Thing 22 - Social Networking

I created a Facebook profile because I knew family members and friends with active Facebook pages and I wanted to be able to connect with them. I guess what I like best about the social service was how easy it was to build the network. I also enjoyed the surprise of receiving friend requests from two people I hadn't seen, talked to or even really thought about since I was 16. Even though our paths went different directions it was nice to see where they are and what they're up to.

What I don't like about the service is the constant list of advertisements on the right side and the occasional friend request from individuals outside the US that obviously have nefarious reasons for the request. I think it's important for us as educators and parents to know how these sites work so we'll be in the best positions to guide our kids to the possibilities and away from the pitfalls.

At this point I'm having a tough time seeing a K-12 educational applications for either of these two sites because of their open and uncontrolled nature. A site like Ning that allows you to create your own social network with a bit more control seems like a better fit to me.