Facebook Fenomena

It's a lazy Sunday morning. I was a good boy last night (again) and was in bed by 9 PM watching TV until midnight. I got up very early this morning - before sunrise - as a result. So I have been online the last couple of hours (doesn't time just STOP when you're on the Internet? Why is that?) which includes checking in on Facebook.

Facebook was first launched in Feb 2004 as a social networking site for Harvard University students. More than 1200 people registered with-in the first 24 hours. It is still a privately held, multi-billion dollar company that has become a household name used in TV shows and movies. Even 89 year-old Betty White (Golden Girls) made a reference to fb on her Saturday Night Live skit recently. Everyones doing it.

I have found it beneficial to stay in touch with friends and acquaintances that I normally might not see too often. I also have some family members who are quite religious about posting their day-to-day events. I use fb to share pictures with people who may - or may not - be interested without sending them individually to each. It's easy.

But like my blog here, I am extremely careful about the things I put out there in this very public forum - both pictures and words. Many times I see postings from others and I don't think they realize the extent that their stuff may be seen. I said something about Bill but it's okay because he's not on my friends list. But John is. And he's friends with Sue; who knows Bob; who's Bill's best friend. Oops!

We all have idiosyncrasies within the walls of our house. It's 'our' castle and (as long as no one's watching) we are free to do as we please, within reason. Even within the confines of our cars, we feel a certain insulation from the outside-world and are prone to do and say things we would never think of standing on the street corner. (Can you say "Road Rage"?)

But when we are in public - at least most people - we have a different standard of conduct (normally better). It's rare when we curse some stupid knuckle-head to their face. I'm not sure if it's being polite or the fear of conflict, or maybe even both, but we act different in public.

But sitting behind a keyboard in the confines of your bedroom can give you a false sense of security. Before you know it, you're putting something in one of the most public forums in existence - the internet - that you would never even consider doing while standing on the street corner. What are you thinking?

So the next time you 'tweet', blog, fb, myspace, wretch or whatever - consider for just a moment: Would I do this standing on a street corner?