When people first heard of Facebook it was a growing fad. Yes, Facebook is a fad because it’s going to die out once something better comes along. Something that many people won’t argue with is that Facebook is overrated. While many people agree with that sentiment, they simply won’t let go because everybody else is on Facebook and what better way to get to know their enemies secrets.
The intent of Facebook has no longer been about getting to know somebody but adding drama into people’s lives. There are some issues with Facebook and people have not addressed and never will. Here are some issues that need to be addressed.
Categories
One of the biggest issues with Facebook is that the concept of “Friends” has been chewed up and spit out by Facebook. Do people really call everybody they have added as a friend, a friend of theirs? What about having different categories like classmates, family, friends, colleagues. Perhaps if they had different categories like that then the concept of Facebook might be a bit clearer.
Adding/Deleting Friends
Facebook with Like Button.
When people add somebody onto their friends list, they are doing it for one of two reasons. The first reason would be because they want to keep in touch with them or haven’t seen them in a long time and had lost touch. That’s one of the main reasons people add each other on Facebook, so that they have a steady connection that is reliable for them.
The second reason is because they are nosy and want to know what’s going on in their lives. Even if people don’t like the person, they are most likely to add other people because they want to know what kind of failures those people announce to the world. It’s self-satisfying for some people knowing that their enemy has failed or has done something stupid with their life. Once those people have accomplished too much people will either just leave them on their friends list and hope they fail or remove them off their friends list.
Potential Inconveniences
It has always been a competition to see who has the most friends or knows the most people. Is having our information public worth it? Most people would say yes, and that’s until their potential future employer sees what kind of pictures they have on Facebook and decides not to hire them because of that.
As mentioned before, if people really don’t want other people they don’t like or don’t care for to know their information then they shouldn’t be adding them on Facebook. People have to decide if it’s worth all the hassle of letting somebody on their Facebook just to see what they’re doing.
Too Many Changes
Facebook was prided as a social network that allows you to connect to thousands of people and potential future employers but now it has become a social network where you see who can post the best drunk pictures, get to the highest level on sorority life, and who has the most additions on their Facebook.
People applaud Facebook for coming up with great things like news feed and dashboard because those are great ways to use the internet. Facebook just needs to literally cut down on the “crap” and re-introduce Facebook as an innovative way to connect with people.
The question still lies, is Facebook overrated or are people misusing Facebook?
Written by Mary Pat Withem
Follow her on Twitter @mpwithem
