By Jose C., Teen Portal Staff Writer
I don’t use Facebook. “Why?” you might ask. “It's important to keep in touch with others during these troubling times,” and to that I answer “Yes it is, but not with Facebook.”
I see no use for a Facebook account when the power of the Internet gives me e-mail or when I can call someone in an instant. Facebook, in my opinion, is too slow and “bulky.”
In Facebook, you can “poke” people and do other stuff that some people find fun. To me, these little games keep you on the website so Facebook gets more advertising money. They have no useful properties, and I know people who get pretty annoyed once they get their 50th quiz. My time is precious, and I want to use it doing other unproductive stuff like reading (LOL) or watching headshots from video games on YouTube. Updating my personal information for the world to see is on the bottom of my list.
Besides, Facebook is not the only way to connect with people on the Web. I have met various people over the Internet through many means and I am not ashamed at all to say they are some of my best friends. They are from all over the U.S. but most live in the Long Beach/Compton area of California. Now, they could be among the hundreds of friends I would find on Facebook, and I could share my news with everybody at once, but I prefer a more one-on-one approach to friendship. I call them often to say “Hi” and then insult them, because that is what guys do.
Another problem I have with Facebook is a privacy concern. For example, I’ve heard that many universities and businesses’ are looking for the Facebook pages of applicants. I would rather not let them see pictures other friends post about me or learn information about me that I did not give them, like interests or past events. There might be a conflict of interest that could get me off the case or cause some animosity by coworkers. There is also a small chance they will “misread” the information and think I mean one thing instead of another. I like to keep my trail as discreet as possible.
Another thing that scares me: Once you’re ready to leave Facebook (ha, that will be the day), I predict that it will be a hassle since they want to keep your information forever and ever. Good luck with that!
