Social media and the changing face of Facebook
When I signed up for a Facebook account several years ago, I was definately not the average Facebook user. I made a bargain with my then tween daughter that she could be on Facebook as long as we were friends and I could monitor her. However, it wasn't long before Facebook became part of my daily life. I am an Inbound Marketing Consultant and social media is an important part of my job. However, what has surprised me is how many other baby boomers have become Facebook users recently.
Companies are using social media for marketing purposes these days so a friend request from business associate or peer is common place. Surprising are requests from my friends and relatives in their 50s or older who have always rolled their eyes at my "geekiness". Facebook has become a strange mixture of work and every day life. Invitations to family events, the birth of my new nephew mixed in with messages about Inbound Marketing University and conversations with clients. It is both wonderful and a bit unsettling.
My kids say that we have ruined Facebook. It was a place for students to share their experiences and talk to friends. We've turned it into a business marketing tool, a family bulletin board and can now embarrass them in real-time. Truth be told I feel a bit bad for them. It was a lot easier to fly under the radar when I was a teen. My message to them is be careful what you post. Your next employer or your mother... not to mention the Pastor... may be reading and commenting on what you did last Saturday night. I'm sure the kids will find a new way to communicate without us looking over their shoulders but don't think they will have privacy for long. Social media is here to stay...for all of us!