Is Facebook A Problem? Wednesday, September 30, 2009 By Pauline Santos Privacy has definitely become a thing of the past. Whether you break up with someone, post a picture, or even just 'poke' a friend, it is announced on Facebook for everyone to see. So why do over three hundred million people around the world use Facebook? With the ability to connect with hundreds of friends, upload an unlimited number of pictures and post videos all in one place, it comes to no surprise that almost every student at Cameron High School has one. Junior Kelsey Carr said she gets on Facebook all the time, at least five times a day. The social networking site helps her stay in contact with all of her friends. Students are not the only ones who utilize Facebook. French Teacher Mimi Jones is just one of the few teachers who do. "To be honest, I didn't necessarily want it," she said. It wasn't until Facebook took off in Belgium that she decided to have one to connect with family, friends, and people she hadn't seen in forever. Facebook allows her to stay in touch with them, but at a time of her convenience. "As a mother of two, I don't always have the time to answer a phone call from the BFF." Though Facebook has its pros, it definitely has its cons, too. Sometimes students can get so caught up with Facebook that they completely forget about their school work. How many times have you been doing homework and wound up on Facebook? Many students can probably say at least once. "All the time," said Kelsey. She also said that Facebook has an affect on her performance at school. "...Sometimes I'm more worried about what's going on on Facebook instead of what we're learning." Though she receives average grades, she added, "I care more about Facebook than my grades, honestly." She also said without Facebook, she would probably concentrate on her school work a lot more altogether. So does Facebook have a positive or a negative effect on students? "I think it's got a little bit of both," said Mrs. Jones. "[Students] are up way too late at night." But she goes on to explain that she would rather have students up on Facebook instead of doing other things that could get them into trouble. Kelsey admitted that staying up online has caused her to fall asleep in class. On the weekends, she even stays up until two o'clock in the morning. Many teachers can probably agree that students shouldn't be on Facebook or any other social networking site so much, especially if it causes them to fall asleep in class. Unlike most students, however, Junior Cody Githens does not have a Facebook. "I probably have more energy than the ones online all night. I'm sure that I probably get better grades since I'm not online, but I'm not saying I'm better than everyone else." Because he doesn't have internet at home, Cody isn't always online like some other people, and he doesn't see the need for it. According to him, he would rather be hanging outside, hunting, or working on the farm. He also has more time to do his homework, even after having to go to work, since Facebook isn't a major part of his daily routine. "[Facebook] becomes a little time-consuming and you get sucked into it," said Mrs. Jones. According to the site itself, over six billion minutes are spent on the site each day worldwide. However, Facebook can also be used as a tool for educational purposes. Mrs. Jones said students communicate with her through Facebook for homework help about once or twice a week. Not only that, but Facebook has made it a lot easier for her to organize certain events and activities, such as the trips to Italy and Greece. It allowed her to message all of the members at once, and the students were able to ask more questions and interact better. "It just makes it a lot easier. It builds the group before it even starts." Even though Facebook can help with school if used in the right way, the site has been blocked so students cannot use it while on a computer at school, though it does not keep them from accessing Facebook Mobile on certain cell phones. Kelsey agrees with the school blocking Facebook. "I think if we were allowed to get on Facebook, no one would get their work done at all." Mrs. Jones thinks it's because of the social and gaming aspect of it. Because of all the games, quizzes and thousands of applications, it's easy to see why that is. However, she also added that the school could use some sort of social networking. "...We could use it for educational purposes, like Ning." Ning is a social platform that is centered around common interests and goals. Another problem Facebook has been criticized for is the lack of privacy. With things such as the 'Wall' and the 'News Feed', information a user puts up can be viewed by almost everyone. "People forget it's out there and people post things," Mrs. Jones said. "And people can get it." "I'm very worried about what I put on there," Kelsey said. "I don't want people knowing too much about me." Though Facebook has received plenty criticism, you can't deny that it has definitely changed the way we intereact with each other. "I think it's made it a lot more casual, like texting," said Mrs. Jones. "It's allowed me to know my students better." Facebook obviously has its positive and negative sides. It allows you to interact with your old friends and even make new ones. Just be careful, though. It can easily steal many hours of your day, leaving less time to do work and other important things. One should also be cautious when posting information online. Other than that, Facebook can be a fun and useful social networking site. Facebook is still growing, and will continue to grow in the future. Just don't get too caught up in it.

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