Students may have only been able to creep on their Facebook friends since 2004, but now they can stalk friends all the way back to their due date.
Timeline, Facebook’s latest profile layout, was first offered to users in 2011. Although not all users are using Timeline yet, the company started automatically switching users to the new layout in late January, according to an article from The Washington Post.
Wynn Rice, a sophomore at the University, switched to Timeline before the switch became mandatory. When Rice made the switch he was surprised at how easily he could scroll through his social life, including the posts he forgot about.
“The stuff was always there, but I don’t really like that anyone can see everything with one click of a button though,” Rice said. “If they’re going to look four years back at my life, they should have to work for it.”
Despite easier access to past posts, Rice likes the organization Timeline offers to its users.
“If I want to find something, it’s a lot easier,” Rice said. “It’s less convoluted.”
While Rice likes the new layout, Facebook users like Montana Miller, assistant professor in the department of Pop Culture, find the new layout harder to follow.
“One of the problems with Myspace is that you couldn’t take it all in at once, it was very difficult,” Miller said. “The way they’ve laid it out (Timeline) seems like Myspace.”
Miller agrees with Rice that user information seems much more visible with Timeline.
“I find it truly scary how much it’s invaded our lives,” Miller said.
Although Miller is not looking forward to the profile switch, she isn’t planning on joining any “Facebook protests” that erupt when the company makes layout changes.
“People always complain about every new change Facebook makes,” Miller said. “People aren’t going to leave it unless they actually feel less safe.”
Dave Nelson, a sophomore at the University, isn’t surprised by the controversy erupting around Timeline.
“I hate it,” Nelson said. “It’s kind of more customizable, but I don’t really dig that as much.”
While Nelson dislikes the new format, like Rice and Miller, he doesn’t plan to protest the new profile.
“I’m used to it; it’s Facebook now,” Nelson said. “It’s not something to protest. It’s just a free thing to do; you don’t have a right to have Facebook.”
