Some people are using Facebook for more than just catching up with old friends and staying up to date with acquaintance's lives. According to the BBC, the social media site is being used to save lives, catch criminals and even end marriages.
I became privy to Facebook's revolutionary powers when I noticed today's headline, "UK teenager 'saved by Facebook'" on the British news site. According to the article, a British teenager messaged a girl in Maryland, saying that he was going to kill himself. The girl's mother called local police, who placed a call to the White House, who called the British Embassy, who contacted local police in Britain. The boy was found semi-conscious in his home after a drug overdose. After a hospital stay, the boy made a full recovery.
After reading that BBC article, I noticied another that mentioned an unusual Facebook use. According to the story "Facebook campaign to find rapist," a Manchester man made a group to try to find the man who raped his fiancee. He posted a grainy police photo of the attacker on the page and created the group in hopes that someone who knows the man will come forward.
While some are using the social media site for good purposes, others are just being ridiculous. According to the story "Marriage end 'posted on Facebook,'" Emma Brady found out her six-year marriage was over after her husband changed his status to read, "Neil Brady has ended his marriage to Emma Brady." Of all the ways to be dumped, that might be the worst. If it's any consolation to Ms. Brady, I think she is better off without a man who tells his Internet "friends" that his marriage is over before he even tells his wife.
So all in all, Facebook has uses, both good and ridiculous, beyond my wildest dreams. Who knew that a site affectionately known as Stalkerbook could be so versatile?
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