> first and foremost a social network - GOOD when "used correctly". It lets you connect with the whole world/make new friends from anywhere and everywhere.
> a great way to keep in touch (especially with the ones that you haven't seen in a long time/lives far, far away) - GOOD
> a procrastination tool (what with all the things people post and you spend hours reading/looking at everything) - BAD
> a place to hold discussions, get updates/information (healthy baby girl born at 6.03 pm, events, job opportunities, chance upon answers to assignment questions someone posted, etc.) - GOOD
> a place to share links - GOOD. Often entertaining/educational. Ah, with the exceptional BAD being...*refer to point on procrastination tool*
> a place to upload pictures/videos - GOOD when you want to share recent events with your friends/family. BAD when you're not mindful of what pictures/videos of yourself/someone else you post that could incriminate yourself/that other someone in the future (at job interviews, etc.)
> a place where people vent out their feelings and somewhat makes their profile a "reality show" people read about (as opposed to watching your life being played out on telly) - GOOD because when you want to vent out and there's no one to vent to, you can turn to Facebook and in turn let the whole world know about your problems/who you dislike/what pissed you off that day. BAD because now the whole world (well whoever that is able to view your profile) knows about it. GOOD because it may be entertaining to the people reading and then making them feel good about themselves thinking that maybe their life is not so bad after all. BAD because you've become the source of entertainment (if you're optimistic, they could be laughing WITH you...or not they're really laughing AT you).
> a quick, easy, and most importantly, free (saves you from calling/texting) place to chat (MSN? YM? It's all Facebook chat now) - GOOD being yet another "piece of technology" that makes our life easy and at the same time being a one stop center for everything. BAD being chat all the time and hence wasting the time you should've been studying/working/going outside and getting some sun on your skin but then again one could say the same about MSN/YM/etc. Also, BAD being (as some might say) Facebook limits face-to-face interactions/voice-to-voice conversations. But that again could be said the same about MSN/YM/etc.
> a good place to stalk/investigate someone - yet another GOOD or BAD. GOOD if you're the stalker. BAD if you're the one being stalked (unless you like it). GOOD when person X wants to know everything about person Y all they have to do is...yep, you've guessed it! Facebook. BAD when you're not mindful enough of what you write and someone sees your status about your fun day at the beach when you've called in sick for work and hence getting yourself fired when your employer finds out.
"Technology isn't intrinsically good or evil. It's how it's used. Like the death ray." (Professor Hubert J. Farnsworth)
Facebook really is what you make it to be.