1Charles

I feel pretty strongly that the author makes a terrible mistake in that article: she imposes a purpose and INTENT for Facebook users, and assumes that there is a proper use of the network. She takes it further by saying that by putting your child's photo on Facebook you're subverting that purpose, and are denying yourself the proper online representation.

There's no "correct" way to use Facebook. People make it into whatever they want. If I put my kid's photo up there, so what? It doesn't mean I'm negating the proper use of Facebook, or denying my own identity. Maybe I'm just using my profile pic as a way to update people. Maybe I'm just f-ing around on the internet. It's not the end of my identity.

May 16, 2009

2Doug Schumacher

Funny post. And dead on regarding the comments being the best content. The issue really doesn't seem all that baffling. Parents are (hopefully) proud of their kids and thus like to show pics of them. Frankly, I'd be more concerned if it were the opposite.

May 16, 2009

3Noah Brier

@Charles: While I certainly agree that there are no rules around how to use Facebook "properly", parents, especially mothers, losing their identities to their children apparently is a fairly big issue. I don't know a lot about it, but apparently it's fairly common for mothers to stop making themselves meals and start eating off their children's plates and things like that. The bottom line is how we chose to portray ourselves on these sites does provide insight, though I'm not positive exactly what this trend says.

May 17, 2009

4Charles

Interesting stuff, Noah - had no idea it was as big an issue as that. My initial reaction was to chalk it up simple & harmless pride (as Doug mentioned), but then again, I don't have that many mothers as friends on FB!

May 17, 2009

5harris

Bunk.
Noah, are you loosing your identity to your iPhone?
Charles, are you loosing your identity to your guitar and a guy in a banana suit?
Your Facebook photos would say that you are.

This trend says that mothers are proud of their children. It used to be photos of your kids would be prominently placed in one's wallet and produced immediately upon meeting with a friend. Now it's a Facebook photo.

Mothers (and fathers) stop making meals for themselves and just eat from their children's plates, because the children rarely finish their food, and if you ate your meal and their meal you would soon become rather large. Currently, Max has devoured all his pasta, but will be leaving behind most of his broccoli and chicken. Guess what my dinner will be?

May 17, 2009

6Jimmy

I actually have Emily (my daughter) on my profile. I rarely use Facebook, so there isn't much else there but my daughter is a lot cuter than my ugly mug :) There is a great sense of pride in being a parent and I like to show off my beautiful daughter, but beyond that once you be come a parent I wouldn't go as far as to say you lose your identity, but your child becomes part of your identity, especially for stay at home moms.

At this point who am I? What is my identity? I work as a computer programmer, but that's not who I am, I am a father.

May 18, 2009

7Noah Brier

@Harris: I don't disagree with you at all (and I like your wallet analogy), though I think maybe you're underselling the decision of what to put as your photo. All I'm saying is it's very interesting to wonder what your profile photo says about you. Maybe it says nothing, but then again, maybe it doesn't ...

May 18, 2009

8Rebecca

I'll give you a few reasons Noah. 1. Mom always has the camera, there's never any pictures of her. 2. Mom doesn't have too many hottie Match.com-like shots lying around. 3. When given the choice, a cute toddler baby photo beats a post-pregnancy-didn't-have-time-to-put-on-makeup- shot. 4. Most moms, like me have more identities than we know what to do with: mom, wife, marketing executive AND social media expert.

May 19, 2009