By Kevin Volz, Media Relations Intern

Each fall, movie-goers are bombarded with horror films featuring demonic children, psychopathic murderers and even possessed houses. This year viewers will have a new item to add to their “most horrifying” list: social media.

‘The Social Network’, the highly anticipated movie based on the beginnings of Internet juggernaut Facebook on the campus of Harvard, will arrive in theaters on October 1. The movie trailer, featuring a haunting choir cover of a Radiohead’s famed 90’s hit “Creep,” combined with chilling images of countless Facebook profiles, is enough to make your hair stand on end and your brain go into overdrive.

Well, maybe not, but it’s enough to creep you out just a little.

Let’s face it: we are all possessed by Facebook. We love knowing our friends’ (and enemies’) every move. It is a force that is nearly impossible to escape. We are all stars in our own horror movie. There are more than 500 million active Facebook users. The average Facebook user creates 90 pieces of content each month. The site is consistently one of the most popular Web destinations throughout the world.

Not to ruin the movie for you, but social media is actually not that scary if you know how to properly use it. Facebook is an excellent way to stay in touch with distant friends, network with peers in the workforce or invite a couple hundred of your closest friends to an event in just one click. Facebook allows you to establish your own brand. As a user, you get to decide how you are portrayed. I often stop and think in my head about how my mom would feel if she were to find my Facebook page. Would she be embarrassed by my actions? If any doubts arise, I delete.

Too many people my age seem to ignore the fact that employers and family members do look at Facebook pages. The “it won’t happen to me” attitude is not the smartest stance to take. Use the privacy settings, the handy “untag” button, and your own self-censoring.

It is using the site in an improper manner that can be terrifying. Posting pictures of your less-than-proud moments and bad-mouthing your ex is not the way to properly utilize social media. Once posted, this information is open for all to see and it is virtually impossible to make completely disappear.

Social media is a privilege that my generation is lucky to have. No matter what Facebook creator Mark Zuckerberg intended for the site to become, Facebook’s users are the ones who are steering the site down the fine line that separates social good from social infamy.

Next time you log onto Facebook, think twice about what you post. Show a little self-restraint. All of us are now under a self-imposed microscope. Use the site for good. If not, The Social Network could become your life: what a nightmare.

How have you used Facebook to mold your personal and/or professional brand? What should you be cautious of?