Recently, I created a Facebook page. Why? Because all the social-networking-for-business experts say that people who run businesses like mine should. To my astonishment though, once on I found that many of my 35+ friends and acquaintances were already on it purely for fun. Who knew? Certainly not me. So far, the social networking experts appeared to be right.

But I soon discovered that there are some decided downsides to Facebook, none of which I was warned about in advance. In the spirit of alerting others then, I am sharing some of my doubts here:

First, the ads are way too creepily targeted. At least every third time I log on, the left hand bar shows an ad that knows my precise age and insecurities: “Are you a 35 year old* female who is overweight?” This copy is accompanied by photos of a large woman covered in thick layers of cellulite on one side with a thin, bikini-clad female on the other. “Click here for the ultimate weight loss solution!” Ugh.

Second, there is a lot of new, and unfamiliar etiquette. If someone sends me a bumper sticker do I have to accept? As far as I can tell, bumper stickers are invisible until you retrieve them, so it’s kind of like having the class jokester hand you a box and say “Open it!” in front of everyone.

And what about those endlessly worthy groups and causes? I now get multiple invites to join group save this or association help with that. I support most of these causes, but it seems to me that by listing the many we diminish the power of the few, and it looks highly likely to get pointlessly out of hand. Still, if I don’t click yes, will the sender doubt my values? Do we all have to sign on to everyone else’s sensibilities? Surely Miss Manners never faced such a conundrum.

Even some of the pluses come with caveats. Sure it seems great to be able to post photos and let friends come retrieve them rather than emailing everyone large files. But start trying to keep up with all the photos and wall posts and stickers (oh my!) and you have now redefined time suck.

Of course there are helpful aspects to Facebook too. For example, I imagine it will be useful to be able to click on a friend’s page and verify all her kids names before sending a holiday card. I’m sure there must be others too, but I really can’t think of any. Feel free to chime in.

So it doesn’t look like my Facebook page is going to advance my baby bib business any time soon. In the meantime though, at least that’s one less new technology for my kids to discover that I will have no clue about.

*Ok, I’m more than a little past 35, but you get the point.