Something for nothing...

On Friday night, MSNBC aired (or re-aired, I have no idea) a special called "The Facebook Obsession". For those of you who haven't seen it, you should consider setting the DVR as its a pretty interesting piece.

The segment, of course, delves into the history of Facebook, the mid-twenty-something who founded it, and the shape of Facebook's future. I am not about to bore you with the details, but I will say that if I had managed to come up with a social network worth 15 Billion (with a "b") I would probably not do anything differently than FB has done or is doing presently.

The mini-documentary delved into the ever present issue of Facebook's security settings and the information that Facebook shares. This being the 3rd or 4th segment that I had seen on facebook since its founder was announced TIMES "Person of the Year", I will admit that I was somewhat perplexed at the amount of media attention that Facebook has been getting regarding security. Put down the tomatoes, people. Hear me out.

I thought it best (and most entertaining) if I were to pick apart the reasons why I think Facebook is AWESOME... yes "awesome". I figure that by doing this, I will best be able to establish if I feel that Facebook "deserves" the type of criticism that they are getting based on, well, how much less-awesome they are when I weight their non-awesomeness against the aspects which I consider... awesome.

1. It's fun
There is a lot to be said for small, guilty pleasures in life. Speaking as someone who has taken life entirely too seriously for WAY too long, I flat out just ENJOY Facebook. I enjoy seeing people. I enjoy congratulating people on good news. I love making status update jabs at good friends. I love uploading pics of my daughter to family and friends who are curious about her latest shenanigans.

It's fun.

2. It can make you feel like you are awesome-er than you are and build your self confidence
How fun is it to accept a friend request from someone in High School who never liked you? Yes - I realize that there is a large population of people out there who have refused to accept friend requests from former HS colleagues on principle and to you I say "here here!". Good for you! I am, admittedly, morbidly curious to find out how people are doing these days and to be honest, I have been grateful that I have accepted those requests for a number of reasons.

On the shallow side of the spectrum we have the "where are they now" factor where I get to see what exactly became of the losers whose sole mission was to make the lives of others miserable... entertainment for you back then is entertainment for ME now. End shallowness.

On the philosophical and much more Jenn-like end of the spectrum is the opportunity to get to know and network with people who have VERY much matured since HS. Let's face it - we are closer to thirty than we are to twenty these days and if you are still acting like the oh-so-responsible teenager you were in 1999 then you have big issues, my friend. One of the greatest examples of "bullies turned friend" is a girl I went to HS with named Jodie who now lives in Ft. Lauderdale area and works as a (very talented) hair dresser. She and I both happened to move to Florida and while we haven't hung out, when my brother died she offered to meet up, talk, whatever. She has invited me to places where she is going to be all in the interest of being supportive - despite the fact that she and I did NOT get along in middle/high school. So, during the darkest point in my life, a person who made my life dark is one of the lights - pretty awesome to me.

3. You'll never roam alone
How can you quickly get in touch with and notify an entire POPULATION of people when something seriously catastrophic happens to your family? Facebook. When George died, I couldn't stop saying "thank God for Facebook" - there were so many people that were close with or friends with George that I a) never knew or b) did not stay in touch with because they were his friends and not mine. How would I EVER get in touch with all of them and let them know what was going on? Simple - go to his Facebook page and message his friends. Within hours, his entire sphere of life had been notified.

But its more than that! Need to sell something? Post it on Facebook. Need a pediatrician? Ask for recommendations on Facebook. Not sure how to do something/where to find something/what to do this weekend? Post in on Facebook. It's called Social Networking and it's the single MOST effective way to get/find anything and everything you could possibly need or want. More jobs are obtained through networking than any other method of searching so you have a pretty powerful resource right at your fingertips.

4. It's free
There is little in life that is. I can post hundreds of pictures and not pay for server space. I can update hundreds of friends that we are moving/pregnant/looking for a job (WHATEVER!) and not pay for a single text message. I can get in touch and STAY in touch with my family while living in FLORIDA (1,300 miles away) without buying a plane ticket.

5. It's simple
No offense to my father intended (because I know he faithfully reads my blog) but a man that couldn't work an iPod 3 years ago has a facebook page and knows to how to use it. The same guy who was proud of himself for knowing how to turn on the computers at work and find a stock he needed to look at has a facebook page, a number of friends, and regularly writes wall posts.

So - with all of these things in mind, let me see if I understand this correctly:
We have a resource made available to us, for free, that let's us stay in CLOSE communication with the people we love and care about. A resource that allows us the opportunity to network for jobs, housewares, health care, clothes, parenting advice, weekend plans, etc. at no charge. A place where we can quickly communicate major life changes with very little effort and maximum impact/benefit at no charge to us. A site that is so simple our parents and grandparents can open it and view information about each other. Facebook brings people together. Facebook enables us all to stay connected. FOR FREE. It provides us with the single most valuable resource in life - PEOPLE. NETWORKING. CONNECTIVITY TO EACH OTHER - for free.

But we don't want them to share basic demographic information with advertisers. DEMOGRAPHICS, people. The same information that is used when you apply for anything. THE most basic things. Age, city, and sex. So, here is this company who has completely changed our lives (for the better) who gives us this incredible resource for free but when it comes to allowing their advertisers (aka "how they keep the lights on and the programmers programming") with information which would enable them to most effectively market their wares (read: "Market to the most targeted population as cheaply as possible), we have a problem with it? Wait - you mean a company that sells women's jeans is MORE interested in marketing directly to ME - a 30 year old female in Tampa, Florida as opposed to spending their marking dollars on my 55 year old father in Pennsylvania? Noooooooooooo! SHENANIGANS!!!!! BLASPHEMY!

All kidding aside, now - let's have a "Jenn moment" where I seriously discuss the personal accountability issues.

YES, I understand that Facebook occasionally "defaults" our security preferences. It's my responsibility as a user to make sure, from time to time, that they are set where I expected them to be. Personally - I have never had a problem (so far).

With that said, there are many who have complained that Facebook has too much information (the same argument has been made of Google) and that they are doing too much to track our information... ok......... how do they get that kind of information? They get it through our site clicks - mostly when we "like" things on facebook and non-facebook pages. These clicks are then entered into their incredibly large database where they say "you liked this so you would be interested in this kind of advertising". The solution? Don't click. I don't click on anything facebook related except "share this blog".

You don't want to facebook to use your information - look at the way you use facebook. All those apps and games and Farmvilles - READ the request that Facebook is making - it's asking to tap into your information even when you aren't using the application. What do you think its DOING? Leaving you love messages on your bathroom mirror? NO! When you want to find your first facebook status it tells you that its going to basically read EVERYTHING about your profile and asks for your permission to continue. You just HAVE to know what your first facebook status of all time was so you click it, say "SURE APP COMPANY WHO I KNOW NOTHING ABOUT!! Have at my stuff! I MUST know what my first facebook status was!" *click click*... oh nooooooooooooo wait... it didn't work! It's spam!" Now, all you have done is given some app company you know nothing about and even less about how they are going to USE the information that you just allowed them access to and you didn't even get the satisfaction of knowing you status update from 6 years ago!

Stop the gluttony and resist the temptation and you will limit your exposure to Pandora's Box.

Until you take a serious look at how you use Facebook and make adjustments, you have aboslutely zero right to complain. For me - until I hear someone say "Facebook gave my phone number to advertisers", I will continue happily using it. (I have had my cell loaded on FB for 6 years and have never gotten a single sales call on my cell).

Before I go, let me say that my "Personal accountability" position continues into the uploading of photos and posting of status', but more on that in a future blog.

Until then - be responsible, stay connected, and enjoy a free benefit. And hey - go poke someone. Everyone needs to poke and be poked.