You Like This...

The "like" button. This simple invention allows you to agree with someone or show appreciation with a click of your mouse.  You no longer have to spend a few seconds thinking about what you want to comment; all you have to do is click “like”. Besides, who actually wants to engage in conversation these days?

Okay…I’m being a bit harsh. I will be the first to admit, I really like the “like” button. However there has always been something about it that really bugs me, and it wasn’t until today that I even knew what that was. 

A friend brought the term “straight like” up to me today. I didn’t know what it meant so naturally, I turned to Urban Dictionary to help me understand.

Straight like is:

“When someone goes straight down your Facebook page and likes everything, including wallposts, comments, statuses, etc. Usually it's a close friend of yours, or someone who's bored to death”

There are a million things I can think of doing if I am ‘bored to death’ over liking every single post my friends make. Please don’t do this.

The best thing about the like button is that it is a once in a while type of use. There is no possible way you can like everything, and if you do maybe you should be a little bit pickier.

The next big thing that people are saying is, “I dislike this”. Personally, I hope Facebook does not come up with a button to dislike something because my mom raised me to believe that if I don’t have anything nice to say, not to say anything at all.

I would love to hear what you think about the "like" button. Should people stop liking and start actually typing words to express their feelings? 

Upload Picture...

Now think carefully. Do you really want to upload that picture of you stumbling around at the bar? I don’t think so.

Profile pictures are the first thing people see when they view your profile. They are a direct representation of your personality and provide a visual for all to create a first impression. Make sure your picture reflects the type of person you are...and remember in 5 years from now you may be haunted by your decisions.  

Here are some things that I personally don’t think should be included in a profile picture. Please remember that this is my opinion and I would love to hear feedback from everyone.

1) Mirror pictures. Really all I have to say is, save it for MySpace. There is a negative connotation with mirror pictures so save yourself the trouble and just ask a friend to take the picture.

2) Wording and fancy designs. Now I know some people like to add flowers and rainbows to their pictures and if that is what they like, then so be it. However, I really do advise anyone against wording or quotes because 5 years down the road they may not mean anything to you. Even worse, your potential employer may really disagree with what you are saying.  For example,

3) Kissing your boyfriend/girlfriend. Not only will this haunt you when you break up and have to delete it, but no one wants to see your PDA.

Remember, Facebook is your personal brand; the least you could do is invest a little thought into it. For some fun and simple display pictures, click here.

As always, I want to hear from you! What do you think is totally inappropriate when it comes to display pictures? I am curious to hear what people think about beach pictures….

Vanessa 

What's on your mind?

Being that this is my first critique, I find it appropriate to start with a Facebook tool everyone has and uses.

Status Updates.  They ask you “What’s on your mind?” but we don’t actually want to know. Remember that if someone really wants to see your profile, they can find a way to see it. Also, Facebook keeps record of your status updates so make sure that what you post today wont haunt you in a year. Below is a list of topics that should NOT appear in a status.

Warning: The below content may offend some readers because they are currently guilty of inappropriate status’s. If you are one of the persons offended, please pay close attention.  

# 1: Love. I am sure your friends are happy you are in love and MAYBE on your anniversary you can throw in a status update but anything beyond that is too much. The general public does not need to know how in love you are with your significant other and that without that person you would be so completely lost. Save it for your valentine’s card.

# 2: Hate. No matter how angry you are that your parents ground you, or that your ex best friend stabbed you in the back…don’t announce it. Not only does it make you look immature but also, no one wants to associate with a loud mouth.

# 3: Racism. No explanation needed.

# 4: Controversy. This is a tough one. Controversy isn’t necessarily bad because it generates conversation but please be respectful of other opinions. If you feel strongly about something just remember that other people may disagree. Be careful when choosing your words.

# 5: Vulgarity. Not everyone wants to sign on to Facebook and see your potty mouth. Keep it clean.

As always, I am looking for feedback. What do you think…do you agree with these rules or not? Am I missing anything?

I will leave you this week with my favourite website. If you want to see some examples of the worst status updates, check it out! lamebook.com

Until Next Week,

Vanessa