A case against Facebook
Pat Jones
Issue date: 9/12/08 Section: Opinion
Since the dawn of time, or around 2004, social network sites such as Facebook have been nothing but a colossal waste of time and livelihood for all who choose to patronize them. Save for the lone exception of marketing a band or an idea, personal Facebook sites lean far too much into the egomaniacal spectrum of humanity. Admittedly, Facebook is a useful time-killer and guilty pleasure, but its drawbacks far outweigh any positive affects.
Maybe the most overlooked defect of Facebook is the asinine profile information that it asks of each user. What are your favorite movies, books and what are your interests? Come now. Are these questions significant, at all? Should judgments be passed on ones interest film or media? Furthermore, should one be reduced to such an insanely surface level litmus test of character? But, we as a people are savvier than that, right? Let's hope.
Conversely, the wall-post is the true test of character. Wall-posts offer a vital glimpse into that network of people with whom the user associates. Why is that important? Two words: social proof.
Social proof is that oft-unnoticed social pressure that occurs in gatherings of people. For instance, among a social group, a handful of people will inevitably emerge as the center of attention. These select few at the focal point have loads of social proof, which in turn causes them to appear more intriguing and attractive (For more, see Robert Cialdini). Wall-posts superficially assist in helping the onlooker to identify these types of people. This is nothing revelatory. Social proof is a simple axiom we subscribe to when analyzing social hierarchies. Though, it is astonishing how much we audaciously deduce about another based solely upon one page of scatterbrained information.
The issue of privacy on Facebook is insane. Facebook is a goldmine for advertisers. You realize this by now, because, your listing of Radiohead as a favorite band ultimately invites vertical banner ads in your browser to buy tickets for their upcoming tour. Additionally, if you haven't taken the time to read that contractual agreement every time you upload photos; you may find the following somewhat interesting: Every photo you upload to Facebook, you surrender all your property and ownership rights to Facebook, forever. Why is this important? In most cases it is not. But, when Facebook takes a nosedive, which it ultimately will, they might find it profitable to sell a collection of photos labeled "SUNY Potsdam Co-Eds."
Listen, I am not against social networking. OK, maybe I am. But, Facebook does contain a few endearing merits. And, the ability to organize groups of people offers limitless possibilities for social movement and political activity. Unfortunately, though, Facebook tenders too plastic an application and demands too injurious of repercussions for its users that its existence is nothing but a black hole for all whom frequent.
Maybe the most overlooked defect of Facebook is the asinine profile information that it asks of each user. What are your favorite movies, books and what are your interests? Come now. Are these questions significant, at all? Should judgments be passed on ones interest film or media? Furthermore, should one be reduced to such an insanely surface level litmus test of character? But, we as a people are savvier than that, right? Let's hope.
Conversely, the wall-post is the true test of character. Wall-posts offer a vital glimpse into that network of people with whom the user associates. Why is that important? Two words: social proof.
Social proof is that oft-unnoticed social pressure that occurs in gatherings of people. For instance, among a social group, a handful of people will inevitably emerge as the center of attention. These select few at the focal point have loads of social proof, which in turn causes them to appear more intriguing and attractive (For more, see Robert Cialdini). Wall-posts superficially assist in helping the onlooker to identify these types of people. This is nothing revelatory. Social proof is a simple axiom we subscribe to when analyzing social hierarchies. Though, it is astonishing how much we audaciously deduce about another based solely upon one page of scatterbrained information.
The issue of privacy on Facebook is insane. Facebook is a goldmine for advertisers. You realize this by now, because, your listing of Radiohead as a favorite band ultimately invites vertical banner ads in your browser to buy tickets for their upcoming tour. Additionally, if you haven't taken the time to read that contractual agreement every time you upload photos; you may find the following somewhat interesting: Every photo you upload to Facebook, you surrender all your property and ownership rights to Facebook, forever. Why is this important? In most cases it is not. But, when Facebook takes a nosedive, which it ultimately will, they might find it profitable to sell a collection of photos labeled "SUNY Potsdam Co-Eds."
Listen, I am not against social networking. OK, maybe I am. But, Facebook does contain a few endearing merits. And, the ability to organize groups of people offers limitless possibilities for social movement and political activity. Unfortunately, though, Facebook tenders too plastic an application and demands too injurious of repercussions for its users that its existence is nothing but a black hole for all whom frequent.
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