CPL 2.0: Facebook

Facebook, Facebooking, Facebooked.

It's remarkable how quickly a new technology can become just another integral part of your social life.

I've been a member of Facebook for quite a long time now. I appreciate how it allows me to keep up with friends and relatives more easily than email. I use it and do not consider it a time waster.

My daughter, H., just got a Facebook account a few months ago. We debated whether or not to allow her to have her own account, and eventually gave in when we realized it would be a way for her to keep in contact with old neighbourhood friends that she rarely sees anymore.

We've come to realize that although we are comfortable with how she uses Facebook (and for how long), we need to remember the implications of how quickly she can communicate with her friends.

An example: Recently we had a long discussion with H. about changing schools. This is a big deal for her and for our family and something that we wanted to keep private until we have made our decision. She eventually went to her room to do homework on her computer while my husband and I continued the discussion. After about 30 seconds a lightbulb went off in my head and I ran to her room:

Me: "Make sure not to mention the school issue to any of your friends."

Her: "Oh, I just told K. We're chatting."

Only thirty seconds had gone by and she had already passed on the information. I can't imagine not using Facebook, but I certainly hadn't forseen all of the implications of my children using it.