"Never judge a book by its cover"
Metaphorically, we are told not to do the same to others; to make judgements of others based on the conclusions from our personal interactions. These can include interests, morals and beliefs and personality, among others. The intergration of social networking sites into our lives, however, has made us as a culture do the exact opposite.
Our first impressions are made when we enter onto a fellow social network user’s profile page. For those who are not a part of our own online social networks, profile access is limited, therefore a profile pictures, selected interests and a small about me is all we have to make a judgement. If impressed by this narrow scope into their personalities, whether it be fabricated or not, we add them to our networks to investigate the reliability of our observation. While we assume that most online personalities are in alignment with the personal identity, this process allows the user to more accuratly clarify the integrity of the other. This process, however, requires an large investment in time and if unsatisfied, will throw the other back into the social networking abyss.
Social networking sites are a great tool for establishing and reestablishing connections, but provide an incorrect or incomplete assessment of others, and cannot replace face-to-face interation.
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