 "Photo: Courtesy of MCT Campus")
Facebook is a online, social networking system that connects people from all over the world on to one tiny website. There is little privacy, as everyone can pertrude into your life with the click of a mouse. These people could be your future boss, your best friend, or a sexual predator. Either way, they could potentially be an important part of your life, just as they may already be a stalker of yours.
So why make all your Facebook photos, information, and activities public? Who needs to know, or keepsake your photographic or informational memories but you? Generally, the people who you want to look at your photos, are not, and if they are, you're probably the one showing them because you're close to them and bragging about all the cute guys or girls you have hung with lately (i.e. your best girlfriends/boyfriends). The other people, however, could be finding out information about you that they did not already know, and without a word from your mouth, judge you.
No matter what anyone says and how much we wish the world would change, everyone judges. Be it by your "myspace looking" Facebook picture to your religion, people find ways to love or hate you. And without a backbone or any sense of defense or explanation coming from you, people judge you by the skeleton on your shirt or the drink in your hand. Assumptions will be made, and you will lose a job or a friend because of it.
Since, due to different stereotypes, people may be expected to act a certain way, and when they do not, people make assumptions. Take an athlete for example. They are expected to be of upmost fitness and athletic ability, and a picture of them stuffing their face with cake or food could lead to the assumption that they are not good or are careless of their talents. Another example would be that of a sophisticated journalist. Generally, people associate brilliant writers being for the North, and very artsy and liberal. Not everyone falls into that stereotype, but people could assume their illegitimacy due to country lyrics or misspelled words and wrong grammar on a casual site.
Religion and political views also play a crucial role in the judgment of others via Facebook. People can assume you act a certain way because of your religion. They could criticize you for your drinking or sexual photos when it says you’re a “Christian”, or dismiss you from a regular hangout if you put you don’t believe at all.
Political standpoints can be heartfelt and separating, as well. Just as with religion, people can assume and stereotype you into a category because you support a certain political party. People could assume you are too liberal and artsy for a conservative event, or too uptight for a rock concert. Either way, the stereotypes are outlandish and no one should have to categorize and put a label via Facebook on their believes, whether it be political or spiritual.
People may think you're too much of a good girl (if your pictures are all with your family) and “forget” to invite you to the bar, or too crazy to take home (if your pictures are all of you pole dancing). Either way, your life is your life, and the way you chose to live it is your decision. No one should have to judge or decipher your life by stalking your information and life through a website.
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