Facebook can cause problems for students

Facebook attracts many college students, who set up profiles and add friends and content to create a social network among as many people as possible.

Facebook.com states, "Facebook is an online directory that connects people through social networks at schools." It was launched to public view February 4, 2004. Students are able to create "profiles" that can include the student's phone number, residence, screen name and current courses. This information can be viewed by select people or anybody that uses Facebook. Matters of privacy are determined by what content is included and the privacy level that the student selects.

In order to register for a Facebook account, students need to have a valid school e-mail account or a college affiliated alumni account. In order to confirm the registration process, students must be able to check the submitted e-mail address.

However, questionable items placed on Facebook have caused judicial problems for some students. The Des Moines Register's online site explains that students at northern Kentucky universities were charged with certain violations after students posted pictures of themselves drinking alcohol. The Secret Service examined a University of Oklahoma student who made a comment, meant for a joke, about assassinating the president. Both of these posts were done on Facebook. The Pendulum, the online school newspaper for Elon University in North Carolina, stated that nine students were written up for drinking in their dorm rooms after a resident assistant found pictures of the students posted on Facebook.

Facebook.com has a statement on their site "Facebook prides itself in being a positive environment for peers to safely interact. Unfortunately, however, sometimes people abuse our site by posting inappropriate content or harassing others."

Marlee Langford, a sophomore nursing major, said, "They should be cautious about things they put on Facebook, like don't put anything you wouldn't want your mama to see... If it is something you don't want to be held accountable for or to get in trouble over, then just don't put it out there for everybody to see."

Since so much personal information can be posted on the site, it is advisable for students to be selective in what they include. The availability of others seeing profiles can be limited by the user. LaTrice Stewart, a senior communications major, said, "Your pictures on there represent your character…I don't think they should have pictures up there like that."