Technology article #2

Im sure we have all heard of the social networking site Facebook, as most of us could probably be considered to be addicted to it. In fact Id be confident enough to say the majority of people reading this blog are also logged into Facebook as well. Never before has a social networking site been so popular and had such a pull among the masses. Facebook is reportedly more popular than the Superbowl and has even got the pope criticizing how much people use it, not that our current pope is ever short of an opinion on any topic. So why is Facebook so popular and is being on a social networking site so often really that good for our health?
Well I found a very interesting article concerning Facebook and its affect on the mental health of its users. According to recent studies it increases jealousy among its users, particularly when it comes to a person checking up on their partner. It says some people say stalking a partner on Facebook increases jealousy aswell as becoming addictive. The studies show it has an effect on college students relationship aswell but further study need to be carried out to see if it also has a matching effect on more mature adult relationships. Facebook originally set-up to help promote relationships might just be doing the opposite in some cases.
http://www.emaxhealth.com/1020/7/32721/facebook-fosters-jealousy-says-study.html

There is no doubt in my mind that Facebook is taking over our lives, I already spend too much time on it doing more or less nothing and playing pointless and very basic games, I cant seem to help myself though and as I try to ween myself of it I realize I might aswell be online because everybody else is anyway. One question I have always wanted an answer to is why is Facebook so popular compared to other social networking sites?
According to this article the 24 year old creator facebook wanted to try and re-create the relationships which we have in life, that is why we can join different clubs and groups, send each other presents among many other things. It also allows the user to specifically adjust their privacy settings in order to display different aspects of their personality to different people. As they may not want their Grandmother seeing the same things as their friends.
The idea is quite in-genius, perhaps explaining why Facebook has as many users as people in the country of Brazil and why it takes on upto 5 million new members every week. Looking at how profitable the company is rumored to be, I cant help but wish I had came up with the idea.
http://money.cnn.com/2009/02/16/technology/hempel_facebook.fortune/index.htm