Memo to my young facebook friends

Let me start by saying I like facebook. Afterall, it was facebook that played a role in the birth of this blog. That and Linda who nagged me….I mean encouraged me to do this.

I got a facebook account because the folks in alumni relations at SU told all the alumni club presidents (I preside over the North Jersey Alumni Club) to use facebook to keep in touch with the younger alums. Not sure it has worked out as planned but it has worked out fine for me. I am now in touch with Baker Hills friends, GNN friends, Lenox friends, SU friends and many more.

One of the rules I lived by for the first couple of years I was on facebook was I would not “friend” my children’s friends, even when asked and I was asked. You had to be at least 1/2 my age or a young SU alum for us to be “friends.” But in the last few months I sort of threw that rule out the window as I figured everyone was doing it, so I guess it was OK.

To my young facebook friends, I want to talk with you directly. Now that you are my “friend” I can see you and even though you try to hide from me, you have friends who are not so savvy. I’m not stalking you or looking to see what you are doing but if it’s there in front of me, I can’t help but see it. If you are not watching what other people are posting, well then I can see you, them and what you all are doing. And if I can see you, think of who else can see you. People have lost their jobs, been thrown out of college and have had other bad things happen to them just because of what they put on facebook. The rumor is that facebook played a role in my fraternity being closed at SU because of what one brother posted on his account. Read the newspaper and see all the problems that facebook is having with privacy issues. If it happens to other people, it can happen to you.

Now I have a confession to make. In “researching” this post, I looked a little and all I have to say is Keystone Light? Really? That stuff is god awful. At least buy some good beer.