Restraint a must in wired relationships

Alex Brown

Young adults are devouring social networking, camping online sometimes for 24 hours straight.

When managed properly, networking sites such as Facebook, MySpace and Twitter can revolutionize the way teens communicate with one another.

Online networking is also changing dating. In a world where people meet significant others online, maintain romances over e-mail and send virtual roses for Valentine’s Day, it’s important to follow a few key rules.

Here are five simple ways to keep Facebook from getting in the way of your romance.

1We have all seen those dreaded breakup statuses under “Highlights” on the Facebook homepage. If you would rather not have 400 of your closest acquaintances see “Jill is now single,” try not to mess with the relationship status button. Stating your status is not mandatory on Facebook anyway. To change your relationship status without the news release, go to Facebook’s privacy options, deselect “Remove My Relationship Status” then, in your profile settings, change “In a Relationship” back to its default setting “Select Status.”

2Think before commenting “Hey hottie” on the soccer captain’s new default picture. And consider whether you can handle flirty comments from someone else on your someone’s page before diving headfirst into the online pool. You and your sweetie will be able to see any comments written to and from mutual friends. The same holds true for photos.

3When ending a relationship, never let your boyfriend/girlfriend know by changing your relationship status to “single”; tell them face to face. Breaking up over text messaging is bad enough, but online where everyone can see it is even worse. Make sure you and your soon-to-be ex are the first two people to know that your romance is about to come to a close.

4After a break-up, stalking or harassing your ex via social networking is a bad idea. If you aren’t going to remain friends in real life, don’t be friends online either. Learning about your former sweetheart’s new adventures may hurt, so ask your friends to avoid forwarding info about the ex your way.

5Facebook and MySpace may cause distrust issues to be exacerbated. Basically, if you are in an unstable romance, social networking might best be avoided. Remember that a post on a Facebook page is not the same as a conversation, either with your significant other or with your friends.

Alex Brown is a student at Rhea County High School.