The Hidden Perils Of Facebook

Like most of you, I'm sure, I have become a regular on Facebook. I resisted joining for quite some time, thinking I was too old for something I associated with college students.

But after so many requests from friends and colleagues, I took the plunge. I mean, if nothing else, it would drive more traffic to my blog, right?

And while I am not the fanatic that some of my "friends" seem to be, I do enjoy going on it daily and catching up with old friends. I have had more "blasts from the past" than 20-year high school reunion. In fact, if it were not for Facebook, I would have forgotten about so many of my old Kentucky peeps.

(Editor's note: MySpace has contributed greatly in that respect as well.)

However, Facebook is not the end all, be all. It definitely has its drawbacks as well.

I mentioned those "blasts from the past." Well, let's just say I wasn't exactly thrilled to hear from ALL of them. Let's be real. You know there are some things and people you would just soon forget.

And then there's the case of finding out information you probably didn't need to hear, or as I like to call it, "When TMI goes bad!"

Take the case of one of my very good friends who joined Facebook just this week, only to delete her account in matter of only three hours.

Her quick retreat from the cozy social networking site caused me to shoot her an e-mail asking why she had come and gone faster than Joe The Plumber.

This was her response: "in a matter of a few hours I found out that my best friend is pregnant and never told me... a guy I have been dating off and on for years has the same pet names with another girl...I got an e-mail from a guy that used to stalk me and my friend's husband asked me if I wanted to "hook up" without his wife... I can't take it man!!! too much for me."

Holy overload, Batman!

So just because Facebook is the best thing to happen to you since the DVR, don't think it's all fun and games for everyone.

As you can see, Facebook can be dangerous!