Facebook and It's Uses

There have been numerous times when I have considered deleting my Facebook account because I rarely post any statuses or leave messages on other peoples' walls, but then I think about all of the situations in which I rely on Facebook and realize it plays a much bigger role than I sometimes think.

I use Facebook mainly for socializing. It is a great way to keep in touch with friends and family who live across the country or overseas. My cousins and I use the messenger features to plan our yearly trip to Delaware or just to chat, despite the fact that we are kept apart by distance. And I probably would have lost touch with many of the people I met during my trips without it.

I have started to use the site more and more for sending articles, videos and other links to friends to show them what I have been reading and watching if I think they may also be interested. Especially with the election coming up, Facebook has become a place for discussion and debate about crucial issues.

In addition to the ways in which I use Facebook, it can also be used by businesses to attract customers and build relationships with consumers. Facebook “enables [businesses] to talk with consumers and prospects, not at them.” Organizations that are able to grow a following on social media sites, such as Facebook, are able to establish themselves as sources of authority. People trust what they have to say and rely on those companies to provide them with valid information about things like where to shop or what products to buy.

Facebook can also be used as a platform for political debates, or even scholarly ones. Individuals who have a particular stance on specific issues tend to follow candidates or organizations that support similar viewpoints. On pages that revolve around those interests, people are able to comment and discuss their ideas with others. Even in status messages, political viewpoints can be addressed and debated (some in less civil ways than others), but Facebook creates that avenue for discussion.

Facebook can also be used for educational purposes, as it was in this class. Instructors could create a page or group for a particular class which would provide a space for discussion or assignments. With the internet at their disposal, students would be able to pull up sources to back up any comments or arguments. However, there are still drawbacks to the educational ties with Facebook, as evidenced by the second article.

Creating new accounts was important for this assignment because the new Facebook account is much more professional. On existing Facebook pages, people tend to post comments, statuses and photos that would not be appropriate in classroom or professional settings. This way, if the school reviews the pages or if a student directs a future employer to look at a page as an example of past work, they will not have to sift through the personal messages posted on the account.

I think that there is an opportunity for both personal and private information on Facebook. Even though privacy settings on Facebook can be adjusted, I believe that statuses and wall posts are very public. I think carefully about what I want to say before writing anything in a public setting like that, especially because I am friends with family members, former teachers and employers. There are certain things I wouldn't want just anyone to read.

This also comes into play when it comes to choosing the photos that I allow to be posted on Facebook. My friends and I have an agreement that we do not post any photos that include anything that we would not want future employers to see, such as photos from parties.

Private messages are the only place on Facebook that seem to be truly private. If I want to talk to someone, but do not want the rest of the world to be able to read it, this is generally where I will turn.

As far as etiquette is concerned, Facebook does have restrictions as to what can be posted on the site. They limit the amount of spam that can be sent to users because the site is meant for social interaction, not to bombard its users with ads. Too much exposure to spam may eventually turn people away.

Facebook also restricts some of the content that can be posted on the site. Inappropriate pictures can be removed and accounts may be blocked for behavior that goes against the user agreement.

Despite these few restrictions, Facebook users have a quite a lot of freedom and other rules of etiquette tend to come from the people with whom they interact. In general, people expect others to be respectful in their comments and messages. It is important to recognize that people are entitled to their beliefs, whether you agree with them or not, and those who comment too harshly are often called out on it by their peers.

The frequency of the comments you post is also considered in Facebook etiquette. Someone who constantly updates statuses or comments on every upload is not typically well regarded by their Facebook peers. There is a sense that too much time on Facebook limits a person to that virtual reality.

The quality of comments is another aspect that is monitored by Facebook peers. Stupid comments that are meant to sound profound, but end up sounding petulant, are not well received by other users. Yes, Facebook can be a means to express opinions, but it is not really necessary to tell everyone that you are having relationship problems. Many people tend to de-friend or remove notifications from people who have nothing to say, but can't stop talking.

Personally, I have never had an awkward situation arise because of something I posted to a social networking site. Because I consciously think about who will be able to read whatever I post, I do not write anything that could be considered offensive or uncomfortable for anyone. I have had friends who, in the past, have ended friendships due to something someone else said over a social networking site. I think the key to successful use of Facebook is to consider that anyone may encounter something you say, so don't say anything that you wouldn't want a room full of people to know.

Communication and Facebook

Communication plays a huge role in Facebook. When creating a group page or an event, the language must be very clear. People want to know what a page is about before they decide to like it and they want details of an event before they decide to attend.

When creating an event page, dates and times must be accurate and easy to find so attendees know when to be there and where they need to go. It is important to make it as easy for the readers as possible. No one wants to be invited to an event and have to hunt down the information in order to attend. It just makes the invitation that much easier to ignore. The clearer the descriptions are, the more likely others are to be interested and the more likely they are to respond.  

Especially in the case of businesses, Facebook pages must remain professional. Sending an event invitation to friends is one thing, but sending an invitation to potential customers or other professionals is not just representing an individual, but also the organization.