DISQUS

Katie Konrath · 2 years ago

Ugh! I hope you're not the one who convinced my mom, Jill Konrath, to join!

John Jantsch · 2 years ago

Katie,

Your mother is a strong, free willed, independent thinker (I'm guessing she is raised one of those too) I couldn't convince her to do anything she didn't think was a sound idea.

And that's my story.

rjmolesa · 2 years ago

Rock! I've been a fan of Facebook since day one and immediately after I experienced the horror that is MySpace. I've been reading you through GReader for a while and appreciate what you do. Thanks. And keep getting the word out about FB. They've had a open API for a while. Are you a programmer also?

Katie Konrath · 2 years ago

And after all that effort I spent trying to convince her that Facebook (like Trix Cereal) is for kids! ;-)

John Jantsch · 2 years ago

Not a programmer

Alex · 2 years ago

I'd be pissed too if my parents got facebook. It's for college kids, not for old men. I better limit my profile.

John Jantsch · 2 years ago

Alex,

Actually it was started for high school students, but wait, what are you doing reading an old man's blog?

And yes, you should limit your profile no matter what.

Ryan · 2 years ago

Shouldn't that tell you something? FB was built on the backs of people like your daughter to get away from people like you (parents) Why on earth would opening it up, encouraging adults to use it be a good thing? It's not. Facebook could have learned from Myspace's mistakes but they didn't.

Your conversation was a death knell.

Katie Konrath · 2 years ago

Perhaps the solution for those of us young folks is for us to simply have two profiles. Our private "fun" one for our friends and then the "Professional" one for everyone we want to impress.

Any thoughts?

John Jantsch · 2 years ago

Lighten up kids - when did you get so serious - stop worrying about death knell and have some fun!

Nigel Adams · 2 years ago

Sorry kids, but I'm another one of those terrible fathers on FB.

I think FB is great, but it was not my idea to join. I was invited by a young Guatemalan friend of my daughter. Now my daughter is using FB to show her mum and me photos of Tonga, where she is working for 8 weeks, on an "elective" during her medical course. Isn't the Internet marvellous?

Two other points:
1) Current comment from my 18 year old son about "My Space" (which I will not join on principle, due to its ownership):
"It s***s. Its just no good any more!"
"Why?" I asked.
"Too many viruses on it and hackers get into your account and change your profile. This does not happen on FB. I'm thinking of cancelling my account."

Is this a new trend?

2) I know that the US and UK are two countries split by one language, but in "English, English" the title of your posting means that your daughters are drunk!!
We would probably say: "My daughters are pissed off." but it would depend on the situation. In our colloquialisms and swearing we English do seem to add the word "off" more than you do in the States.

Just another of the international cultural factors that we need to remember, when posting on the Internet, even when using the same(?) language!!

Andrew · 2 years ago

Wonderful article! Mike Sandy's book, I'm Finally in Business for Myself...Now What? really helped me decide to start a small business. Check it out at http://finallyinbusiness.blogspot.com/

Jake · 2 years ago

Social networking sites become popular cause young people want to be AWAY from their parents (and other "adults"), especially those who are going to try marketing to them in that "40 year old guy at a punk rock show asking people if they can sell him some weed".

I wont continue with my rant here, instead I did a little blog about how facebook runs the risk of losing its members at http://nudgemarketing.blogspot.com

Katie Konrath · 2 years ago

I think the main thing will be for young people to figure out how to separate the different aspects of their lives on Facebook and MySpace.

Personally, I don't really mind if my mom has an account, the issue for me is that I use my Facebook account to stay in touch with friends I don't see very often, and I want to keep the space informal for that. It's not that we all have inappropriate material up there, it's that we just don't want to worry about it.

As someone who has used LinkedIn, I can see why professionals would be interested in Facebook. It's much easier, and much more fun to use. So, I don't blame "adults" for wanting to join in.

I think this just means that us young people will have to reconsider how we use Facebook and what we want to do with it. I want the space to be for my friends, but I also want to be able to interact with business acquaintances in a fun, social environment.

So, in my case, I just decided that until Facebook comes up with better privacy options or more ideas for its original customers, I will have two accounts. That will allow me to have both professional and personal options, and even (gasp) allow me to be friends with my MOM and John online! ;-)

By the way, John, thanks for provoking such discussion.

John Jantsch · 2 years ago

Jake,

Expand your view a bit - Facebook is far from the only popular social networking site. Many are popular because people want to get towards something.

I've got bad news for you too. Your parents and these other after school special adults you are worried about have always had access to Facebook.

It's like you've concluded we buy iPods so we can listen to your music. We buy iPods because it's a great tool to do what we want.

My post is directed towards those interested in the rich toolset that Facebook has developed and now expanded.

I have little interest in the millions of users who already inhabit Facebook unless they want to network and discuss ways that small business owners can better communicate. (By the way several hundred folks joined a group I started on that topic - some appear to be college students!)

A lot of twenty somethings seem to have a hard time grasping that we forty year olds went on spring break already, we really don't have any interest in yours.

Read Katie's comment above - great advice.