Task 1b: The power of Facebook: Friend or foe?

With 37.4 million adults in the UK alone using Facebook, it is no wonder that the popular social networking site is used for much more now than its original purpose, a place for university students to gather on the web. In a group discussion on Monday I talked with other BAPP students briefly on the power Facebook has in our industry and the pro's and con's of being a member.

I have always viewed Facebook as an online diary. I think its wonderful to be able to document life and know that pictures, thoughts and important moments are logged forever. Gone are the days when you had to get all your photos printed and store them in numerous photo albums. Its all on your computer, laptop or phone, literally a few taps of a screen away and you can visit any year and recall and memory. When I was younger, as I have touched on in a previous post, I was an open book on Facebook. My profile was available for the world to see, I didn't care what pictures were posted of myself, and my statuses were whatever was going through my head at that time. There were no boundaries, no line between what was appropriate and what might not stand me in the best stead for the future, because who thinks (or cares) about that when they are 16?

As well as being able to document my life, Facebook opens up a multitude of possibilities when it comes to work. 'The Hustle', a popular page on Facebook for performers, is constantly being updated with different jobs as well as singing or dance classes and photographers advertising headshot packages. Its the go to page for any performer who wants to be in the know and is a very quick and hassle free way to gain contacts, information and work. I got my current teaching job through an advertisement on 'The Hustle' and I went for an interview today with another company which I heard about via the page as well.

Facebook also allows me to network and keep in touch with other professionals in the business. Graduates and teachers, as well as performers that I have had the pleasure of working with in a guest class or whilst training (Remember the proverb, its not what you know, but who you know), but before my friends list began to grow with potential employers, I had never considered the affect social media might have over my working life. In my interview today, it was openly admitted to me that the interviewer, my potential boss, had already 'stalked' my Facebook to see what I was like before she met me. Is this a fair perspective of someone and does my Facebook page show a true reflection of me? In my head I immediately ran through pictures I have recently posted (my profile is set to private so you can't see what i've written until a friend request is accepted) and began to panic about how far back through my Facebook history she had bothered to go. As a graduate taking my first steps into the performing arts world I am always aware that what I post can be seen and read by many and I aim now to keep everything as professional as possible while still allowing the page to be an honest journal of what i'm up to. Many of my friends have been through their Facebook profiles and deleted any old posts or pictures that they deemed inappropriate and I can completely understand why, however I made a concious decision quite a while ago now, to take the risk and leave my 18 year old self up on my page for my friends to see, if they can be bothered to scroll back that far! Why? Because I honestly believe there is more to life than monitoring your life. There is no way you'd catch me on the wild nights out now that I used to have, but I don't want to forget that that was a part of my life either and I dare say one day in the very, very far away future my grandchildren will take great pleasure in looking back at their crazy granny who definitely knew how to party when she was 18! Is this a true reflection of who I am now? No.

That being said, I know this is a minority opinion, and as always would love some feedback as I know many probably think mine is a very bold (yet stupid) view!


LL x