. Muise, Christofides, and Desmarais (2009) concluded in their study on Facebook-induced jealousy that “our data showed a significant association between time spent on Facebook and jealousy-related feelings and behaviors experienced on Facebook” and that the two phenomena share a “dual causation” (pg. 443).

Beyond offensive tendencies, I have found that some Facebook users additionally tend to act just plain stupid—whether it be irritatingly Poking someone every two hours, posting extremely awkward comments, or going on lengthy and ultimately meaningless rants about topics of no real import. Finally, the very inhibition of face-to-face communication promoted by Facebook can be viewed as a disadvantage.  There is a richness and wholesomeness attributed to interacting with people in person that is simply not present in any other form. Too much reliance on Facebook for communicating can lead someone to use it not only to convey messages when it is most practical, but when it is most convenient—which happens to be quite often.

Indeed, the Facebook hydra is already renowned for its ability to ensnare individuals in its reptilian grasp. A statistic from Online Schools (2011), a site primarily dedicated to providing connections to useful online education sources, reveals that 48% of 18 to 34-year-old users check Facebook right when they wake up; 28% check their Facebook on their Smart Phones before getting out of bed. Another participant from the jealousy study by Muise, Christofides, and Desmarais (2009) confessed, “It’s addictive….I always find myself going on there checking new pictures and screening them. I can’t help it!” (pg. 443).

This kind of eyebrow-raising dependence indicates an obsessive compulsion to use Facebook on a daily basis. This may become a problem when a person overly dependent on Facebook finds himself in a situation where he cannot access it—such as camping in the mountains with zero internet access. As a result, he can become somewhat less than cordial, to say the least, with his fellow campers. In many households, Facebook is a privilege, not a commodity, and teenagers who find their Facebook “rights” temporarily revoked might spontaneously transfigure into Facebook zombies with the volatility of Mount Vesuvius.  It is similar to other media addictions: video games, cell phones, television, etc. Too much of a good thing is assuredly not a good thing.

From another standpoint, Facebook has grown into possibly the most proactive rumor generator on the planet. Online Schools (2011) claims that 48% of young Americans say they find out about news through Facebook. Yet upon further meditation…Facebook? A news source? A site that changes more than Wikipedia changes its content and the French change their government? Not exactly what one would call ideal.

The ramifications of poorly informed citizens are inestimable. People believe false information (for example, a couple of weeks ago, there were a number of people who were convinced for a while that Obama had been killed in a Pakistani compound). They then develop erroneous conceptions of the world, which consequentially leads to misguided actions. The immediacy of Facebook’s textual discussions tempts “Facebookers” to sacrifice accurate information for quick updates.

Not only can Facebook bring added strife into our lives, but it may also deprive us of valuable life opportunities. Every minute spent browsing the News Feed—every moment devoted to updating one’s profile—every chunk of time consecrated to a chat session—all of these potential time-devourers consume a delicacy that cannot be reproduced: time.

In a universe bloated with productive ways to spend our time, if we truly paused to think about it, Facebook would not often rank at the top of the list.  For all of us, Facebook becomes a thief of both what we could be doing and what we need to be doing. Based on personal experience, I would be willing to wager all 285 of my Facebook Friends (which have become a form of social currency) that a majority of high school pupils have at one point or another found Facebook to be the source of a vicious cycle of procrastination.

With the click of a mouse, Facebook can be a temporary (or even permanent) distraction from any attempt to write an essay, complete a Calculus assignment, or prepare for a test. Why am I so confident in my wager? Because I have experienced this technological vacuum myself and have seen many friends succumb to the same fate. I have had to seriously restrict my use of Facebook in order to prevent a complete collapse of academic consistency and satisfactory sleeping patterns. I suspect I am not alone.

It is clear, then, that the world of Facebook comprises a broad spectrum of both positive and negative effects. The question boils down to this: Is it worth using? Based upon an in-depth search into its benefits, potential dangers, and the causes of those dangers, we have generally seen that Facebook’s worthiness is largely dependent upon individual vigilance. The better a user watches what he discloses on his profile and how long he allots for “Facebooking,” the lower the risk that it will later prove to have unwanted consequences. The circumspect individual will indubitably find its economic opportunities, academic potential, social innovativeness, and psychological boosts well deserving of the time he spends on the site. It thus seems almost proverbial that the foolish Facebook user, prone to disregarding his own security and whittling away hours on end building the ultimate Farmville empire, will likely experience the opposite result.

Like it or not, Facebook is on the rise, and it is not currently showing any signs of slowing down. Anyone with access to the Internet must make the decision either to hop on the Facebook train or opt out. It may well be that social networks are simply not for certain types of people. This is perfectly fine, but we must all still be aware of how sites like Facebook impact the world we live in, whether we are personally involved with them or not. Little baby Facebook of Egypt is only the beginning.

Even decades into the future, when Facebook may or may not continue to exist, something of the kind is bound to take its place. Human beings are imbedded with an unshakable need to relate to one another, and they will seize upon any available way to fulfill that need—whether it be through letter, oral communication, telegram, radio, or the Internet. Those mediums that bring us together will always impact our civilization—for better or for worse.