A cautionary tale

Monday, Aug. 17, 2009 | 2:05 a.m.

The marvels of modern technology have made it easier than ever for friends and loved ones to share information via computers, creating a vast new world of social networking. A few simple keystrokes can spread text, photos and videos throughout cyberspace in nanoseconds.

Such networking has its drawbacks, though, and participants should proceed with caution.

The Associated Press reported last week on a Cornell University study that found the popular Web site Facebook could spark jealousy in romantic relationships among college students.

This is possible because Facebook, which offers its services for free to more than 250 million active users globally, bills itself as a place that gives people “the power to share and make the world more open and connected.”

Therein lies the problem.

Some people lack self-control and share too much information on their Facebook pages with designated friends, to whom they have granted access. The Cornell researchers found one woman who learned her boyfriend had broken up with her after discovering on his Facebook profile that he had changed his relationship status to “single.” Yikes!

Some users also set themselves up for humiliation by having a page that contains embarrassing photos or videos of them that were posted by their friends. Imagine the shock of having your significant other see you in a compromising photo or video with someone from your past.

Facebook does give registered users the ability to remove unwanted posts by designated friends and offers other tools that restrict access to a user’s page. But many Facebook users lead busy lives and don’t have the time to check their pages often enough to catch potentially embarrassing entries by their friends.

The moral of this story: If you engage in social networking, be careful whom you designate as friends. And unless you wish to avoid a confrontation with your significant other, you might want to think twice about just how open and connected you want to be with the outside world.