With over 175 million active users, the social networking site Facebook is an interesting and enjoyable way to keep in touch with friends and family. I started using Facebook a few months ago, after a high school classmate suggested giving it a try. It's been fun reconnecting with people I haven't seen in many years. Some friends have expressed trepidation about using Facebook, because of privacy concerns. A friend of a friend of a friend could stumble upon your information and use it for who knows what purpose. I certainly understand these concerns. Would-be trolls, stalkers, old flames, or even potential new flames, can be foiled though. There are ways to control how much information on your Facebook page is shared, and with whom. Read about how to use Facebook privacy settings here.
This brings me to the things I don't like so much about Facebook. I think it takes a lot of time for new users to understand how the site works. Directions, such as how to change privacy settings, aren't easy to find, at least they weren't for me. I didn't even know some of the privacy options existed until I read about them in the iHCPL Next Generation blog. I'm not sure I'm really keen on the actual Facebook lay out either. It doesn't seem logical. I've also noticed that applications sometimes take FOREVER to load.
In spite of these drawbacks, I'm still planning on keeping up with friends and family via Facebook. It's pretty addicting. There are so many fun applications to explore and share. I play a game app called Scramble and so do some of my friends. We can challenge each other to games and compare scores. I really like Adopt a Reef too. With this app you can decorate your own patch of ocean with sea creatures and send things like octopi and giant kelp to your friends. Based on usage, Facebook sends a portion of advertising revenue to the Surfrider Foundation, an organization dedicated to the protection and enjoyment of the world's oceans. Sharing Flair is fun too. Oh SNAP! There's a Harris County Public Library flair! I could not resist adding that to my bulletin board, and sending one to a coworker. Thanks, whoever made that :D (Who did???)
