10 fascinating Facebook facts — and what they say about us

May 26, 2011|By Pete Cashmore, Special to CNN

A study released this week revealed that 47% of Facebook users have swear words on their pages. A survey last week, meanwhile, showed that undergraduate men who talk about alcohol on Facebook tend to have more friends.

Whether it’s our level of tolerance for swearing or the link between alcohol and bonding with friends, these Facebook studies provide intriguing insights into our online behaviors.

And yet I’d argue that Facebook surveys have a more fundamental role. With more than 600 million people actively using Facebook, these studies in fact provide a deeper understanding of our evolving cultural norms: our values, our morals and our changing relationships between one another.

Don’t believe me? Here are some fascinating Facebook facts that just might serve as a peek into our 21st-century values.

1. 56% of Americans think it’s irresponsible to friend your boss on Facebook

A survey released in February 2010 showed the majority of Americans don’t find it socially acceptable to be Facebook friends with their boss. The study of 1,000 people by Liberty Mutual’s Responsibility Project suggests that despite an increasing overlap between our work and home lives, we continue to value a separation between the two.

Meanwhile, 62% of those surveyed said it’s wrong for a manager to befriend an employee on Facebook. And yet 76% of respondents said it was acceptable to befriend a peer on Facebook, suggesting what we truly value is that our work be judged on its merits rather than getting ahead based on personal relationships.

2. Facebook links about sex are shared 90% more than average

Facebook confirms the adage: Sex sells. From February until May 2010, social media scientist Dan Zarrella processed 12,000 links to news sites and blogs. He discovered that links about sex were 90% more likely to be shared on Facebook than any other subject matter.

He also discovered that links with positive sentiment were more likely to be shared on Facebook than those with negative viewpoints.

3. People in Facebook relationships are happier than single people

In February 2010, Facebook marked Valentine’s Day by comparing the relationship status of its users to their happiness — this was surmised based on the level of positive or negative sentiment in the user’s Facebook updates.

The result: Those in relationships were found to be slightly happier than single people. Those who were married or engaged were also happier than single people on average.

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