Facebook with caution and joy

America is turning digital.

You probably knew this already, as you glance at your smartphone to read a text, tweet about where you just ate a remarkable dinner or add a dynamic photo to your Pinterest account for all to marvel. But when it comes to online engagement and communications, Facebook is the most prominent connector in the world.

The marketing statistics website DMR reveals some huge numbers when it comes to Facebook analytics.

The total number of active Facebook users last month in the United States was 128 million, and 66 percent of those using the social media site are millennials (15 to 34 year olds). The average number of Facebook friends a teen has is 300, and 70 percent of those teens are friends with their parents on the site.

When it comes to shares, likes and the options afforded in Facebook for engagement, the amount of interaction is almost unnerving.

Forty percent of users check their Facebook page more than once per day. The average time spent on Facebook per month is nearly six hours, and that amount skyrockets the younger the user gets on the measurement spectrum or if you work in public relations and political campaign consulting like myself.

The top check-in location in 2013 was from Disney World in Florida. The most popular life event is a wedding. Thirty percent of Americans get their news from Facebook (through the links that connect to news websites). The most talked about subject in 2013 globally was the new pope, and in the U.S., the Super Bowl. There are 70 languages available on the site. Advertising has easily surpassed $1 billion within the platform.

However, Facebook isn’t all about fun facts and figures. Despite all of our posts and likes, the neat feeling generated from photos of the smiling baby, the 80th birthday of your uncle or the hilarious eCards with the insightful and sarcastic memes, we all still need to be cautious.

Globally, the amount of daily Facebook account log-ins not approved by the owner (compromised access) is 600,000. The estimated number of fake Facebook accounts has surpassed 140 million worldwide. When it comes to work, almost 30 percent of us in the U.S. can use Facebook at the job. And, 19.4 percent are prohibited from accessing Facebook at work in the U.S., while the first half of 2013 generated more than 25,600 requests from the government for Facebook user data. Did I forget to mention, don’t share your password!?

In my own use of Facebook I’ve leaned a few lessons you might consider.

1. Be extremely careful in what you post if you intend to maintain respect and reputation.

This advice permeates into all sort of messaging, like the high school kid who wants to bully someone through Facebook posts (which is now a crime in many states) or the member of the armed services who disparages a religion or elected official through a rant and gets reprimanded, as recently happened with the U.S. Coast Guard in Kodiak. How about the fellow looking for a job in a community, but has photos of his tattoo-riddled body and middle finger posted in a “selfie,” which suddenly attracts more attention from a snooping prospective (or current) employer than his impressive resume? Lest I miss the proud tourist hunter in Alaska with his notable kill who forgets that he shot the game out of season or improperly and has now shown the evidence to the world, including interested law enforcement.

2. Use discretion in how much you post.

For those of you who use Facebook regularly, you know the people who post constantly and obsessively, seemingly as if they have no life. Most of us don’t have the courage to tell them to lighten up on their posting frenzy, but it’s a reminder that if we want to protect Facebook and keep it as a pure and relevant medium to exchange information and images, take counsel from your frustration at others. Don’t make Facebook a marketing venue or storefront. Proceed with caution on solicitations. Make your messages count and your statements matter. Post with passion and intent.

3. Be kind and thoughtful. Nothing feels better than a warm comment posted below a photo of your child celebrating a birthday, your loved-one battling cancer, the trip you made to Katmandu or even the fact you’re happy, sad or confused and need a friend to recognize your sentiment. Even clicking the “like” icon can generate a smile or emotional affirmation, as can wishing a Facebook friend a happy birthday, which is denoted every morning on your Facebook page in the upper right corner in a reminder box. Ultimately, Facebook is a portal to making the world connected and positive.

I like Facebook. I really enjoy using it and encourage you to do the same. It truly makes the world flat, and it makes more of us happy than not. Most importantly, it sprinkles a little worth on everyone, and that’s a good thing.

When it comes to Facebook, I think one of Maya Angelou’s most famous quotes applies: “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”

Tom Anderson manages Optima Public Relations and is the host of his own radio show on KVNT 1020 AM and 92.5 FM in the Mat-Su.