Facebook becoming a distraction in class

 Norwich students say Facebook is great for social networking but can be a dangerous distraction from schoolwork.

Some students browse the popular Web site during class, when they are in the computer lab or in the library when they should be listening to the professor or doing homework.

Kait Delayney, a 19-year-old criminal justice major from Lionel, Ill., said she's on Facebook "all the time." She added, "It's an easy distraction and there is always people on to talk too and there are games."

Facebook was first started in 2003 and at first it was a closed network and one had to be invited. At first to access Facebook, users had to be a student and part of an educational institution.

Those restrictions have been removed, according to Aimee Viera, assistant professor of sociology.

Norwich students found out about Facebook.com through various methods.

Many students have been members of Facebook since high school.

"I found about it from peers in high school; through my sophomore and junior year I heard about it," said Chris Ross, 19, a junior construction management major from Rochester, N.Y.

Some professors and administrators are concerned about how much Facebook can be a distraction.

"I wish they wouldn't do that [look at Facebook] because they are supposed to be in class," said Gina Logan, an English professor at Norwich. "I don't care that they are on Facebook or reading the newspaper or writing a letter home. If they are in class they are missing the opportunity that we are offering them for their education and it's also kind of rude."

Students' time on Facebook can range from several hours a day to several hours a week.

Facebook is particularly an issue for first-year college students who want to keep up with high school friends.

"Freshman year you spend so much time on Facebook and as Cadre I catch my kids on Facebook all the time," said Rachel Bitar, a 21-year-old junior communications major from Dedham, Mass. "It's almost instant communication, so why not use it? If you're in class and on Facebook it's your own fault."

Most freshmen-level companies are not allowed on Facebook.

"My platoon is not allowed on Facebook and if we were it would take a lot of time away," said Stephen Beasley, an 18-year-old freshmen criminal justice major from Homing, Mass.

There are also issues of students posting pictures, videos and writing sentences on their own wall that are inappropriate.

"Some kids are dumb and they put certain pictures of body parts on there," said Delayney. "They don't pay attention to that certain type of stuff and [that can] get them in trouble."

Since employers might be able to access Facebook profiles, posting anything inappropriate could hurt employment opportunities.

"You should be careful in what you put out there," said Logan. Only post things that present you in the best light, said Logan.

Students going into the military should be leery of posting pictures on the Internet.

"For some careers at this school, especially the military profession, that can hurt them in the long run." said Ross.

"Clearly students don't realize how public a venue Facebook is and students on the other hand don't necessarily survey their behavior and they sometimes post things that are very private and personal," said Vieira. "There is a public dimension to Facebook that all students don't respect."