Let’s face it, you do it too. Remember the old days when you’d rush to the white pages and see if their number was listed and just prayed to sweet Jesus that their last name wasn’t Smith?
Times have most certainly changed, first with the advent of MySpace, and now with everyone and their dog being on Facebook. MySpace was dirtier and creepier, like that sad uncle you hated seeing at holidays. Facebook legitimizes all of it now….the uncle who has a great job and dresses nice, but still is a little weird.
The point is of course, that having just met a person on the street, in a meeting or through a friend, more than 50% of us will most surely see if they are on Facebook (I just made that percentage up). If their account is open for viewing? Win…and why not? Instead of having no idea about what this person is like, you now have the opportunity to delve into their photo, status and wall post history to form a good, solid, predetermined opinion. It’s like prejudging someone before they’ve ever had a chance.
In all honesty I have done this. Met someone, got home, turned on the computer machine, logged onto Facebook and searched where much to my surprise I’ve found them and discovered things I would have never imagined. Okay, it’s not that dramatic, but you get the idea.
Conversely, it’s interesting when you realize they are doing it to you too…but it still sucks if your last name is Smith.
