As Options Solutions navigates its way through the 21st century techno-savvy world; we have embarked on the realm of Facebook. It was a difficult leap of faith into this social networking site. We bestow many warnings each year in regards to Facebook (“Effective studying does not include checking your Facebook page.” “If you wouldn’t show it to a parent or grandparent, it should not be on your Facebook page.” “Applying to a post-secondary institution is like applying for a job. You want to present the best you; clean up your Facebook!”), and yet we find ourselves, like countless other organizations, using it as a tool to disseminate information.
Facebook has been the headline of many scathing articles, especially in regards to high school and post-secondary students (with many of these situations passing right through the doors of our office). There have been NCAA athletes who have been suspended due to information and photos posted on their personal pages (http://www.thesportjournal.org/article/ncaa-athletes-and-facebook).
With Facebook moving into the work world of most companies, we do feel it is important to be part of that movement as well as to educate our students on the ramifications that this site can have. No longer is there a clear separation between one’s personal life and one’s professional or academic life.
Facebook has become a routine part of turning on a computer for this Millennial generation. Often they find themselves logging onto Facebook unconsciously when they sit down at a computer and many have Facebook as their homepage. Time is wasted daily glancing through friend’s recently posted photo albums and reading friend’s status updates. Many schools and workplaces have blocked Facebook and other social networking sites.
Students today are faced with the adult responsibility of managing their personal Facebook pages. There is a temptation to tag photos, join groups, and post comments that might otherwise be considered private. We encourage students to take an active role in controlling the privacy setting for their Facebook accounts as well as managing the time they spend on it. We encourage them to question: “Is the information on my Facebook page representative of the person I am?
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