I have “friends” coming out of the woodwork.  Or, more accurately, out of the Internet.  Yes, I have joined the over 200 million users on Facebook-much to my children’s dismay.  When I first joined, primarily to promote my new book, “Generation Text: Raising Well Adjusted Kids In An Age Of Instant Everything,” (yes, that’s another plug) my wife thought it was bordering on inappropriate for a man of my age to be on a “college kids’ site.”  Well guess what, a rapidly growing demographic statistic is the fact that 25% of active Facebook members are now 35 and older.  Although I am just a hair past that age threshold (LOL), I am nevertheless a part of that most rapidly increasing new Facebook user age category.   In the U.S. the 45 and older demographic has increased 165% in the past four months. 

Needless to say, just one month after I joined, my wife decided to explore what all the hooplah was about and became a member of this social networking club.  She instantly fell in love with it, connecting with people as far back as elementary school.  She even had a reunion with four friends from high school last month, as a result of reconnecting via Facebook. 

As with all technology, software, and applications, there are two sides to the coin.  Social networking is no different in that it has some really great benefits – but also has its potential perils.

The attraction to most users are:

• Reconnecting with old friends.
• Easily maintaining connections with present friends and family.
• Virally publicizing and marketing your business and/or product.
• The entertaining value as many people post clever, humorous comments and pictures, play online games, and take topical surveys.
• The opportunity to easily participate in charitable and philanthropic causes.

Some of the perils to be aware of are:

• Issues of privacy-or more accurately-the lack of.  Be aware that all you post is permanently on record for virtually anyone to see.
• Potential identity theft.  Information can be obtained about you and can be used posing as you quite easily.
• Potential addiction.  Be careful to monitor and regulate the amount of time you spend social networking – and thinking about it when you are not on the site.  A few months ago a man was arrested for stealing someone’s laptop in an airport so that he could check his Facebook page.

Being Careful

It is important to monitor your “behavior” on social networking sights.   Rather interesting that I refer to social networking posts as behavior.  Think about it.  Behavior is observable and your posts are certainly observable.  Behavior can be a response set to both internal and external stimuli, and posts certainly elicit both.  Behavior is also species specific, and somewhat stereotyped for that species.  I don’t see any camels or frogs writing on Facebook.

It is also important to scrutinize your social networking behavior because of the ease of identity theft.  Being careful what you post also says something about you-especially if there is a pattern of behavior causing others to form not so nice conclusions about you and your lifestyle.  I once posted a thank you for something a friend (a real-life-in-person type friend) brought me back from the Ritz in Puerto Rico.  I actually got flack and sarcastic comments about hob knobbing with “people who go to the Ritz.”

Finally, it is important to monitor the amount of time you spend, think, and talk about your social networking activities.  Addiction comes in many forms, and can easily grab you by surprise.  Hint: If your spouse grew a beard or changed her hair color and you never noticed-it’s time to look up from the computer!