Oh Facebook. Such a wonderful thing, but at the same time quite irritating. I remember first hearing about everyone going insane over this new website that was just like Myspace but BETTER of course. This was upsetting to me, since I had barely created my own Myspace page and started getting the hang of social networking. Now here comes this whole new trend that I'd have to switch over to eventually, wonderful. After putting off the inevitable for a few months, the day for me to try out this newfangled website and see what all the fuss is about. I was initially impressed and a little overcome with how simple and actually kind of cool it actually was. It reminded me of a more mature Myspace, sometimes adults would use (I found out way later that that's what it's original intention was). That was the beginning of my 3 year, on and off relationship with Facebook.
Now Facebook can be a great way to distract yourself from things you should be doing at that moment, and also a great way to spy on any person that you'd like. Many times I've spent more than a few minutes going through past pictures and statuses from an old middle school friend, or my cousin, or the celebrity crush I had at the time. It is so easy to connect with them, and vice versa, and conversations and problems can be discussed in seconds at times. But Facebook can be juuust a little risky. They ask for a little too personal information sometimes (why do you need my phone number?? stay on my computer screen only, for goodness sakes, and don't give out my number!) and you can be open to dangerous people online (don't add that 50 year old man, he shouldn't be even sending you a friend request in the first place). Since over half the users of Facebook I assume are of the younger generation, they should be cautious when it comes to using this site.
The article kind of opened my eyes and made me realize how subtle they're profling me on Facebook. There have been times I wondered why that particular friend doesn't really show up in my newsfeed, even though I quickly brushed away the thought. It's affected the way I feel and think towards this site, making me grow a little leery of it. I don't enjoy the thought that it's changing what I see depending on what I click on, and keeping that information on me for as long as I have that account. It hasn't affected me to the point where I want to shut my account down, and lose that unique way of connecting with my family, friends, and others. But from now until the next new trendy website comes around, there will be that cautious attitude towards Facebook.
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