Reports have been circulating about a virulent worm spreading through Facebook. The virus has been around since August but now targets social networking websites only and is currently making the rounds on Facebook.

The virus can spread fast because they travel through messages which appear to come from your friends.

The Koobface messages carry subject lines like “You look so funny on our new video” or something similar, and contain a link to a video site that appears to contain a movie clip. If the user tries to watch it, a message appears saying that he or she needs the latest version of Flash Player in order to play the clip. This tricks users into downloading a file carrying the malware.

Facebook says that users should use antivirus software and change their password if they’ve been affected. The company also appears to be resetting passwords pro-actively and notifying users per e-mail about the possibility of having a virus on board.

There's a great post over at On Movements that I'll post here. It begs us to look critically at the benefits and pitfalls of social networks (like Facebook) and to question whether we're addressing church and mission in the same manner.

1. Homophily: People like to hang out with others who are similar to themselves. This homophily is a source of connection because it allows you to find people with whom to work and socialize. But it can be also a source of stagnation if it means you don’t expose your thinking and your work to different opinions and perspectives and information.

2. Clustering: Homophily leads to clusters of people who know each other. Within a cluster, information and ideas are shared and in many case opinions become aligned to a certain way of thinking. Also, if you know one person in a cluster, you are very likely to know or to be able to be introduced to someone else in that cluster. Again, like homophily, the principle of clustering is good in providing shared frameworks of thoughts, ideas, and methods but bad when it keeps you from seeing other ways of thinking that might bring more success and progress.

3. Multi-dimensional Identities: Fortunately, this principle of multi-dimensional identities implies that people can be part of many clusters at once. Networks flourish as members willingly connect to other clusters by tapping into the other dimensions of their identity (hobbies, professions, religious practice, political beliefs, professional work, etc.).

4. Small worlds: Big worlds are made small by multi-dimensional people joining with clusters along their many dimensions. As people join into different clusters based on their multi-dimensional identity, they increase connections within the network and make the world smaller and more collaborative. Diffusion of innovation and the practice of collaboration happens as we create short paths between different people in a small-world network.

5. Innovation Thru Cross-Pollination: When ideas or patterns are translated across clusters, cross-pollination occurs. This leads to creativity and innovation. Networks work best when clusters interact regularly and align thinking and ideas with each other while at the same time allowing new ideas and patterns to be transferred from one cluster to another.

6. Stagnation: Networks can become stagnated when they are too highly connected–particularly at the cluster level. Even “hubs” with high numbers of connections can stagnate because with so many connections, each connection means very little to the hub. Thus, new ideas are never given a chance. Hubs must consciously seek connections to clusters from other communities that aren’t over-connected and closed.

7. Dilution: On the other hand, networks can suffer a dearth of connectivity, leaving too few relationships for ideas and information and support to move. Networks must seek clusters with enough connectivity to introduce fresh ideas.

8. Weak ties: Networks take advantage of weak ties between people–the casual acquaintanceships and friend of friend relationships. Strong ties imply membership in the same clusters; weak ties lead to more connections across clusters. Networks must activate these weak ties to find new opportunities, stretch thinking, and exchange support.

So what do we take from these ideas?

First, many of us love to hang out with "people we like" which isn't a bad thing in itself. However, many of us choose to form our identity out of those with whom we hang meaning if I think someone's artsy and I want to be more artsy I try to hang with only the artsy. Or maybe you want to be desired by the opposite sex so you hang with those who are getting the attention. This can translate into Facebook friends as well. The problem with placing our identity in relationships with others is that it makes us shallow people. Not only do we begin to think like they do, act like they do thus narrowing our perspective but we also fail to acknowledge the goodness of God's creation in others that don't seem to help us create our identity. If our identity is in Christ, however, everything changes. We suddenly become drawn to those people who aren't like us as much as those that are. What's more, we find we're free. You're free from the need to be artsy or to be desired sexually or to be good at sports or have the most friends or the coolest friends or the weirdest friends, etc. It's tough to do, especially when we feel fragile, but we need to seriously ask the question, do my friends define me? To choose to follow Christ is to break free from homophily and clustering as identity issues.

Secondly, I hope you see this as a call to get out of your own universe, to explore relationships with people who see the world differently than you do. To share ideas, laugh and mingle with those you'd normally stray from. Your faith will benefit from it as will your character.

We GEM-Ks love Facebook thus we enjoy this song:

I recently finished watching Frontline: Growing Up Online. It is a compelling look at how teens engage with the internet in the US. It looks at the effects of social network sites (like Facebook & MySpace) on youth culture and suggests that just as we learn social interaction skills so do we need to learn online skills. One of the biggest insights I felt was the distinction between how adults and teens interact with the web. For adults it is a place we go for additional services, be it shopping, emailing, or gathering information. For teens the internet is just a natural progression of their daily interaction with friends. To not have it is to be isolated. The 45 minute documentary is well worth your time and is available to view online for free or can be purchased from iTunes for $1.99.