Whether students use it to chat with friends, get the scoop on the class they skipped or talk to cute girls and guys, there is no question that Thefacebook, the Internet college directory, has taken MSU by storm.

Rachel Ainslie, a general business administration and pre-law junior, uses Thefacebook to keep in touch with acquaintances from high school and check in with people at MSU. She became a member after her friend urged her to join.

"You can put as much into (it) or as little as you want," she said about Thefacebook's profile feature. "It's a way to communicate and get information about classes."

For those not in the know, Thefacebook allows current students and alumni from participating universities and colleges to search for friends at different schools or people at the same school who share their interests.

Thefacebook was created by Mark Zuckerberg, a student at Harvard University who wanted to provide students with more control over their personal information and create an online forum for people at school, said Thefacebook spokesman Chris Hughes.

"We were really just having fun with giving control to users as to who they are as a person and how they are perceived at their schools," he said.

When students find someone they would like to have as a "friend" they send a request, which then can be confirmed, rejected or ignored.

Students only can access the profiles of people from their school and only can leave notes on the "message board" if they are confirmed as a friend.

Thefacebook began as a communication directory at Harvard in February 2004, but Zuckerberg soon added several more schools because of the site's popularity, Hughes said.

Hundreds of schools participate in Thefacebook. Hughes said use of the directory has spread by students inviting their friends at other universities to join.

Jen Lilly said Thefacebook has changed her social life because it allows her to learn about people she sees around campus.

"Thefacebook makes me more likely to talk with acquaintances," Lilly said. "It makes me more apt to talk to people in classes if I know they recognize me, too."

Students can list the classes they are taking and then become linked in a group to other people who are in the same class.

Ainslie said Thefacebook makes help for classes more accessible because of the easy availability of student lists and contact information.

But Edwin Darrell, residence life director of Case Hall during spring semester 2005, said Thefacebook could take a toll on students' academics and personal interaction.

Darrell said he knows of several students who spend at least two to three hours a day on Thefacebook.

He said Thefacebook can become an addiction, like other Internet programs and might result in students ignoring homework and friends in the physical world.

"It's a great way for mentors to advertise programs and a way to meet new people, but it shouldn't be the sole source," Darrell said. "The Internet can be a cop-out for face-to-face communication."

Ainslie said she was hooked on Thefacebook when she first began, but the novelty eventually wore off.

"I was addicted for (the) first few weeks because it was a form of entertainment, but now it's just for communication," she said.

Hughes said students tend to experience an addictive phase with Thefacebook, but that the short romance with the technology was no more damaging than penchant for constantly checking e-mail or watching television.

Thomas Darling, a journalism and professional writing sophomore, had never heard of Thefacebook and thinks Internet communication is superfluous.

"It's not needed at all - I see hundreds of people everyday, and I can tell what they're up to by listening and watching what they do," he said.

"The best way to meet people is through your classes so you know they have the same interests as you."

Ryan Abbott said the Internet directory does not serve as a good basis of communication and he prefers ConnectU.com, which provides more options, including chat forums.

Abbott, a computer science junior, is a member of Thefacebook, but said the Web site is boring and immature.

"A lot of people are still stuck in high school and have popularity issues - all they do is say 'I have more friends than you,'" he said.

Abbott said he prefers face-to-face or verbal communication and stays in touch with his friends by talking on the phone.

He said Thefacebook is pointless because he will make an effort to stay in touch with people he actually wants as friends and won't resort to a random note on a message board or checking out an updated profile.

"OK, so people are under a list of 'friends' - what does that do? Does it make you better friends? No. I don't call them twice as much because of that," he said.

Abbott, who knows people who have been flirted with and harassed via Thefacebook, said he also is aware of the risks involved and would never consider meeting in person with someone he knows only through the Internet.

MSU police Detective Steve Beard said students should be careful to avoid providing personal information on any Internet forum. Beard said he discourages people from meeting with Internet friends.

"Thefacebook has no requirement as whose picture you post, and you never know 100 percent if that's the true person you will meet," he said.

To be a member on Thefacebook, people have to attend or have attended a higher education institution but can change available information such as their names, pictures and place of residence once they join.

Beard encourages caution when posting information that could help identify individual students on Thefacebook.

Thefacebook allows students to decide what information is shared over the Internet - a key feature of the site, Hughes said.

It also provides students with the ability to block certain members from accessing their profiles if they have experienced harassment.

Paige Holben, a prenursing sophomore, said the localization Thefacebook offers lends a sense of security when talking with strangers online.

But Beard stressed that just because a person attends or did attend MSU is not an assurance that they are a safe escort.

Holben said she would most likely not meet someone from Thefacebook because of the potential consequences.

"It's the same concern with online chatting - I'd be worried about stories like kidnapping," she said.

Hughes said Thefacebook is meant mostly for communication with friends, and he has not received complaints about problems with meeting new people through the site.

At this point, Thefacebook does not intend to post warnings about meeting people from the directory but would consider changing its policy if something does occur, Hughes said.