Be Connected. Feel Connected. Stay Connected

            As I watched “The Social Network,” I learned about Mark Zuckerberg, ConnectU, the Winklevoss twins, and the history and development of Facebook. What do I now think of Mark Zuckerberg? Yes, he is impressive as a visionary, a great entrepreneur and the youngest billionaire. Yet, for someone who created a social networking website, he doesn’t have commendable social skills. In fact, during his Harvard years, he was an asshole. It was immoral for him to mistreat his girlfriend from Boston University and lie multiple times to the Winklevoss twins. (Although, I wouldn’t be complaining if I were one of the Winklevoss twins, as they will probably successfully sue Zuckerberg for another $140 million.) However, despite Zuckerberg’s past decisions, I believe that he deserves credit for Facebook’s developments and improvements since its creation in 2004.

            Today, Facebook connects the entire world with its 600 million active users. As someone who often uses this site, I see both advantages and disadvantages to Facebook. I appreciate this site because it allows me to connect with friends who attend other colleges or who live abroad. I am able to keep in touch with friends who live in Africa and Europe without having to pay for long distance phone calls. In addition, Facebook helps create a sense of community on my college campus. When clubs/organizations create events, a large percentage of the study body will receive an invitation on Facebook. This generates awareness and as a result, hundreds of students will attend a cappella concerts, fundraisers, guest speakers or pep rallies.       

            Even though Facebook has its advantages in allowing millions of people to communicate daily, the question becomes: how connected is too connected? When I look at my friends Facebook profiles, many of them have between 500-1500 friends. You simply can’t have 1,000 close friends. And there can be negative effects from accepting friend requests from acquaintances or strangers – What if it is a potential employer? What if it is a pedophile? You never know. Unfortunately, some people use social networking sites to cyberbully others anonymously. Or, a potential employer might see photos of you engaging in illegal activity such as, underage drinking and decide not to hire you. It is important for all Facebook users to be aware of the potential dangers in revealing personal information and images on the Internet.   

            Overall, I believe that Mark Zuckerberg has created a wonderful site in which people are able to easily connect. However, there is no face-to-face in Facebook. The importance of real human interaction cannot be forgotten.