The True Face of Facebook

Posted September 28, 2007
Filed under: Facebook, college, condoms, culture, current events, family, health, high school, junior high, lifestyle, marriage, parenthood, parenting, teenagers |

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Do you want your underage children earning free condoms on Facebook? 

Facebook.com, once a creative networking site for students and alumni of Ivy League schools, is quickly degenerating into a sloppy, ad-filled Myspace cultural polluter.  This past year, changes were made that allow almost anyone to create a personal profile including kids in junior high and high school.  (More members = more advertising dollars for the people at Facebook.) 

So the question is, “Do the parents of these kids realize that Facebook is succumbing to advertising dollars with gimmicks such as free condoms?”  While the advertisers would attempt to hide behind their “safe” sex mantra, the reality is that they are just promoting MORE sex among teenagers.  And that gives a whole new meaning to social networking.

FYI Update:  “[T]een abstinence as a ’significant and independent predictor of academic success,’ [is] associated with a 40 percent lower rate of highschool expulsion, a 50 percent lower rate of dropping out of high school, a 70 percent increase in the probability of attending or graduating from college, and a 66 percent increase in college graduation.”

3 Comments so far

  1. arclightzero on September 27, 2007

    it’s pretty sad that a site like Facebook can’t resist the temptation to degrade themselves to this level. I left the MySpace community because of what it became and went to Facebook because it was a much more “mature” social networking environment that allowed me to keep up with my old school and Navy buddies. But sadly it has degraded into cute little apps that allow you to send hugs and kisses, kids and condoms. It would be nice to see just one site keep it together and not lower themselves to meet the lowest common denominator.

    I second that. –Jay

  2. washedandforgiven on September 28, 2007

    I stayed away from myspace and xanga because of those reasons… and some of the apps I’m seeing my friends get on facebook are depressing. I suppose I’ll stick with it though, so long as they don’t force me to use the objectionable apps…

  3. kschaub on September 30, 2007

    Facebook probably could’ve enhanced their site without opening it to outside advertising, but they’re in it for the money. The applications make Facebook sloppy, unless you’re a minimalist like many are on wordpress. But users can’t do much about the advertising. That certainly makes it necessary for parents to know about what their children are looking at, and what to keep them from.

    By the way, thanks for taking a look at my site. I hope to see you around in the future.

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