In today’s day and age, everything revolves around facebook. It is about increasing your friend count; it is about how many likes and comments you get on your profile picture. And most importantly, it is about checking into every cool place you go in order for your some seven hundred friends to know where you are, what you are doing, and how much fun you’re having.
Today, instead of actually going out of our way to meet a friend, family member, or significant other, we chose to say “I will facebook you”. Facebook has become the norm of social interactions.
Feeling emotion? Post a facebook status. Your friend’s birthday? Wish them on facebook. Saw something cool on your way to work? Upload a picture on facebook. Long story short, fresh air and personal interactions have been replaced by facebook. This is not a mere interest, it is a flat out addiction to the virtual realm of social media.
How do you know you are addicted:
- Do you need to check fb every 10 minutes? (don’t lie, you know you do this)
- Withdrawal symptoms:
- Do you add people on facebook after just meeting them briefly?
- Do you stalk?
- Does your “amount of time spent on facebook” increase with your workload?
- Do you know your friend count and how many people have liked your profile picture off the top of your head? [Really now? Someone’s desperate to seem popular at this point]
Answer yes to 3 or more of these questions?
Congratulations! We now know why your productivity and physical health has gone down the drain! You have FAS: facebook addiction syndrome. We gave you a diagnosis, now it is up to you to find the cure. Good luck!
Hint: Google chrome has a “stay focused” app. It allows you to limit the amount of time spent on certain sites! Do what you need to do!
Or is it a Tool?
Facebook does not only need to be detrimental, FAS (facebook addiction syndrome) has actually made facebook one of the topmost social media sites. As the entire world continues to get on the social media/facebook hype, businesses have harnessed the power of facebook and turned it into a great marketing tool. From facebook fan and business pages, to groups and open invite events, Facebook has given businesses all the tools needed to promote themselves.
Facebook groups allow people with similar interests to come together and express their thoughts and ideas on a single platform. From having discussion to sharing ideas on a subject matter; from sharing pictures and information on a public, global level, groups are a great platform for those with similar interests to come together and market their ideas.
On the other hand, facebook pages are more specific to a particular brand or business. It is a tool to get your name out into the world of social media.
- Helps create a public presence
- Long term visibility
- Measure of popularity and growth
- Customer personalization
- Feedback
Facebook has given businesses and organizations of all sizes to promote themselves to the some 800 million active facebook users. That is a client base that any company would love to conquer. All I have left to say is that if you are a business looking from some amazing (and free) marketing, facebook is the answer to your prayers. It can be wielded as a great marketing tool, but it is also an addiction that is hard to cure. What you make of this power is in your hands.
