Facebook users ‘like’ social networking

CINDY WOOD/independent feature writer

Paula Lemon uses it to reconnect with old friends.

Cheri Oechsle keeps up with her kids.

Tina Smith communicates with her family members scattered across the nation.

No matter how area residents are using it, chances are they are among the millions who are currently  registered users of the Facebook website.

The social networking site that has enjoyed nearly 100 percent annual growth since 2006 has created a phenomenon in nearly every age demographic. It has also spawned a wildly successful big screen movie (The Social Network) and it has made founder and creator Mark Zuckerberg a billionaire.

The concept was simple. While a sophomore at Harvard University, Zuckerberg enlisted help from a few friends to start a social networking site that was initially limited to Harvard students. During its first few hours online, the site drew thousands of hits and soon expanded to include other Ivy League students, and eventually was opened to anyone over the age of 13.

Companies worldwide soon entered the Facebook world, allowing potential customers to “like” their businesses. Politicians now use the site to promote campaigns and platforms and school clubs and organizations use Facebook to reach their members.

Lemon, who grew up in Van Wert but recently moved out of state, uses Facebook to keep in touch with people from her hometown. “I check it frequently throughout the day,” she said. “I have reconnected with so many people on Facebook.

“I think it’s wonderful,” she added. “I love the fact that I can keep up with friends and families in other states and countries.”

Despite its benefits, Facebook also has its pitfalls and Facebook executives have found themselves in the midst of controversy regarding its privacy policy.

“I do believe some people post way too much personal info,” Lemon said. “I wish everyone would use it positively, but that’s not always the case.”

Parents should be especially aware of what their children post on Facebook and other social networking sites, because sexual predators use social networking sites as a way to find young victims.

Facebook users can create profiles that include photos, personal interests and contact information, and can also communicate with friends through a chat feature. Users can also join certain groups, or “like” pages, which has become a wildly successful way for businesses to advertise.

Oechsle, who is marketing director for the Niswonger Performing Arts Center, said social networking is a key aspect of her job.

“It’s an important tool with marketing the NPAC because it allows for up-to-the-minute information for patrons and volunteers,” she said. “I check both the personal and professional side daily.”

Oechsle recently used Facebook as a means of getting information out quickly about a show that was canceled due to the weather. “I signed up originally to monitor my teenagers’ activities, but have found it to be great with reconnecting both with family and friends.”

Facebook has given Smith, a Van Wert resident, a way to stay connected with family members far and wide. A user favorite is the photos application, which allows people to upload as many photos as they wish via galleries that can now contain up to 200 pictures apiece.

“We have a lot of family that live far away and we can keep in touch this way,” Smith said. “I also love to see pictures of their families, so we can watch them grow up.”

Furthermore, the evolution of smartphones has allowed millions of people to connect instantaneously with social network sites, such as Facebook, Twitter, FourSquare and Digg.

“My phone has direct connection to my Facebook,” said former resident Carla Powell, who now lives in Pittsburgh, Pa. “How else could I keep up with what’s going on back in Ohio?”

Staying connected to personal friends, as well as the business world, is one of Facebook’s biggest draw. Local 4-H coordinator Heather Gottke said she uses the social networking site not only for socializing, but for communicating with 4-H families as well.

“Workwise, I inform them of dates and times, changes and other information important to their 4-H groups and projects,” Gottke said. “Another definite pro for me is the fact that I stay connected. Personally, I can leave messages or play games with my family who I don’t see that often.”

A study recently released on nasdaq.com ranked Facebook as the most used social network service. The site also recently made Entertainment Weekly’s end-of-decade “best of” list, with the magazine noting in its story: “How on earth did we stalk our exes, remember our co-workers’ birthdays, bug our friends, and play a rousing game of Scrabulous before Facebook.”

Social Media Today states that, as of April 2010, an estimated 41.6 percent of the United States population has a Facebook account.

Laura Morgan of Van Wert includes herself in that group and checks in every day. “I’ve been so happy to be reunited with friends from my past that I had lost touch with,” she said. “I can also communicate with many people at the same time when I would not have time to communicate with anyone.”

For parents, Facebook is a way to keep up with their children’s activities and interests. But “friending” a parent is a tough call for teens.

“I originally signed on to keep an eye on my daughter’s activities,” said Suzi McClure of Van Wert. “It took a while for them to add me as a friend, though. They didn’t think it was cool to have their mother as a friend on Facebook.”

All the benefits of instant messaging, instant updates and instant access still don’t compare to the tried and true bond of friendship, said Bobbi Kleinschmidt of Van Wert. “It is a great way to stay in touch, but it’s nothing like face-to-face time.”