IF you’re changing your Facebook status every five minutes there is a good chance the only thing people will notice is that you’re an attention-seeking extrovert.
Social networking analyst Laurel Papworth says there are hidden messages behind the overt displays of self-promotion on websites like Facebook or MySpace.
Status updates can show if someone is an extrovert or fishing for sympathy, she claims.
“The extrovert, they are always going to be updating because the world revolves around them and one can assume that means the world needs to know how they are feeling from minute to minute,” Ms Papworth said.
“There’s a lot of passive-aggressive behaviour in social networks and some interesting statuses — I’m mad at my boss, I’m mad at my mum, my teacher.
“We’re expecting our good friends to come and commiserate and give presents on our page or leave comments on our page presumably in support of our emotional state.”
Conor Woods, a 32-year-old executive and Facebook fan, said he sometimes catches himself thinking in short, descriptive phrases for his next status update.
He said his updates were mostly attempts at humour but knew others who were trying to carve out a better image online than they enjoy in reality.
“We live in a time where everybody is really conscious of branding and advertising and everyone is really media literate… (people) know how to shape their identity online to give the best image of themselves,” Mr Woods said.
Ms Papworth claims people who think in terms of visuals will update their photographs more often because that is what appeals to them.
But Mr Woods has his own ideas on this.
“I don’t like it when people use a photo that’s not them, using something like a rock star. It seems to me like they’re hiding away, like they don’t want to face who they are,” he said.
“The ones where you see couples, just in case you didn’t see in the relationship status that they’re in a relationship with that person, that’s the person they have their arms around. Now I get it, it’s too much.”
And if that relationship breaks down then a “no longer in a relationship” update lets your friends, and sometimes your ex, know right away.
“I know one girl who found out her boyfriend had broken up with her because he changed his Facebook status update,” Ms Papworth said.
“She rang him and said ‘You’ve changed the update, what’s happened?’ And he said ‘Can’t you guess?’
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The cost to a person’s future can be very high if something undesirable is found 
Virgin Atlantic sacks staff over Facebook comments
November 3rd, 2008Virgin Atlantic has sacked 13 of its cabin staff after they criticised the airline and some of its passengers on social networking website Facebook.
The action follows an investigation into the remarks posted on Facebook, which concerned planes flying from London’s Gatwick airport and insulted passengers, as well as reportedly saying the planes were full of cockroaches.
The Independent reported that the airline’s passengers had been referred to as “chavs” – a British term similar in meaning to Australia’s “bogan”.
“Following a thorough investigation, it was found that all 13 staff participated in a discussion on the networking site Facebook, which brought the company into disrepute and insulted some of our passengers.”
It said cabin staff who held such views could not uphold the expected standard of customer service.
“There is a time and a place for Facebook. But there is no justification for it to be used as a sounding board for staff of any company to criticise the very passengers who ultimately pay their salaries,” a spokesman said.
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