Should College Students Use Facebook?

College students should not use Facebook because it distracts them from more important things in life and many risks and dangers come with using Facebook.

Facebook- Unhealthy to students’ future

Facebook is Unhealthy Facebook is unhealthy for students. Students feel that they need to be connected with their friends 24/7 because of websites like Facebook. Many college students have trouble disconnecting from their social life and it may even increase their anxiety levels.

Facebook Addiction The Harrisburg University of Science and Technology recently attempted to block Facebook from the school computers. This was not very successful because it was only a one week test and students were still able to access it from their phones, at home, and some tried hacking into the computer systems. Some students even hiked several miles just to get to a computer at a library or hotel. College students are becoming addicted to Facebook and it is becoming impossible to take it away from them. Teachers found that it really was like an addiction because students were always trying to go on Facebook through their phones during class time.

Facebook affects Students’ Grades Facebook interferes with college students’ school work. They are caught up with updating statuses and overlook studying. Researchers at Ohio University asked 219 students about their study habits. Facebook users spent 1-5 hours studying per week, while non-users studied 11-15 hour per week. The study also found that Facebook users had a lower GPA. Students who used Facebook had a GPA between 3.0 and 3.5 and non-users had a GPA between 3.5 and 4.0.

A Post Can Cost You College students don’t realize that they are responsible for what they post on social networking sites like Facebook. Students are rejected from job interviews and fired from their current jobs because of what they post. For example, a teenager posted something negative about her boss on Facebook and got fired from her job.

Dangers of Facebook

Safety Problems Some research shows that teens allow 44% - 87% of strangers into their Facebook network. This shows that college students are constantly putting themselves at risk when they use online social networks such as Facebook.

Nothing is Private on Facebook College students do not realize that everything they post is looked at and they often post embarrassing things that they will regret later. Students think that just because they adjust their privacy settings, everything is safe. This is not the case. There are many viruses and scams that college students are lured into. With just the information that is listed on Facebook, hackers are easily able to get credit card information, and much more.

Drama Leads to Violence Facebook can also cause a lot of drama in colleges. People often post things in order to release their anger on Facebook and this can often lead to drama. Students take everything that is posted very seriously, and it often leads to fights and violence in real life. There have also been cases of cyber bullying that have become so extreme that students have committed suicide.

ACT NOW!

Ban Facebook A study by Robert Half Technology shows that 54% of companies in the United States have banned the use of social networking sites like Facebook while at work. This was because Facebook distracted the workers and decreased productivity. Research shows that employee productivity decreased by 1.5% after the use of Facebook was allowed. Colleges should follow the example that companies have set and absolutely ban Facebook so that students aren’t distracted and will be more productive.

College students should avoid the use of Facebook and utilize alternative forms of communication.

Informational Links Visit these links for additional information on how Facebook negatively affects college students, and why they should refrain from using it. http://www.collegeparents.org/members/resources/articles/your-college-student-investing-enough-time-studying http://www.nais.org/resources/article.cfm?ItemNumber=151505 http://www.dailytech.com/Facebook+Use+Linked+to+Lower+Grades+Among+College+Students/article14850.htm http://www.allfacebook.com/facebook-college-grades-2009-04 Videos: http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=4946137n&tag=related;photovideo http://www.fox13now.com/news/kstu-school-district-ban-facebook-faculty-students,0,4692736.story

This Public Service Announcement was made by: Kelly Chen, Jessica Liang, Stephanie Loo, and Jaime Szeto