Like many children of Generation Z, social media was introduced to me very young and was an influential part of my childhood. I have fond memories of my discovery of “the weird side” of YouTube, of my first ever profile picture and tame cyberbullying on Instagram. But for me, Facebook holds a special place in my heart. What began as a sock puppet account to make sure my mother did not post pictures of me without permission became a pivotal part of my life. This one is for you Facebook.

Facebook taught me many things in my formative years. For one, about this cool thing called targeted advertising. Facebook is always looking out for your shopping needs by selling your information to advertisers, making sure they can fulfill you and find your perfect product. Have you been looking for a new shirt? Facebook will accumulate all of your information to find you the perfect, weirdly specific t-shirt design, with your birth month and hobbies plastered onto the cotton in obnoxiously bold letters. Like mobile games? Facebook will send you dozens of advertisements to show you the endless stream of phone games available. Mobile Halo knock-offs, misleading puzzle games, Voodoo games, you name it. Are you a lonely teenage boy? Facebook is your best wingman and will direct you towards the hot moms in your area.  People have told me that this is just “invasive data harvesting,” but this key feature of Facebook keeps me coming back.  

I also found that Facebook communities are extremely dedicated to spreading the truth to the people of the Internet. Science is hard, and Facebook soccer moms are here to help you understand it! Not to mention, the community is not just dedicated to helping you understand the science, but also encourages skepticism and empiricism. The people of Facebook often come together to share their wisdom, even if the blind sheeple try to discredit them. Just because NASA has telescopes and technology does not mean they can prove the world is round, some theories suggest it could in fact be a cube! Facebook will show you the controversial facts that people do not want to believe, for fear of going against the mainstream; flat earth theory, essential oil-based medical practices, the evils of vaccination and gay rights. Facebook goes against the grain and does everything in its power to expose what “the experts” do not want you to see. Speaking of community, the people of Facebook are the most welcoming, most respectful online group I have ever come across. Unlike most social media, people on Facebook respect the opinions of others and never have unproductive debates about politics or the insurrection in the capital. 

The point is, I love you, Facebook. You have shown me so much about the world and even revealed things about myself. I hope you continue spreading joy to the world for years to come.