Facebook stamps mark on today's society, classrooms
Social network works its way into everyday life
Micah Stevens
Issue date: 10/2/09 Section: News
Newsfeeds, status updates, notifications, friend requests; just a few years ago this would have been gibberish to the general population. Now, with 200 million users, Facebook has become the most popular social networking site.
Whether it be to update a status, look at new pictures, see what a recent ex boyfriend/girlfriend is up to or to take part in the newest pastime of 'Facebook stalking', college students across the globe log on to the site multiple times a day, whether it be during class, between classes or while doing homework.
"I go on Facebook in class when I'm bored. I probably check it 4-5 times a day," Jessica Hamell, graphic design junior, said.
Facebook was created with the original intent of connecting college students with other peers.
Harvard student Mark Zuckerberg founded Facebook in 2004 one night in his dorm room as an offset of the university's popular 'hot or not' website called Facemash. The night Facebook was created, his intention was to get a recent break up off his mind by finding something else to do.
"I get on Facebook to socialize with my friends and new people I come in contact with." Said psychology senior Eric Howser. "It also helps me keep up with what's happening in friends' lives."
Membership was originally restricted to Harvard students, then opened to other Ivy league colleges; it then eventually became open to anyone with a valid college email, and now it is open to the general public. According to Zuckerberg's statistics today, two thirds of Facebook users are out of college age.
Today, it is rare to come across anyone without a Facebook account. Comscore reports that Facebook attracted 132.1 million visitors in June of 2008, compared to competitor Myspace, which attracted 117.6 million.
Social networking sites have become the newest trend in the 21st century. Sites such as Flickr, Mylife, Twitter and Windows Live Spaces, have all since lost in the running against Facebook. According to the Facebook Global Monitor, Facebook has gained its popularity within the last few years and demographically is gaining more popularity with women over 55. Like recent competitors, some think Facebook will soon die out since social networking sites seem to be the newest 'thing' for a period of time, and eventually lose to a newer site.
Chris Ogle, psychology and human services junior, said, "I use Facebook to keep in contact with friends, but I thought it died a while ago."
Some claim Facebook has gotten in the way of normal activities and is to blame for procrastination among college students. The amount of time spent on Facebook has crossed the line into almost an addiction.
Alex Brooks, biology freshman, said, "Facebook is where my friends are. I don't really like it but I still use it; it's like a drug."
According to the Facebook Global Monitor, Facebook is most popular in the United States, followed by the United Kingdom, Turkey, Canada and then France. Facebook has been banned by countries such as Syria, China and Iran due to promoted attacks on authorities and public government criticism. In China, Facebook was blocked in July 2009 after activists were using it as their communication network.
Whether it be to update a status, look at new pictures, see what a recent ex boyfriend/girlfriend is up to or to take part in the newest pastime of 'Facebook stalking', college students across the globe log on to the site multiple times a day, whether it be during class, between classes or while doing homework.
"I go on Facebook in class when I'm bored. I probably check it 4-5 times a day," Jessica Hamell, graphic design junior, said.
Facebook was created with the original intent of connecting college students with other peers.
Harvard student Mark Zuckerberg founded Facebook in 2004 one night in his dorm room as an offset of the university's popular 'hot or not' website called Facemash. The night Facebook was created, his intention was to get a recent break up off his mind by finding something else to do.
"I get on Facebook to socialize with my friends and new people I come in contact with." Said psychology senior Eric Howser. "It also helps me keep up with what's happening in friends' lives."
Membership was originally restricted to Harvard students, then opened to other Ivy league colleges; it then eventually became open to anyone with a valid college email, and now it is open to the general public. According to Zuckerberg's statistics today, two thirds of Facebook users are out of college age.
Today, it is rare to come across anyone without a Facebook account. Comscore reports that Facebook attracted 132.1 million visitors in June of 2008, compared to competitor Myspace, which attracted 117.6 million.
Social networking sites have become the newest trend in the 21st century. Sites such as Flickr, Mylife, Twitter and Windows Live Spaces, have all since lost in the running against Facebook. According to the Facebook Global Monitor, Facebook has gained its popularity within the last few years and demographically is gaining more popularity with women over 55. Like recent competitors, some think Facebook will soon die out since social networking sites seem to be the newest 'thing' for a period of time, and eventually lose to a newer site.
Chris Ogle, psychology and human services junior, said, "I use Facebook to keep in contact with friends, but I thought it died a while ago."
Some claim Facebook has gotten in the way of normal activities and is to blame for procrastination among college students. The amount of time spent on Facebook has crossed the line into almost an addiction.
Alex Brooks, biology freshman, said, "Facebook is where my friends are. I don't really like it but I still use it; it's like a drug."
According to the Facebook Global Monitor, Facebook is most popular in the United States, followed by the United Kingdom, Turkey, Canada and then France. Facebook has been banned by countries such as Syria, China and Iran due to promoted attacks on authorities and public government criticism. In China, Facebook was blocked in July 2009 after activists were using it as their communication network.
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