Facebook's communication problems

Social networking websites Facebook and Twitter are changing the way people communicate. People can find out the most intimate details about friends and family whether they want us to, or not.

Welcome to a world of instant media where breaking personal news can be shared on the internet. The cyber age has meant keeping up-to-date with friends and family is only a mouse click away. But not everyone is thrilled with its immediacy.

Megan Gelaburt-McGee, a Facebook user, said, "What happened was we were on our way to the doctors office and he put as a status update Facebook 'Brian is on his way to find out what the sex of the baby is' and I was like 'do not write anything because we are not going to post it' and he was like 'why not?' And I was like 'I wanna tell our family, tell our friends and not put it up for public announcement before we tell the close people in our life first' and he was like fine."

The couple later telephoned their closest friends about the birth of their first child. Another couple found Facebook to lack the personal touch. Brad Friedman proposed to partner Stephanie Kahn in true, romantic style.

Brad Friedman said, "I cut open a tennis ball and put the words Steph will you marry me inside of it and as we were picking up I had here take a look at one of the balls."

"He opened it up like a ring box and the ring was inside."

But a marriage proposal wasn't the only surprise for Stephanie.

Stephanie said, "Before I knew it my sister, his sister, my mom they were all posting things on Facebook before I even had a chance to register that, oh my God I don't want my family to find out that way. When it's a big important event, I want to be the one to make that known personally whether it be over the phone or in person, not over an internet website."

Announcements of personal milestones like marriage, pregnancy and relationship break-ups are being broken through more ways than ever before. But you might not like the way technology can take it all out of your hands - or mouth

(Source: english.cctv.com)