Facebook Fanatics Are Probably Miserable

[crustyasp46]

Report : Facebook Fanatics Are Probably Miserable

It would seem at least somewhat logical to equate the number of one's Facebook friends with their overall happiness. The more Facebook friends, the more events one is invited to, the more pals to consult in times of stress. But a new study says that's not true, and indicates instead that the people with the most Facebook friends appear to be the least happy of all site members.



The study comes to us from Edinburgh Napier University in Scotland. Researchers interviewed about 200 students to find out how Facebook use can be connected to one's overall mood. In their final report, these researchers found that, "for a significant number of users, the negative effects of Facebook outweigh the benefits of staying in touch with friends and family." (Source: foxnews.com)

This seems to indicate that, for some people, using Facebook is a lot like being crowded around the dining table at Christmas time. It's a stressful environment.

Pressure to be on Facebook: Too Much

Researchers found that the people who spent the most time on Facebook were also those feeling the greatest stress in their day to day lives. One of the professors behind the study, Dr. Kathy Charles, says it's strange to see that many Facebook users admit feeling a need to be on the site but can't name many benefits to doing so.

"For instance, although there is great pressure to be on Facebook, there is also considerable ambivalence among users about its benefits," Charles said.

Fewer Friends, Better Feeling about Facebook

There is a great deal of social anxiety involved in a Facebook membership. 32 per cent of respondents said they felt guilty to reject a friend request, while another 12 per cent said the site, in general, made them feel anxious and upset.

Here's a way to put this in perspective. Those who said using Facebook made them feel anxious had an average of 117 Facebook friends. Those who replied that this was not the case had an average of just 75 friends.

So, why not just give up and delete one's membership? Well, it's hard to do that when everyone else is online.

Facebook has become a critical social hub for many people, who are afraid that leaving the site could leave them out in the cold when new events arise. "Like gambling, Facebook keeps users in a neurotic limbo, not knowing whether they should hang on in there just in case they miss out on something good," Charles said.

I, personally don't use Facebook, although in the past I did have an account, but really felt the experience non gratifying. The constant sending of invitations to join games, and the airing in public petty squabbles of some was very irritating, and finally I just made the decision to leave. I felt that if someone had an important announcement to make, and they were good enough friends, they had my phone number and my email address and could contact me that way. And also, if the announcement was that important, there was really no reason that the whole world should be able to hear about it.

I like my privacy and have my own ideas about how to maintain it, and Facebook is definitely not part of my desire for privacy. crusty

Facebook CEO's Fan Page Attacked by Hackers

Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg's fan page has reportedly been hacked. Recently, a message appeared online the fan page, stating: "Let the hacking begin: If facebook needs money, instead of going to the banks, why doesn't Facebook let its users invest in Facebook in a social way?"

The social networking site has since removed all unauthorized posts from Zuckerberg's fan page.

Facebook Hack Embarrassing, Concerning

So, how is it that what should have been the most secure of all Facebook fan pages was easily cracked by a hacker? Sophos senior consultant Graham Cluley says it's hard to tell, but no doubt embarrassing for Zuckerberg and Facebook alike.

"It's not clear if he was careless with his password, was phished, or sat down in a Starbucks and got sidejacked while using an unencrypted wireless network, but however it happened, it's left egg on his face just when Facebook wants to reassure users that it takes security and privacy seriously." (Source: informationweek.com)

In all likelihood, it was someone around Zuckerberg who made a mistake, not the famous CEO himself.

"Celebrity social networking pages are often managed by a whole team of marketing minions," noted Cluley, adding "When you have millions of Facebook friends or Twitter followers, keeping up with the pace of your online social interactions generally gets beyond the capacity of a single person."

Facebook, and Sites Like it, Inherently Flawed

The Zuckerberg attack raises old concerns about the vulnerability of web sites that use a login and password over HTTP connection. It's been shown that breaking into accounts using this flawed protection scheme is not particularly difficult for hackers, who can use malicious software to easily soak up login information. (Source: computerworld.com)

This is especially easy when a user has not updated their web browser in a while. Facebook users are encouraged to use a complex password and to regularly apply browser security updates.

[GozmitJosh]

Haha i have 429 friends and i only check facebook maybe once a day of that.

[crustyasp46]

That explains the smiley face in Santa toque