Cyber Stalked

Some time in March I became a part of the Facebook population after receiving a few friendly invites in my inbox. It was the perfect opportunity to stay connected with friends, family and co-workers back home who have computers. Rather than sending random pictures of my adventures through e-mail, on Facebook, I can upload as many as I wish and add captions 'cause who doesn't get frustrated flipping through some one's vacation mementos and not know a damn thing that's going on and find yourself having to constantly ask the who's, what's, where's and how's?

For anyone, if any such person exists, who is unfamiliar with Facebook it is one of the largest social networking sites on the net, closely along side with Myspace. What started out as being a network strictly for college and university students soon opened up to anyone with a Internet connection. If you listen to 102.1 The Edge in Toronto who hosted a Facebook related contest, CBC News who created The Great Canadian Wish List or if you watch the news at all most likely you've heard of Facebook.

From various employees losing their positions at their employments for pictures, posts or spending too much time on the site while at work to groups being created to bring awareness to political injustices, Facebook is making waves and rightly so.

I have found classmates, childhood friends, estranged family members all with a click (some of them found me) and while my friends list continues to grow shortly after the few initial wall posts with the typical Heys, how've you beens it abruptly stops. The connection becomes idle and I'm left with only a few who on a regular basis keep in touch.

The lioness above was taken from a friend who, on my own terms, I lost contact. She found me on Facebook and we've been politely exchanging messages, catching up on things I honestly do not care about. The friendship ended for many reasons, one being stalker-ish issues which I'm again noticing through the site.

If I happen to update my profile or add pictures to one of my albums and do not reply to one of her messages she is there asking if I've fallen off the keyboard. I am beginning to wonder if her children are being compromised for her time online. I am thankful that through cable wires and computer screens is and will be as far as it goes. I am sure that if I was back home she'd be asking to do coffee and rekindle a flame that has been permanently blown out.

Some final thoughts: Do be cautious of what you share with the online world, your real world could be jeopardized. As for stalking, I currently feel no threat but we all know that threat does exist from other lurkers. If you use Facebook do not add anyone you do not personally know to your friends list. My privacy settings are set high and there is no personal information included in my profile. This should all go without saying but time and time again someone out there proves that some sort of reinforcement will always need to be made.

Good luck and happy surfing!