so...are you on facebook?

I remember my freshmen roommate emailing me before I even got to campus to ask me if I had Facebook. I had no idea what she was talking about. However those days are long gone.

Where people used to ask for phone numbers they now say “Are you one Facebook?” or “Can I Myspace you?” Remember when you used to give someone your number if you wanted them to contact you? Now all they need is your last name and they get a lot more than your voice. Pictures, interests, quotes, favorite movies, friends you might have in common. It appears that the internet is the dating medium of the future…or rather, the present.

However it goes far beyond the realm of teen angst, college hook up mysteries and a cure for adult loneliness, social networking via the internet has become a viable, and sometimes barely shady, forum for conversation.

People are setting up profiles all over the internet, on aol, on yahoo, everywhere. People from all over the country are getting together and chatting it up.

My aunt belonged to a site where expecting mothers talked about their experiences with pregnancy and having their first baby. They ended up all getting together to meet face to face and came from more than 5 different states.

Apparently online communication is no longer just for middle aged overweight male predators disguised as handsome teenage boys or twelve year old girls in piggy tales.

In terms of online journalism social networks have also become important, quite apart from getting more people on the internet, they promote conversation about upcoming events and news. It introduces people to online, and from there many more doors open up. Online networks allow people to get together and discuss interests. People that might never have met are now discussing important issues and hearing other people’s opinions. It creates a melting pot of views, ideas and opinions that were not there before.

Sooooo the questions remains, “Are you on Facebook?” Or do you prefer a different social network? Because one way or another…if you’re not online…then you’re barely on the planet!