While to some of us Facebook is more difficult to use than regular e-mail systems—whether Google mail, Hotmail, Yahoo mail, AOL or other systems—it has become very popular. Instead of texting or using instant messaging on a regular e-mail program, these people find Facebook their preferred method of communication. With the addition of timeline and the new privacy controls, students and others have found Facebook more useful. And this year, Facebook is about to launch a way to track the traffic to your Facebook site. 

Facebook’s Popularity
There are many reasons why Facebook is so popular. The ability to post pictures, tag people, communicate with messages, play with bulletin boards and use instant messages may account for some of the popularity, but the ability to create content in so many ways makes it more interesting and useful than plain e-mail systems. In fact, according to Kissmetrics data about Facebook, more then 30 billion pieces of content are shared each month, and the average user creates 90 pieces of content monthly. That means that the involvement is far more than just e-mail messages back and forth.

The number of people using Facebook also makes a big difference to many users. Currently, Facebook is the largest social-communication program with more than 835 million users and 500 million active users. In fact, 50% of active users check in every day. The average user has about 130 friends and spends about 700 minutes a month on Facebook, which converts to about 23 minutes a day, with many people spending a lot more time than that.

Facebook Guidelines
In terms of helping our students use their Facebook sites effectively, we need to remind them of at least three important guidelines: audience, permanence and development. At the same time, we should encourage them to use Facebook and grow with it.

One, we need to remind them that their audience is the world. Whatever they post on Facebook can go to anyone, anywhere, at any time. That means that they should practice the grandparent rule: Do not post anything on Facebook that they would not share with their grandmother or grandfather. While that may not deter all students, it is a good way to keep them focused on what they say or create and how they say or create it.

Two, we need to remind them that nothing in cyberspace can be fully erased or permanently destroyed. That situation means that they need to consider what they post and where they post it remembering that any number of people may find it. Certainly, in the world of hospitality, many students have lost internships or jobs on account of a routine Google or Facebook search of their name. It does not hurt to remind them of that fact.

Third, we need to remind them that we all change and develop. What they want to say now may not be what they want to see or find at a later stage in their life; therefore, they need to consider what they post, where they post it and what comments they make. They also may want to monitor the pictures they post and tag and the ways in which they portray themselves and their activities.

Since these recommendations sound so punishing and old fashioned, we should also remind them to have fun, to create content, to keep their minds active and to expand their range of contacts. Facebook can be a great place to experiment, try out new ideas and expand their mental horizons. Who knew that Farmville could create so many communities of interest? The good news is that Facebook is continuing to develop as a software package. Who knows how it may grow this next year and what students will find they can do on Facebook.

Facebook and Us
Many faculty members have Facebook pages and befriend their students; others wait until the students have become alumni/ae to friend them. Some faculty members do not have a Facebook page and do not want one. Whatever your choice, remember that if you want to learn about it, your students can probably teach you, in a very quick and friendly manner, a lot about both how to set up your Facebook page and how to use it effectively. If they’re spending time on Facebook anyway and we can help encourage them to use it creatively, we should probably recognize what fun and how useful it can be.

Summary
Thank you for reading this column about Facebook; if I have made errors or you want to correct my ideas, feel free to send me comments. Next month, we will return to a focus on teaching issues and discuss ways of using notes and diaries instead of blogging—a suggestion given to me by students. If you have suggestions for other topics, send them to me at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., and I will include them in future Mayo’s Clinics.

Dr. Fred Mayo, CHE, CHT, is a clinical professor at New York University and a frequent presenter at CAFÉ events nationwide.