The Good, the bad, and the ugly of Facebook

With the click of a button, the sliding of a mouse, instantly you are connected to a universe of fun, enjoyment and addiction. . . Facebook. Facebook, now one of the world’s most popular online social networks, is expanding quickly to multiple countries abroad and becoming a topic of consideration. As popularity increases, so do the concerns and dilemmas. Parents, teachers, and students alike are beginning to think about Facebook. Is Facebook positive or negative? Is it safe? Is it a good use of time? These are the questions that are being posed by the public. Like anything in this world, Facebook has its pros and cons.

Facebook has strong positive aspects to it. It is a way to stay connected with friends and family living all over the world. You can talk to someone within seconds or you can talk to multiple people without ever opening your mouth. It is a quick and easy way to get news to a lot of people at once. One Facebook user, Mrs. Pam, said, "It is just plain fun.” It is extremely good for students whose teachers post homework on there. Students can use Facebook to get help on assignments or to find out what the assignment is. It proves to be useful in these situations.

Facebook has strong negative aspects, too. "After five hours you sit there thinking, what did I do?" said Ben N, a Facebook user. The time that kids spend on Facebook instead of spending it on homework or spending that time with family is one of the negative aspects. Instead of using their time for homework and studying they get on Facebook to chat. Another Facebook user, Sarabeth F, said, "Students are learning to interact with a screen and not a person." Also, another scary negative aspect is that there are stalkers on Facebook that look for weak-willed kids and women. They begin to ask to be added as a friend and sometimes people accept. Sometimes they don't. These stalkers can also get access to your personal information and use it against you. There have been cases of identity theft in the past.

Facebook has its negatives and its positives. There is no neutral ground between the two. Facebook is not as safe as some would want it, and there will always be people out there who stalk and prowl. Facebook could try to tighten their security to help with stalkers. Although it is not the best use of time, it is pure fun and addicting. All the things you can do on Facebook are just a big bonus that draws people to the addiction. The bottom line though, whether positive or negative, Facebook is here to stay for a good long while. It is not going anywhere. The good, the bad, and the ugly of Facebook will remain as long as Facebook remains.