Nibby’s Note: Recently yours truly participated in a email interview with college student Marie Shaw.  She asked me some questions about how I was using Social Media.  In this essay she truly shares my mantra for social media!  Thanks Marie!  She and Charles are simply the best and we are so fortunate to have them in Henderson KY! Marie is a non-traditional business student at Henderson Community College in Henderson KY.  Below is her essay:

In the past decade, the staggering increase of people worldwide who have access to the internet has led to the creation of dozens of social networking websites. A social networking website assembles virtual communities of people with similar interests, occupations, and hobbies. The most popular social networking site on the internet today, Facebook, was created in 2004 and currently boasts over 300 million members (“Facebook”). There is no cost to create a Facebook profile. Facebook members can “friend” other members to share their thoughts and what is going on in their lives through status updates, post pictures and videos, play virtual games called applications, and communicate with other users directly through status messages, chats, and comments.

While there has recently been criticism of social networking websites and the supporters of these social networking websites, Facebook is neither entirely bad nor entirely good. However, the positive aspects of Facebook far outweigh the negative.

There are many ways that Facebook can affect one’s personal and professional lives. Unfortunately, not all of these effects are positive. If one’s Facebook profile is not set to be private, anyone with a Facebook account can access another member’s personal information. Many employers search social networking websites to gather information on current and prospective employees; a Facebook member who posts comments or pictures that paint them in a negative light could potentially be turned down for a job based on their activities on Facebook. Another downside to Facebook involves the fact that in many cases, the law has yet to catch up with technology. According to the article “Virtual Sex, Lies and Cyberspace,” one of the dangers of the internet is that people can pretend to be anyone online (Harmon 613-614).There are no laws preventing convicted felons, including pedophiles, from using Facebook. There is no minimum age requirement for Facebook members. In virtual reality there is no way to know for sure whom one has “friended” or is chatting with, and the potential dangers are limitless.

My personal experience with Facebook has been rewarding. I enjoy Facebook because it allows me to communicate with people in ways I was previously unable to. Instead of back and forth phone calls to set up an appointment, I can login to Facebook, see when my hairdresser is online, and chat with her to set up my next hair appointment. The members of my women’s Bunco group all have Facebook accounts and we can coordinate our next Bunco game through group messages. After we meet (in person) once a month for our game, my friends can leave comments on the hostess’ Facebook page (called their “wall”) and pat her on the back for a job well done. Facebook has also given me the opportunity to reconnect with old friends and classmates I have not been in contact with in years. I have a very large family; seven of my nine siblings, my mother, and most of my husband’s family all have Facebook accounts. Through status updates and comments, I feel like I am a part of their lives even though my closest relative lives over three hours away. I can literally watch my nieces and nephews grow up before my eyes through pictures, see my sisters’ vacation photos as soon as they are uploaded, and send a quick message to let my mother-in-law know I am thinking about her.

The convenience and speed of communication afforded by Facebook far surpasses that of “snail mail” or even email. My husband and I are getting a new puppy next month and recently took a trip to Lexington to see the litter of two-week old puppies we have to choose from. While there, I took pictures of the puppies and uploaded the pictures to Facebook account from my Blackberry device to share the news with my family and friends. Within seconds, all of my friends could view the pictures of the puppies. Within minutes, I had dozens of messages, comments, and suggestions for what to name the puppy, all while still in Lexington. Without Facebook, I would have had to wait until I got home, load the pictures on to my computer, and send everyone I wanted to know about our dog an email with the news.

A valuable aspect of Facebook is the positive effect it can have on small businesses. Nibby Priest, a prominent local insurance agent in Henderson, Kentucky, is one of the millions of people who use social media to expand their companies. In addition to Facebook, Nibby also uses another social networking website, Twitter, to promote the family owned insurance company he manages. According to Nibby, on Facebook and Twitter, “I often speak of the product that I sell and ask questions that provoke a possible interest in my product.” In a little less than two years, Nibby has created a large network of friends and clients on both social networking websites, with over one-thousand Facebook friends and nearly as many followers on Twitter. Several articles have also been written about Nibby’s success with social media, which has also contributed to growing his business (Priest). There is no doubt that social networking websites can help one grow their business. A recent article in the New York Times asserts that “small businesses are using it [Facebook] to find new customers, build online communities of fans and dig into gold mines of demographic information” (“How to Market Your Business With Facebook”).

Facebook can also help people deal with tough issues in their lives by offering an instant and large support group. Russ Lyons, a 38-year old radiation therapist and father of two young boys, was recently diagnosed with CIPD. CIPD, or Chronic Inflammary Demyelinating Polyneurophy, is a devastating disease that affects the central nervous system. As the disease progresses, a patient suffering from CIPD becomes increasingly weak and gradually loses control of their motor functions. Through Facebook, Russ has found support to help him cope with his condition, as well as met other people suffering from CIPD. In a recent status update, Russ wrote, “Went to the neurologist today. The disease is progressing and I continue to get weaker.” Within hours, Russ had over twenty comments from his Facebook friends, including “will keep you in my thoughts and prayers,” and “hang in there bud.” In a recent email, Russ advised:

They do give me a lot of encouragement. They send short notices that they are praying for me, some send bible verses they run across that remind them of me. I get messages about how people are inspired by how I am handling the disease. I have had people just show up and do yard work for me. It is amazing how much support I’ve gotten by keeping people informed through Facebook (Lyons).

While there are both good and bad facets of Facebook, the good far outweigh the bad. It is important for parents to monitor their children’s usage of Facebook. People must also keep in mind that once they have posted something on Facebook, the information is available for everyone to see. With a little discretion, Facebook can become a worthwhile experience.

Nibby Priest’s philosophy on social networking provides an example of what everyone should work towards: ” What I want to be on Twitter and Facebook: Genuine, Honest, Authentic, Encouraging, Enlightening, Educating, Professional and Positive! You?”

Tell me your story about the positive influences Social Media have been on your life?

Works Cited

“Facebook -.” Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Web. 18 Nov. 2009. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Facebook>.

Harmon, Amy. “Virtual Sex, Lies and Cyberspace.” Los Angeles Times. (April 1997). Rpt. in Pop Perspectives; Laura Gray-Rosendale. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2008. 613-619.

Lyons, Russ. “Question!” Message to the author. 20 Nov. 2009. E-mail.

Pattison, Kermit. “How to Market Your Business With Facebook.” The New York Times – Breaking News, World News & Multimedia. 16 Nov. 2009. Web. 19 Nov. 2009. <http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/12/business/smallbusiness/12guide.html>.

Priest, Nibby. “Facebook Questions.” Message to the author. 19 Nov. 2009. E-mail.