Today’s article on Technician Online makes clear that students’ love of Facebook is not unconditional. In fact, students seem to have a love/hate relationship with this and other online social networking sites. This article outlines some new tools available on Facebook, which are the result of Facebook Platform (a set of developer’s tools that allow these applications to be written). Apps range from pure entertainment to politics to dating to the “doing good deeds” genre, and include titles such as iLike (music), LOLCats, Movies, Naughty Gifts, Compare People, Causes, My Purity Test, Fortune Cookie, What’s your Stripper/Porn/Gangster/Hieroglyph (and more) Name, Moods, Bumper Sticker…and hundreds more.
Some students quoted in the Technician article feel that these applications make Facebook more of a time-waster than before, and others feel that the applications are silly or meaningless.
This coincides with some student perspectives I heard through an Interactive Theatre performance at a conference I recently attended. The students (both in character and out) stated that they have a love/hate relationship with Facebook. On one hand, it is the ultimate procrastination tool, and you can find yourself suddenly hours into a Facebook session. On the other hand, it helps the students feel connected. Essentially, the students were saying that they are addicted (their term) to Facebook and had to get their fix every day, even though it could (but doesn’t always) waste time.
Another theme from this performance was the notion that Facebook seduces students into the notion of “feeling connected” but that when using Facebook in a vacuum, it can lead to all sorts of misconceptions and behaviors that can be harmful to individuals and and their relationships with others. Students use Facebook to “feel connected” (especially on large campuses) but can also end up feeling isolated and friendless.
I think our Student Affairs staff have a love/hate relationship with Facebook as well. Many recongize this as a resource that indeed could be a wonderful tool to help students connect, but worry about the lack of personal interaction, the sharing of personal information, and the consequences of the behaviors on students.