MYSPACE/FACEBOOK OVERVIEW

(Download this overview as a PDF)

The percentage of both high school and college students who use MySpace and/or Facebook has increased greatly in the last few years.  Many of the benefits of these sites include opportunities to share information with friends and clients, social networks, and keeping up with friends regardless of geographic location.  MySpace has even been used by law enforcement to lure out predators online.  However, many students do not realize the risks and concerns with sharing information to large quantities of people.

Although people generally feel "comfortable about the information on their pages," many are less able to assess the consequences of sharing certain personal information such as cell phone numbers and home addresses.  In fact, only 40% of Facebook users say that they "restrict some of their information."  Students are also not aware that their information on Facebook or MySpace is increasingly being used for evaluations by college admissions staff and job applications. 

MySpace started in the summer of 2003 by Chris DeWolfe, and it is a booming social network that requires users state that they are at least 14 years of age to be able to participate on the site.

* The number of visitors to MySpace skyrocketed from 4.9 million in 2005 to an unprecedented 67 million as of April, 2006.
* 1 in 5 users have received a sexual solicitation; 1 in 33 had received an "aggressive solicitation."
* Of those students who received sexual solicitation, 1 in 4 told a parent about any of it.

Facebook currently hosts nearly 7 million users (March 2006); of those people, 85% check their account at least once a day.  Other statistics (Gross and Acquisti) about this sight include:

* Facebook uses full names, and about 89% are valid.
* 54% of users say that hey have accepted friends whom they "wouldn't consider friends."
* 50.8% of users gave their current address.
* 44% said that they have asked users who are not friends to be "Facebook friends."

While many participants who use either MySpace or Facebook continue to reveal personal data to "just-met friends," they forget social consequences of risky online behavior that comes with it including spamming, stalking, and ever harassment ("Privacy in Cyberspace" 2005).  In fact, while most students believe that they are safe behind their computers, they actually have "zero privacy" (Regan 2003).

Like cell phones at the turn of the Century, the MySpace/ Facebook phenomenon needs to be studied and watched closely as it becomes the next major communication medium for young adults.


QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION

1.  Are you on Facebook or MySpace?  How do you express yourself on your site?

2.  What kinds of information are you putting out there for the world to see?  Do you care?

3.  What pressures do you feel, if any, to gain a "collection" of names and appear popular on your site?

4.  How much of your time is spent maintaining existing relationships compared to building new relationships on MySpace or Facebook.

5.  Have you considered the vulnerability of personal information on these social networks?  What information do you think should be kept private?

6.  Over time, how does this sight affect your relationships with your friends?  Are you more or less likely to meet someone face-to-face if you stay connected to them on MySpace/Facebook?

IMPLICATIONS

1.  Where do we draw the line between students expressing themselves and users putting themselves in dangerous situations?  MySpace and Facebook have tragically been used by sex offenders and stalkers, while at the same time police have picked up on leads to stop school shootings and bombings.  These sites are truly a window for teachers, parents, and youth leaders to explore the "world beneath" of adolescence, but we need to sit down with our youth and talk to them about appropriate information to put on a personal site.

2.  Banning and protesting these networks will not stop kids from expressing themselves on the internet.  One alternative could be Xianz-a Christian social network that describes itself as "a safe alternative for MySpace."  This site is invite-only and safe, but students might want to stay connected to all their friends on other sites.  Social networking is only gaining influence; we need to stay informed, not ignorant.

Scott Donnell cCYS