Written by Emily L Wisely
Since its creation in early 2004,Facebook, a social networking Web site, has steadily expanded in popularity across the world. It initially was intended only for students atHarvard University, where the site creators attended school.
Soon other Ivy League schools gained access as well. Within a year, most colleges across Canada and The United States had networks on Facebook, and by September of 2005, students in high school were also allowed to join — but by invitation only.Once part of the “O’Fallon Township High School” network, I immediately began spreading the Facebook fever by inviting everyone in my afternoon writing class. Our computer screens sunk below our glass-coated desks, allowing us continual Facebook-ing freedom.Since those early years of simple networking, the site has changed in many ways. The News Feed feature throws information in my path that I feel guilty knowing, such as conversations between mutual friends or changes in relationship statuses.Applications, annoying little games, quizes, or gifts, smother my home page.
But, in my opinion, the single greatest change to this once-exclusive site has been the inclusion of everyone and anyone — especially parents.At first it was my mother in 2007. I had the typical reaction: complaining to my friends about her subtle investigations, while secretly taking pride in her fearless fleet into the realm of Facebook.
I admit, I really enjoyed — and still do enjoy — having Mom just a hyperlink away, but my mother is not one of the Facebook-crazed relatives whose gusto and constant activity on the site has steered me away.
These over-zealous adults are all on my dad’s side. For them, Facebook is a virtual family reunion — one that never ends. Now that my aunts, uncles and cousins are officially friends with me, I can expect them to comment on or “like” nearly every status update, photo or post on my wall.They are family, and I love them, so I don’t terribly mind their infiltration on my page, but the worst part is their obession with applications. I guess their late registration to the site is to blame; they don’t understand that applications are bulky, irritating and generally unwelcome by most.I have come close to de-friending my Aunt Cheryl more than once, due to receiving her multiple invitations to “Farm Ville,” “Halloween Treats” and “Prayer Buttons.” Regarding my father: Well, he is new to the site, so I will cut him slack for now, but I may soon have to lovingly ask him to settle with the political status updates.
Many other students have trouble keeping parents away.”I don’t like my mom being on Facebook,” senior Rachel Sawyer said. “I liked when Facebook was only for college students. You used to be required to have a college e-mail. Now that everyone can join, it’s likeMyspace, and it’s creepy. It’s not that I want to hide things from my mom, but I don’t want her to have immediate access to everything my friends say or tag me in. Sometimes it can be like unspoken gossip.”Sawyer also noted that she’s been less active on Facebook since her mom joined. For others, parents on Facebook is not yet a threat. Either parents do not care to join, or they do not know how.
“My mom doesn’t have facebook- she said she refuses to get it because doesn’t want to be one of those creepy stalker moms,” senior Ashley Townsend said.It’s hard to tell what the future will hold. I predict that more parents will become active on Facebook as their children graduate and start families in different states. Hopefully the attraction to applications will wear off, and Facebook will return to its simpler purposes: connecting online with photos and light conversation.
