My personal opinion is that social networking is often taken far too seriously. As someone who spends a lot of time on the internet, I see a lot of articles about how Facebook is doing this and Facebook is doing that, but personally - as long as you never submit any sensitive data into the internet, you'll never have a thing to worry about. Just step back, put things in perspective and realize that it's essentially website about your headshot and your favorite movies.
I spend about 5 to 6 hours on Facebook and Musicbanter everyday because I work from home and have a lot of downtime inbetween assignments during the day. And I've observed from both (especially since becoming a mod on MB) the strangest e-drama. People getting into arguments.. on Facebook. Kids "dating" each other and talking about how much they're in love... how many times have they met in real life? Once, twice, thrice? I guess they fell in love when they both Liked that Owl City page at the same time. I've seen people post those ridiculous passive-aggressive status updates with things like "They broke my heart, now I am alone again. But I'm stronger." Efffff youuuuu.
That's the biggest problem I can see with social media. People use it as some kind of therapist and it annoys the piss out of the normal lot of us who just use it to piss around.
The other perceived problems I believe people just ask for. It doesn't matter what Facebook does with your "personal information" (which is rapidly becoming a new buzzword for paranoid mothers) if you don't give Facebook your "personal information" to begin with. If you enter something into an online forum, don't enter something private. Treat it as though you're painting it on a billboard.
I don't think online activities such should translate to real life consequences, which unfortunately tends to happen.
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