The facebook is an online social network -- which, in college code, means quite a useful alternative to homework.
Even though many students may view the facebook as an innocent Web site, the University Police, in conjunction with Vice President for Student Affairs Patricia Lampkin, sent an e-mail about two weeks ago to students expressing concern over the facebook and other similar sites.
The e-mail warns that "including information of a personal nature makes these programs enticing for predators ... Before posting information on the Internet, please be aware that the information becomes available to those outside the University community."
First-year College student Sonia Taneja provides her picture, residence hall and cell phone number on her facebook profile.
Taneja said although she understands there is a line that must be drawn on how much personal information people put on their profile, she does not believe the information she provides jeopardizes her safety.
"Mine is just contact information, not I-can-stalk-you information," she said.
Third-year College student Rachel Duffié said she views the facebook as one of the safer online profile sites.
"I thought twice about posting personal information, but the fact that only U.Va. students can access it is comforting," Duffié said.
Second-year College student Jean-Paul Theroux said he fully agrees with the warnings mentioned in the e-mail. He recently removed his profile from the facebook, but not because of safety concerns.
"My younger sister pointed out half-seriously that facebook and Instant Messenger cut out certain aspects of human interaction," Theroux said. "She jokingly decided to make a stand and not join any, and I'm following her example."
Duffié, on the other hand, said she values the facebook precisely because it can facilitate interaction when more personal contact might be otherwise impossible. She said she also enjoys the ease with which it allows her to keep in touch with people she would not normally e-mail or call.
"I like the ability to observe people from a distance," she said, and then jokingly added that she realized she sounded stalkerish. "You can keep up with friends from high school to see how they have grown up in college."
As a person who has spent portions of his life overseas and has gone to many different schools, Theroux said one of the only useful aspects of the facebook is the ability to keep in touch with old friends.
"People you don't see every week, every month or every year are all easily reachable on facebook," Theroux said.
Taneja said one of the reasons she spends so much time on the facebook is to stay connected with her friends.
"I like leaving random messages on people's walls so you can let people know you're thinking about them," she said.
As for the safety of the facebook, Taneja, Duffié and Theroux all said they have ever felt uncomfortable or in danger.
"I've received some random people messaging me or requesting to be my friend," Duffié said. "Sometimes it's like, how did you find me?"
Taneja has a simple remedy for the problem of receiving attention from strangers.
"I don't accept friend requests from unknown people," she said. "If I don't know them, I don't accept them."
Although Theroux said he has never received any strange messages, he can see how the facebook could be used as a method for stalking.
"Not that a guy would have to worry about it as much as a girl, but all it takes is one creepy guy to look at your profile," Theroux said. "There are weird people out there."
Still, Theroux said the facebook does take some safety precautions in addition to prohibiting people from viewing people's profiles at other schools.
"I think it's good that facebook gives people an option to put up personal information," he said.
Taneja added that the facebook has a report button, both for photos and for profiles in general.
"I think this school is pretty secure," Taneja said. "I know I'm safe in my room and around my building and safe on Grounds in general."
Taneja said although she has hardly any complaints with the facebook, there would be one circumstance in which she would remove her profile.
"If I was getting interviewed for a job, I would remove my profile and pictures that I didn't want anyone to see, just so the company wouldn't have a bias against me," she said.
Duffié also said she would think about removing her profile in certain cases.
"If I started getting a lot of unwanted attention or if I had a stalker, then I might," she said.
Students tend to joke about facebook stalking, but Lampkin's e-mail also said personal information posted on the Web may have contributed to the murder of a Virginia Commonwealth University student Taylor Behl.
VCU freshman Maggie Noe said she believes the facebook had nothing to do with Behl's murder. Additionally, VCU has not sent out any memos similar to the e-mail University students received.
"We haven't gotten any warnings against facebook," Noe said.
Not all online profiling sites are alike, however. For example, Taneja said that she thinks Myspace is more dangerous than facebook.
"Myspace is kind of creepy," she said. "All you have to do is be a member and can see everyone. Plus, becoming a member is very easy."
Duffié said she thinks posting personal information on AIM profiles is more dangerous than the facebook.
"I'm a minimalist as far as IM goes because people can access that," she said.
Taneja also said she is much more guarded on AIM, especially with away messages.
"I usually put what I'm doing on my away message," she said. "Not where I'm going per se, just what I'm doing in general."
Theroux said he has not touched AIM since his freshman year in high school.
"I never really had a profile when I was on that thing," he said. "I just used it for practical reasons."
Duffié said her typical AIM profile is simply a lyric from a song.
"Sometimes it's helpful if a person puts in a cell phone number, but sometimes you're putting yourself at risk," she said.
Taneja stressed that the benefit of the facebook is being able to have a say in who sees her information.
"People who you don't know can see your away messages," Taneja said. "You can control who sees your facebook information, as opposed to AIM, which is more uncontrolled."
To most students, the facebook seems to be a staple of college life. But as the e-mail stated, the University advises students to "be selective with the content of personal information that is posted."
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