As of September 30, 2013, Facebook claims 1.19 billion monthly active users, making it the largest social network in the world (newsroom). Facebook has become a new phenomenon in today's society. While Facebook helps people connect, it can also cause problems for users. Over the past few years, since Facebook was founded in 2004, the number of Facebook users has grown rapidly. Even though Facebook has become increasingly popular among students, Facebook has its advantages and disadvantages. Many social networking sites can be found on the Internet, but Facebook is the most popular site among students. There are many reasons why Facebook has attracted so many users over the years. “Facebook is described as a social utility that connects people with friends and others who work, study, and live around them” (Chaulk 246). Many people use Facebook to communicate with friends and family. In order to create a Facebook account, a person must be willing to disclose personal information. Facebook users are likely to create a profile that can include anything they want to share with other people (Green 20). However, it could be dangerous for a person to divulge their information, as some people could steal it, causing problems and leaving mental scars. Facebook provides a space for people to share information and connect with others by sending or accepting friend requests (Karl 214). For some people, Facebook connects people with other people they already know or have met in real life. People use Facebook to engage in “social research,” that is, to explore people in their community offline (Chaulk 246). "Facebook seems to be like the old American West - a vast, wild and somewhat... middle of paper... ng." Tunheim Partners, 2013. Web. December 9, 2013. Green, Tim and Baynard Bailey. “Academic Uses of Facebook: Infinite Possibilities or Infinite Perils? » Technology Trends: Connecting Research and Practice to Improve Learning 54.3 (2010): 20-22. Elite academic research. Internet. November 9, 2013. Karl, Katherine A. and Joy V. Peluchette. “Teachers, parents and bosses “friends”: a Facebook connection conundrum. » Journal of Education for Business 86.4 (2011): 214-222. Elite academic research. Internet. November 10, 2013. Newsroom. Facebook, 2013. Web. December 9, 2013. Peluchette, Joy and Katherine Karl. “Examining Students’ Desired Image on Facebook: “What Were They Thinking?!” » Journal of Education for Business 85.1 (2009): 30-37. Elite academic research. Internet. November 10, 2013. Wang, Qingya, Wei Chen and Yu Liang. “The Effects of Social Media on Students.” MBA Scholarship November 1, 2011. Print.