Women's Center to discuss Internet

The discussion will focus use of social networks on the Internet.

By Jaryd Wilson

Published Nov. 28, 2006

Tonight could be an escape for the thousands of MU students addicted to Web sites like Facebook and MySpace.

MU Women's Center will offer a presentation on the Internet and social Web sites tonight at 6 p.m. in 229 Brady Commons.

The presentation will be a discussion, with the main goal being to encourage students to balance their use of the Internet as a social and organizational tool with the interaction of people in their everyday lives.

Women's Center adviser Beth Pickens, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Resource Center coordinator John Faughn and counseling psychology doctoral student Monique Mendoza will play host to the event.

Pickens said the discussion should be interesting because they all have different views of the Internet.

"We each have different views about using social organizational tools on the Internet like Facebook and MySpace," Pickens said. "Personally, I am a very reluctant user of the Internet and boycott sites like Facebook and MySpace because I think they diminish social interactions and real social skills."

Mendoza said she encourages people interested in the topic to come to the discussion.

"We are looking at this discussion to be guided by those that participate and what topics emerge," Mendoza said. "Our message is to bring varying views together on using the Internet as a social tool."

Though the discussion might vary, Pickens said the three all have something in common.

"All three of us are professionals who have varying degrees of love/hate relationships or reluctant participation with the Internet," Pickens said.