"But I JUST joined Facebook!"

"But I JUST joined Facebook!", originally uploaded by dstaffen.


If you're one of my two hundred or so Facebook friends, you probably know that I'm incredibly addicted to Facebook. Last semester when I was taking a class in Web 2.0 and Social Networking Tools I could hang out on Facebook and claim I was doing homework... and sometimes I actually was. Unfortunately, this semester when you see me on Facebook I'm just slacking off and you should refuse to talk to me and tell me to go work on my e-portfolio.

Like many others, my Facebook world includes an eclectic group of people - friends, newly found school pals, co-workers, family, former employers, fellow SJSU SLIS students, and instructors. One benefit of such a diverse group is the varied and interesting links and opinions that get shared. But that is also one of the danger zones - you can call me paranoid, but these stories show that Big Brother IS watching, and nobody is safe, no matter where you live or whether you're low down on the totem pole or at the top of the heap.

• Workers fired over Internet postings (Ottawa, Canada)
• Virgin crew fired after insulting passengers on Facebook (UK)
• School employee in Charlotte fired over Facebook posting
• Athletes + Facebook = You're Fired
• Call centre worker caught out by boss after posting 'sickie' plan on 'Facebook' (UK)
• Waitrose worker fired for Facebook slur (UK)
• Two Wash. officers fired over Facebook indiscretions
• College applicants, beware: Your Facebook page is showing
  

Personally, I think that what happens on Facebook stays on Facebook. No, you can't call in to work and say I need the day off to go to my grandmother's funeral and then post pictures of yourself sitting on the beach with a drink in your hand. Do that and you deserve to be fired. You're too stupid to be gainfully employed. But everyone has a private life, from the janitor to the CEO, and we're all entitled to kick back on the weekend and expect to show up for our job on Monday morning bright eyed and bushy tailed without worrying about being fired.

But why take chances? How to friend mom, dad, and the boss on Facebook...Safely and 10 privacy settings every Facebook user should know will explain how to share your information only with those you really want. I admit that I haven't done most of these - I'm on Facebook because I want to be found. If my profile wasn't searchable how could the boy I had a crush on in first grade have found me? [I'm not disclosing that info; he knows who he is]

Ever wonder what it would have been like had Facebook been around centuries ago? Or if some of your favorite people or deities had Facebook? Check out the Facebook of Genesis, explore Hamlet's Facebook page, find out what if the USA had a Facebook page during the Civil War, and finally head over to see Sarah Palin's Facebook page.

Finally, listen to the Facebook anthem, to the tune of We didn't start the fire, by one of my favorite artists, Billy Joel: