The term 'hacking' should give it away.

Another observation of a new trend when it comes to social media.  Facebook 'hacking' appears the latest way to attempt to be funny and get laughs - basically if you find a friend's iPhone or laptop with Facebook signed in, you change stuff, status, birthday and info just to mess it all up and make it a bit embarrassing.  While I admit some of the status updates I've read have been humerous, and I know if the person could take the joke then I may even attempt a status 'hack' if the opportunity presented itself.

However!!!  However, the problem as always is when people go to far.  People think it's going to be hilariously funny, yet because it is at the expense of someone else, that someone else is left feeling hurt and embarrassed.  I have a mate who was hacked yesterday, his relationship status was changed from 'single' to 'in a relationship'. Obviously unsuspecting people jumped on this news with congratulations and different comments, creating a very embarrassing circumstance for my friend when he came to realise the 'hack'. The thing that disappointed me the most though was that my mate left his laptop unattended at Bible College, and it was other students who went through changing details on his account. Now again a simple status change may have been humerous (though after this I am wondering if it's just pushing the line too much as well), but to put someone in the embarrassing situation of having to explain no they still don't actually have a girlfriend, when heaps of people have reacted with joy to the fact that he appeared to, is plain mean... and something that you'd think people studying at a Bible College would grasp.

The term itself, 'hacking', has quite a derogatory connotation with it, and I would think that Christians, let alone those called to study at Bible College, would understand that it's dangerous ground for their Christian witness to go changing people's personal details on a public forum.   In fact I feel these people have sinned against my friend and should apologise and seek forgiveness... yet it seems (in their eyes at least) things done online should not be taken seriously and they aren't accountable for making someone feel like a bit of a fool, even another brother in Christ.