Without a doubt, Facebook has transformed the way we communicate, share and interact with others. And as members of a connected generation, we especially have been influenced by the advent of social networking.
In many ways, we can be considered the ?guinea pigs? of social media experiments. We are often the first people to try new sites ? from MySpace to Facebook to Twitter. And in so doing, we have learned an unwritten code of conduct for interacting in cyberspace.
But there is one lesson which seems to have eluded us: knowing the appropriate circumstances to share potentially volatile comments and information.
The Web provides us with a megaphone through which we can voice anything we want. However, a dose of discretion is helpful when we take advantage of this, as a seemingly harmless comment can have far-reaching consequences.
When the campus yearbook staff planned to arrange the class of 2010 into a color wheel for the senior photo, some students were not pleased. In order to vent their frustrations, they formed a group on Facebook with a decidedly negative title and purpose.
While this action may seem harmless, it in fact offended those who had supported the idea. But that is not the real reason for our disapproval. The group was not meant to effect change, to propose an alternative idea or to organize some other action. It was merely a forum for complaints ? complaints that were visible to many.
In another example, students created a Facebook fan page that derided Principal Todd Bennett?s demeanor. This fan page, like the group above, served no purpose other than to injure the individual at hand. And we believe that it succeeded.
Of course, the students involved should have the freedom to express their opinions. However, the conflict stems from this question: do the benefits of unrestricted posting outweigh the consequences? At least in these cases, we believe they do not.
However, being involved in these circumstances does not only affect the victims; it reflects poorly on the individuals who participate. Associating with derogatory messes online underscores a lack of concern for the feelings of others, pursuing a cheap laugh at the expense of someone else.
One most likely does not consider these ramifications when joining a group or becoming a fan of a page. And, obviously, these actions do not signify a mass moral disintegration ? it is not the end of the world. However, we must recognize that our actions have definite consequences.
As the next generation to revolutionize the social world, we are visible in many new spheres. We must consider the results of our decisions carefully: both in regards to ourselves, and everyone else involved.
For more opinions from The Feather staff, read the March 15 editorial, Embracing the extreme.