This week, the University of Cambridge - that historical institution located across the pond - released a study in which researchers scoured Facebook to determine what type of person uses the social network site.
They say their findings, released online at the Proceedings for the National Academy of the Sciences, could determine things such as sexual orientation, political views, and if someone used drugs.
It came about because of the "like" option available throughout Facebook. The study's researchers looked at 58,000 Facebook users, probably tossed in some mathematical equation that takes up two large chalkboards, and then spit out the findings.
It made me wonder what others think about me based on what I "like."
So, here's the last 10 things on my newsfeed that made me push the "like" option:
* photo of a Pittsburgh Pirates spring training win.
* photo of new Steelers backup QB Bruce Gradkowski.
* the status of a college friend wishing her husband a happy birthday.
* photo of the Pirates' lineup card.
* college buddy's status in which he wished his 3-year-old daughter a happy birthday.
* photo and status of a local woman receiving recognition from her mother-in-law for a job well done.
* status of a high school classmate who says it's been 5 weeks since her last cigarette.
* photo of Gene Wilder as Willie Wonka with a caption that reads "Oh, you work so much harder than everyone else? I noticed this is only your 12th post while on the clock today."
* an album of photos from Youngstown State vs. Kent State basketball taken by Review correspondent Jamie Olmstead of Olmstead Photography.
* and finally, a photo of white smoke coming from the stacks in Stratton with the caption reading "They've elected a Pope in Stratton, Ohio."
There you have it. What do you think? Not much, huh? I'm not revealing anything that anyone linked to me cannot access themselves, so that information was for my non-Facebook readership.
Perhaps it tell you I like cake, gobstoppers and stadium hot dogs. I don't know.
There are things I will NEVER share with Facebook. Even if I "like" it. I will NEVER reveal facts that others have posted about themselves. It's too personal.
My true friends will know, yes, but not the world of FB. I don't care for the world to know certain facts about my life.
Others survive on announcing things to the masses. They revel in the "likes" received on one's status. They are boastful. And, they are ridiculous.
The majority of my "friends" on Facebook aren't actually my friends. Sorry, but I don't have 555 friends - no one does.
There are those that send out friend requests to anyone just to boost that number, believing the higher the number, the more important they become.
It's a joke. Some of the people who've asked me to be a friend, I question. Mostly because I don't remember them.
Here's a factor in determining my friendship with you - if I've come within several inches of you in real life and you didn't even give me the "what's up head bob," I know my "friendship" status with you simply exists on FB to swell your numbers.
For a long time I didn't ask anyone to be my FB friend. Instead, I went with the belief that if you wanted to be my friend, you could track me down. It wasn't that hard, I believed. Then I caved to the masses. I actually asked some to be my "friend" whom I'd never purposely break bread with - well, maybe if they were buying.
I still hold to the belief that school teachers should not be friends with their students and coaches should not be friends with their players. It just seems wrong. School districts need to address that issue.
Parents, however, should be friends with their children - only as a way to keep an eye on them. But it can work both ways - parents shouldn't post anything they wouldn't want their children to see.
Facebook is here to stay, love it or hate it. And all it actually does is open lines of communication - it's up to the user to post that picture or update a status.
I'd just be careful in what I share with the world - because it's watching.
(Jim Mackey is editor of The Review. Reach him at jmackey@reviewonline.com)
