So the problem is?

MySpace.com™ and Facebook© are easily the two fastest growing and most popular social networking websites.  You can log on throughout the day to update your status, fill out surveys, write on a friend's wall, or send them a message.  But again, I ask you, "How many of your 'friends' on these websites do you REALLY know?"  According to Webster's dictionary, a friend is "one attached to another by esteem or affection."   How can you be friends with people you hardly know?  Think about it.  Have you ever met them, hung out with them, or talked to them on the phone?  Or, are they your friends simply because they saw you at the mall, are a friend of a friend, or liked your photo?  Doesn't that strike you as a little odd?  I would hardly call that friendship.  Once you have accepted these people as friends, they have constant access to your profile.  They can see your posts, view your photos, and have access to what is happening in your life on a daily basis.  Sounds kinda creepy to me. 

And what about meeting a potential boyfriend or girlfriend?

Log on; hit the search key; type in an age, gender, location, and thousands of potentials pop up.  It seems like a great way to meet someone new and exciting, doesn't it?  But who is really behind that picture and profile?  Okay, I understand this seems like an easier way to communicate than going up to someone new and introducing yourself.  But are you putting yourself at risk?  Who are these people?  Are their photos and information even accurate?  Are they predators posing as pals trying to lure innocent teens?   I encourage you to take caution when looking for a bf/gf online.  When it comes to relationships, hit it up old school: getting to know each other face to face.  Addicted to MySpace.com™ or Facebook©?  Use it as a way to merely enhance your relationships.

Social networking, however, has its benefits.  It has really opened up a new way of communicating, relating, and socializing.  You can "hang out" with friends, while still being grounded from leaving your house.  You can keep in touch with friends who have moved away or go to a different school.  MySpace.com™ and Facebook© allow you to express yourself through music, bumper stickers, writing blogs, and supporting a cause you believe in.  You can join groups and learn more about your friends' personal interests, and view research and new findings on particular topics.  And when you are going through some tough times, there are support groups where you can connect with others going through the same situation.  Whether it's MySpace.com™ or Facebook©, log on and let the social networking begin!