Did You Really Need to Know That?: Why Facebook/MySpace/Friendster/Other can be bad for your health

It's my own fault, really. I stumbled upon FaceBook in its infancy (when only snobby private schools were invited, before they started letting in the rif raff aka state universities. LOL), and being a senior in college with a secured job offer before fall semester exams, I clearly had NOTHING better to do with my time. You know it, FaceBook and all the other sites like it are just like online crack. There, I said it, you're no better than any Tyrone Biggums on the street looking for a hit.

There are several reasons, besides potential addiction, that you should steer clear of social networking sites:

1. You don't REALLY want to know about your ex-boyfriend/girlfriend's new main squeeze, let alone see the cheesy pics of them wearing t-shirts with each other's image on it. *sigh and shake head hopelessly*
2. Great - now the world knows you left your bra in his car.
3. Your grades, if you're still in school, will suffer.
4. Your boss, when he finds out you spend all day online, will fire you.
5. You too can become the victim/perp of statutory rape.
6. Worse, you can find half-naked pics of your little sister/cousin/babysitting charge online.
7. You will get mad at friends for missing out on important info - "OMG! I posted it on your wall, so why didn't you meet me for happy hour?"
8. You will feel the need to "add" people as friends just to avoid pissing them off.
9. You will become an "egocaster."
10. You will be exposed to terrible "music."

That being said, I am a an active and loyal member of the Facebook, MySpace, and though I seldom use it (read: never), the original Friendster. *SIGH*. Like I said, it's hopeless. Ooh, somebody tagged a new photo of me. Gotta go.