The Hawkeye: Facebook: Friend or Foe?

   Everyone knows Facebook, the famous networking site that came from the mind of college graduate Mark Zuckerberg. With 200 million plus users, Facebook remains the top social networking site in today’s world. But the question that many people don’t think about is how Facebook can be used against you; and it’s important to know how real that possibility is. Many colleges hire individuals to specifically search through applicants Facebook pages to see what they are actually like. So lookout everybody! Your scandalous photos may be the end of your college application…

   A survey of 500 colleges from last year showed that 10% of admissions admitted to looking at social sites such as Facebook and MySpace when evaluating college. Out of that percent, 38% of admissions officers said that applicant’s social networking site pages influenced their decision negatively. It is a scary truth we as students need to come to realize.

   Many companies are stating that this will be something to worry about in the future, and one that is being tailored to the right degree. Think of this process as a new frontier; know to have a true value to the world, but it has yet to be perfected. Even though only 10% of colleges now use this in their application process, if it is proven to be effective; it will surely be implicated by the rest of the school across America.

   Many of you might ask however, what do we have to worry about? Honestly, it is just the basics. The administrators do not search any and every post you have ever made: but they do take notice of pictures and posts with R rated material. For example, if a Facebook or MySpace page is covered in status and pictures of parties showcasing complete irresponsibility, you are likely to be getting a denial letter back from their application.

   So students beware! If you looking into applying for college, or even a job to start your future career, make sure you’re Facebook and other social networking sites are free of anything that might upset your administrator.

  

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Facebook Rules: Do Online As You’d Do In Real Life

There’s a lot of talk on the Web these days about, well, goings on with the Web, specifically when it comes to Google, Facebook (News – Alert) and Twitter. Even more specific than that, the Center for Regulatory Effectiveness (CRE) wants the FTC to initiate “trade-regulation” for the social networking sites in order to “clearly define acts or practices which they consider unacceptable.”

While that is mostly dealing with how businesses affect actual users, one could argue that maybe, just maybe, Facebook and social networking cites in general, should be protecting users from themselves?

It’s a far-fetched idea, but consider the fact that there is a false sense of security when it comes to living your life online behind the façade of a social website. What one won’t do in person, they may do online, creating an interesting dichotomy, not to mention a lot of confusion for those that know you both socially in person and in the ether.

It’s refreshing that, with all of the drunken photos, misspelled status updates, abbreviated commentary and text-speak – mostly coming from adults, mind you – that a high school student points out the obvious: if you wouldn’t do it in person, don’t do it online.

In fact, Abby Ramos couldn’t have said it any better.

We’ve become less conservative socially as a society. While many would argue that it’s the bane of our existences, it’s exactly this that has contributed to the spiraling down of education, the lack of tact and respect, the flipside would beg to differ. We are less inhibited in our freedom of speech. The uprisings in Tunisia, Egypt, Yemen, Syria, Libya, Algeria and other parts of the Middle East/North African region have led to many a discussion on technology and its use in nonviolent civil resistance.

Then again, there is the fact that colleges are using Facebook to check on prospective students. College admissions advisors rely on this method more than prospective students realize.

Employers are also using Facebook and other social networking sites to check up on potential and current employees. People have been disciplined at work, have missed out on job positions, or have even been dismissed due to comments they’ve left on Facebook and similar sites.

So, why is it that a high school student can understand the notion better than most of us adults that, there is an impact when it comes to posting certain kinds of pictures, and it’s not always a great one?

The immediacy and ease with which you can post a quip on Facebook may get you into trouble, plus tell work colleagues more than they need or want to know about you and your relationships. The story of a man caught cheating by his wife when she perused his iPhone (News – Alert) makes you think: In this day of gadgetry and near-constant contact via social networking, how can you avoid blunders that will deem you a thoughtless spouse, friend or colleague?

Ramos’ article is a reminder of an age-old adage: less is more.

“With so many opportunities and such easy access, it’s no surprise many are fed up with what people post online,” says Ramos.

Perhaps we all need to take heed of a wise student’s words of wisdom and, like the good adults that we are, shape up and do online as we would do in real life.

Want to learn more about the latest in communications and technology? Then be sure to attend ITEXPO West 2011, taking place Sept. 13-15, 2011, in Austin, Texas. ITEXPO (News – Alert) offers an educational program to help corporate decision makers select the right IP-based voice, video, fax and unified communications solutions to improve their operations. It’s also where service providers learn how to profitably roll out the services their subscribers are clamoring for – and where resellers can learn about new growth opportunities. To register, click here.

Michelle Amodio is a TMCnet contributor. She has helped promote companies and groups in all industries, from technology to banking to professional roller derby. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Writing from Endicott College and currently works in marketing, journalism, and public relations as a freelancer.

Edited by Rich Steeves

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