Five Reasons Why College Students Shouldn't Have a Facebook
Want some privacy? Then don't have a Facebook account.
John Dias
1. It’s a distraction: According to a recent survey of 219 college students in the United States, Facebook users only spend up to five hours per week on actual study time, while non-users spent a minimum of 11 hours per week studying. Ashley Latimer, a junior at the University at Albany said, “Facebook is by far my biggest distraction . Every time I go on the computer I check my page.”
2. Mom and Dad can see what you’re up to: At first, the majority of Facebook users were college students but as this Web site becomes more popular every day, more and more people join, including parents of college students. According to Facebook.com, “the fastest growing demographic is those 35 years old and older.” So now, Moms and Dads have a tricky way of spying on their sons and daughters by surfing through their pictures online or reading different wall posts.
3. Future Employers can see what you’re all about: College students seem to be infamous when it comes to posting drunken pictures online. Candace Merbler, a Reference Support Associate in the University at Albany Libraries, said, “I hope that our students would remember that some of the things they put on facebook today might be seen by a future employer tomorrow.”
4. Strangers can know exactly who you are where you are at all times: Many people post personal information about themselves and also where they are all the times. Anyone can get their hands on this information and act in malicious ways.
5. Someone can steal your identity: Sometimes there’s more to it then having thousands of people pretending to be Brittany Spears on Facebook. Facebook doesn’t do background checks on every user. So, if someone has access to one of your pictures, consider yourself a candidate for identity theft. For Jacqueline Welch, a freshman at South Colonie High School in Albany, this nightmare became a reality. Last year, someone obtained a picture of Welch and made a fake Facebook account adding countless of people to her friend lists while acting as if she was Welch. To this day, Welch still doesn’t know who did it.