Facebook

The Social Networking PhenomenonThe Social Networking Phenomenon

Facebook

According to According to www.facebook.comwww.facebook.com: :

““Facebook's mission is to give people the Facebook's mission is to give people the power to share and make the world more power to share and make the world more open and connected.open and connected.

Millions of people use Facebook everyday Millions of people use Facebook everyday to keep up with friends, upload an unlimited to keep up with friends, upload an unlimited number of photos, share links and videos, number of photos, share links and videos, and learn more about the people they meet.”and learn more about the people they meet.”

What does that mean?

• Facebook is a way for friends to Facebook is a way for friends to communicate with friendscommunicate with friends

• Facebook is a way for people to: Facebook is a way for people to: • connect to one anotherconnect to one another• share informationshare information

• news & eventsnews & events• photos & videosphotos & videos

Facebook Beginnings• Developed by Harvard University Developed by Harvard University

sophomore Mark Zuckerbergsophomore Mark Zuckerberg• Originally called “The Facebook,” it was Originally called “The Facebook,” it was

launched on February 4, 2003 to be used by launched on February 4, 2003 to be used by Harvard students to communicate and see Harvard students to communicate and see pictures of each otherpictures of each other

• Within 24 hours, 1,200 students were part Within 24 hours, 1,200 students were part of the site, and within a month, half the of the site, and within a month, half the student population had joinedstudent population had joined

The Facebook 2004

From The Facebook to Facebook

• Zuckerman was joined by fellow Harvard Zuckerman was joined by fellow Harvard students Dustin Moskovitz and Chris Hughes students Dustin Moskovitz and Chris Hughes to improve and expand the siteto improve and expand the site

• The Facebook expanded to other Boston Ivy The Facebook expanded to other Boston Ivy League Universities in March 2004League Universities in March 2004

• In August 2005, the domain name was bought In August 2005, the domain name was bought for $200,000 and for $200,000 and FacebookFacebook was born was born• It was then opened to high schools and It was then opened to high schools and

businesses and gained popularity on the netbusinesses and gained popularity on the net

Facebook 2005

Facebook Today

• There are currently more than 200 million There are currently more than 200 million members on Facebookmembers on Facebook

• More than 100 million members log on More than 100 million members log on dailydaily

• More than 30 million users log on with a More than 30 million users log on with a mobile devicemobile device

• More than two-thirds of Facebook users are More than two-thirds of Facebook users are out of collegeout of college

http://www.facebook.com/press/info.php?statisticshttp://www.facebook.com/press/info.php?statistics

Facebook Today

Facebook Timeline

Who can join Facebook?

• Anyone who wants to connect with friends, Anyone who wants to connect with friends, family, school, or work acquaintances family, school, or work acquaintances

• But…But…• Anyone between the ages of 13 and 18 Anyone between the ages of 13 and 18

should get their parent’s permissionshould get their parent’s permission• No one under 13 may joinNo one under 13 may join

Our Children and Facebook• Students crave social interactionsStudents crave social interactions• ““Everyone is doing it.” Everyone is doing it.”

• Teens need to feel part of the groupTeens need to feel part of the group• Facebook allows students to:Facebook allows students to:

• Keep in touch with old friendsKeep in touch with old friends• Make new friendsMake new friends• Look at pictures and videosLook at pictures and videos• Share information about themselvesShare information about themselves• See what their friends are doingSee what their friends are doing• Keep up with social functions Keep up with social functions Racke & Racke &

Bonds-RackeBonds-Racke

Facebook Friends• The average user has 120 friends The average user has 120 friends • Teens often have over 200 friendsTeens often have over 200 friends

• Users decide who they want and do not Users decide who they want and do not want to friendwant to friend

• Many are not true real-life friendsMany are not true real-life friends• Students spend between 2 – 3 hours on Students spend between 2 – 3 hours on

Facebook interacting with frindsFacebook interacting with frinds• Users are meeting a social need by belongingUsers are meeting a social need by belonging

What’s so great about Facebook?

Students can…Students can…• feel connected to othersfeel connected to others

• virtual interactions allow for students to virtual interactions allow for students to be together when they are notbe together when they are not

• feel a sense of communityfeel a sense of community• join groups with similar interestsjoin groups with similar interests• experience a sense of comfortexperience a sense of comfort

• see that others may feel the same way see that others may feel the same way about school, family, and societyabout school, family, and society

What’s not so great about Facebook?

Students can…Students can…• form opinions about others without knowing themform opinions about others without knowing them• spend too much time online and spend too much time online and

• neglect schoolworkneglect schoolwork• neglect real-life social situationsneglect real-life social situations

• become too trusting of othersbecome too trusting of others• offer too much informationoffer too much information

• Information on the site can be used by future Information on the site can be used by future employers or college acceptance boardsemployers or college acceptance boards

• Information stays online forever – even if you Information stays online forever – even if you delete it, it can be on someone else’s site.delete it, it can be on someone else’s site.

The Pros & Cons of Facebook

ProsPros• Find almost anyoneFind almost anyone• Keep track of friendsKeep track of friends• Keep track of eventsKeep track of events• Learn new things Learn new things

about peopleabout people• Can find friends with Can find friends with

common interestscommon interests• It can be a lot of fun!It can be a lot of fun!

ConsCons• Anyone can find youAnyone can find you• Too much information Too much information

can be postedcan be posted• Friends may not be Friends may not be

real friendsreal friends• It can be used It can be used

inappropriatelyinappropriately• It can be addictiveIt can be addictive

Safety

Facebook endeavors to maintain a safe site Facebook endeavors to maintain a safe site • Their two core principles:Their two core principles:

• To have control over your personal To have control over your personal informationinformation

• To have access to information others To have access to information others want to sharewant to share

Parents MUST

• Talk to their children about online predatorsTalk to their children about online predators• Monitor their child’s activityMonitor their child’s activity• Check their child’s Friend listCheck their child’s Friend list

• Talk about who they can be friends withTalk about who they can be friends with• Talk about who they can not be friends withTalk about who they can not be friends with

• Encourage their children to report Encourage their children to report inappropriate posts or picturesinappropriate posts or pictures

Safety Rules

• Never give anyone your passwordNever give anyone your password• Review your privacy settingsReview your privacy settings• Do not post personal information such as:Do not post personal information such as:

• Home addressHome address• Home phone numberHome phone number• School nameSchool name

• Block anyone you feel is inappropriateBlock anyone you feel is inappropriate

Facebook Safety Tools

Profile Settings

• Control what friends Control what friends can and can not seecan and can not see

• Choose how to set Choose how to set profile information to:profile information to:• EveryoneEveryone• My NetworkMy Network• Friends of FriendsFriends of Friends• Only FriendsOnly Friends

• YOU are in controlYOU are in control

Searches

• Control who can Control who can search for yousearch for you

• Control what people Control what people searching can seesearching can see• Omit your pictureOmit your picture• Omit friend listOmit friend list• Omit fan pagesOmit fan pages

• Limit the amount of Limit the amount of information non-information non-friends can seefriends can see

News Feeds & Wall

Control what is visible to Control what is visible to friends:friends:• PostsPosts• Photo commentsPhoto comments• Profile changesProfile changes• Friend changesFriend changes• Chat activity Chat activity

Facebook Strives to be SafeIn May 2008, Facebook upgraded safety measures to: In May 2008, Facebook upgraded safety measures to: • ““Provide automatic safety messages when a child is Provide automatic safety messages when a child is

in danger of giving personal information to an in danger of giving personal information to an unknown adultunknown adult

• Restrict the ability of users to change their listed Restrict the ability of users to change their listed agesages

• Act more aggressively to remove inappropriate Act more aggressively to remove inappropriate content and groups from the sitecontent and groups from the site

• Require third party vendors to adhere to Facebook’s Require third party vendors to adhere to Facebook’s safety and privacy guidelines”safety and privacy guidelines”

http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/2008/05/facebook_ags.htmlhttp://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/2008/05/facebook_ags.html

Online Predators

• Facebook is dedicated Facebook is dedicated to keeping kids safeto keeping kids safe

• Over 40 safeguards to Over 40 safeguards to protect young usersprotect young users

• Keep inappropriate Keep inappropriate ads off their siteads off their site

• Review user profilesReview user profiles• Remove improper Remove improper

groupsgroups

Social Networking & Safety WebliographyFacebook Safety Facebook Safety http://www.facebook.com/safety/http://www.facebook.com/safety/

On Facebook’s own site, this link brings you to their safety policy, tips to follow On Facebook’s own site, this link brings you to their safety policy, tips to follow when using Facebook, tips for parents to keep their children safe, and frequently when using Facebook, tips for parents to keep their children safe, and frequently asked questions about safety issues.asked questions about safety issues.

MSNBC: Facebook, States Set Predator Safeguards MSNBC: Facebook, States Set Predator Safeguards http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24524643/http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24524643/

In May, 2008, the Attorney Generals of several states, along with Facebook, In May, 2008, the Attorney Generals of several states, along with Facebook, announced an agreement that Facebook would add over 40 new safety measures to announced an agreement that Facebook would add over 40 new safety measures to protect children from online predators. Included in the article are several changes.protect children from online predators. Included in the article are several changes.

Keep your Facebook Safe: http://www.stuff.co.nz/technology/2333125/kepp-your-facebook-safe

This article outlines how phishers can hack into your Facebook profile and steal your identity. A review of safety tips and privacy controls is given.

WebliographyFacebook Privacy: Facebook Privacy: http://www.facebook.com/press/info.php?timeline#/policy.php?ref=pfhttp://www.facebook.com/press/info.php?timeline#/policy.php?ref=pf From Facebook’s site, this link brings you to their complete privacy policy. The From Facebook’s site, this link brings you to their complete privacy policy. The policy outlines how to keep control over your profile information, how they policy outlines how to keep control over your profile information, how they collect information, their policy about children on the site, and their Use of collect information, their policy about children on the site, and their Use of Information Policy. Information Policy.

Federal Trade Commission: Social Networking, Tips for Teens and TweensFederal Trade Commission: Social Networking, Tips for Teens and Tweenshttp://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/tech/tec14.shtmhttp://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/tech/tec14.shtmThe FTC outlines the reasons why it is important to be diligent about online social The FTC outlines the reasons why it is important to be diligent about online social networking sites. They explain that although you may be adding friends to your networking sites. They explain that although you may be adding friends to your own site, those friends may have friends who are inappropriate for you to know. own site, those friends may have friends who are inappropriate for you to know. Being interconnected requires diligence on the part of users and their parents. Being interconnected requires diligence on the part of users and their parents. They offer many tips to keep safe online.They offer many tips to keep safe online.

Safe Families: My Space and Social Networking Safe Families: My Space and Social Networking http://www.safefamilies.org/socialnetworking.phphttp://www.safefamilies.org/socialnetworking.php A primer for parents which explains exactly what social networking is and why A primer for parents which explains exactly what social networking is and why children are drawn to it. They outline the risks of social networking and offer tips children are drawn to it. They outline the risks of social networking and offer tips for parents and children to follow to stay safe online.for parents and children to follow to stay safe online.

WebliographyWikipedia: Social Network Service Wikipedia: Social Network Service http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_networkinghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_networking

Wikipedia gives an overview of social networking and its uses. A listing of the Wikipedia gives an overview of social networking and its uses. A listing of the more popular social networking sites is provided with links to each. The history of more popular social networking sites is provided with links to each. The history of social networking and its benefits and issues is provided.social networking and its benefits and issues is provided.

Social Networking: What is Social Networking? hSocial Networking: What is Social Networking? http://www.whatissocialnetworking.com/ttp://www.whatissocialnetworking.com/

An entire site dedicated to social networking. This site details how social An entire site dedicated to social networking. This site details how social networking sites help people meet and network, who should join a social networking networking sites help people meet and network, who should join a social networking site, and how to start a new one. site, and how to start a new one.

MySpace, Facebook, and Other Social Networking Site: Hot Today, Gone MySpace, Facebook, and Other Social Networking Site: Hot Today, Gone Tomorrow? Tomorrow? http://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/article.cfm?articleid=1463http://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/article.cfm?articleid=1463

Current trends in social networking are discussed in this article from The Wharton Current trends in social networking are discussed in this article from The Wharton School. Safety and privacy concerns are reviewed, as well as emerging technologies School. Safety and privacy concerns are reviewed, as well as emerging technologies such as connecting to cell phones.such as connecting to cell phones.

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