While some may dismiss this as just pure silliness, it is not. It is not only a very sad display of social media usage; it is a reminder that your personal activity on the Internet has repercussions. Sometimes, social media has very long-term repercussions.

Now add in the athletes’ recent problems with their tweets on Twitter and the many cases of authorities arresting MySpace and YouTube posters for their content and you will quickly see a trend emerging. Social media adoption is rising, although the knowledge and practice of social responsibility are not.

Hopefully, the multitude of recent mishaps on social media sites will resonate with the user community and the masses will take note. You may be logging into Facebook in the privacy of your own home, but your content and your postings are very much in the public domain and governed by the laws of United States.

I tried to access CNN’s website, but our Internet lines were jammed with activity and my screen stood in an abyss of grayness. I was completely cut off from the world or at least this is how I felt. I remember walking quickly to our corporate cafeteria in hopes CNN was on the tiny TV that seemed to always display nothing of value. Upon my arrival I was relived to see the TV on and I stood watching, trying to get a grasp of what was transpiring. I stood in disbelief and in awe of the brutality, the loss, and the despair. I had no idea the magnitude of the events would have on our country. No one did.

While I personally was without loss, I knew of someone who did lose a loved one that day. While I did not lose a friend, loved one, or my own life – I was touched and I was forever changed. The world I knew was different. It felt no longer safe. The existence I knew, no longer was a reality. It took me a long time to recover and to return to normal and I live far away from ground zero. I can’t imagine what the day brought for those within New York and the other sites of chaos.

Today I remember this day clearly and I remember the feeling of helplessness. I remember the feeling of being cut off and without the knowledge I so deeply craved. It made me wonder what that day would have been like had 9/11 occurred in today’s high tech world. Today when Facebook, Twitter, and You Tube are information giants that spread data feeds at the speed of light. Would we be better or worse off with this technology? Would our Blackberries and text messages help or hinder us?

I wonder if real news would stream from these sites quickly or would panic erupt inside an electronic cloud of misinformation and self-induced chaos. I don’t have a good answer for it. I suspect we would see positives and negatives from our new obsession with social media. And while I welcome the positive aspects of life confirmations, snippets of hope, and stories of survival, I also dread the idea of those Internet lurkers and cave dwellers who might have used social media to exploit others with their own twisted versions of reality.

For the first time I am fearful of social media and what it brings to society. And why I am momentarily concerned for the future of this medium, I am also thankful for the country in which I live, the people that united in post 9/11 efforts, and the nation that became stronger and safer than it was in years past.

For all of those who lost their lives in 9/11 and for all of those who lost someone, you are remembered.

This last week brought yet another acquisition announcement in the land of social media. The MySpace folks announced their intent to couple up with iLike. No one has to wonder about who will be wearing the pants in this relationship. Am I surprised? Not really. MySpace had to do something. Facebook just announced an acquisition and MySpace has to keep up. But can MySpace really keep up with Facebook and Twitter? Or the business-focused social media giant LinkedIn? My personal belief is no. Facebook is light years ahead of MySpace and MySpace’s attempt at cutting edge social networking will still leave them at the back of the pack.

The good news for MySpace and the other social networking websites is that many of us Internet junkies are, in fact, addicted to social networking and everything fun and hooky these social media websites can deliver. While I personally do not play Mafia Wars or send out birthday requests, I start my day with Facebook and Twitter. MySpace – not so much. But others do and there are plenty of us out there to keep the four big boys churning and bringing in revenue. Which does make me happy, because if I didn’t have my morning Facebook, what would I do while I drank my coffee?

“Since I first tried FriendFeed, I’ve admired their team for creating such a simple and elegant service for people to share information,” said Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook founder and CEO. “As this shows, our culture continues to make Facebook a place where the best engineers come to build things quickly that lots of people will use.”

FriendFeed is based in Mountain View, Calif. and has 12 employees. FriendFeed.com will continue to operate normally for the time being as the teams determine the longer term plans for the product.  Financial terms of the acquisition were not released.

This acquisition can only help catapult Facebook further into upper ranks of the web by further solidifying its position and further extending its technology.

While this last week put strain on the social media giants, it was a blessing in disguise for us Internet marketing consultants. As the world reacted to the momentary lose of Facebook and Twitter functions, the world realized just how important these websites have become over the last year. These social media sites have become mainstream and are an integral part of our daily lives. They are no longer just something your tech-savvy teenager talks about. They are now part of your integrated marketing plan and a vital part of your ongoing communication efforts.

Take note of the uprising and know this is just the beginning. The online world is shifting and the world of social networking and social media is shifting right along with it.