NIU recently has been added to the list of schools on thefacebook.com Web site along with a separate NIUfacebook.com site.

Thefacebook.com is a free online directory connecting students through social networks at colleges and universities. Launched in February 2004, it was introduced to NIU Jan. 18.

Thefacebook.com allows users to create a profile including contact information, personal information, courses and friends. Users can correspond with students at their school or at other schools.

“It’s a way to meet people you normally wouldn’t be able to meet, because you don’t always talk to people in your classes and don’t always stop to talk to people in your dorm,” said Syrin Stephens, a senior computer animation major.

NIUfacebook.com provides similar services.

Users also can set up a wall or a forum for friends to post comments. The wall allows users to edit previous postings.

Both Web sites are compiled by third-party organizations and are not affiliated with NIU, said Jim Fatz, director of enterprise systems support and Information Technology Services security.

NIU students, faculty and administrators received an e-mail through their university accounts the week of Jan. 18 inviting them to join NIUfacebook.com, Fatz said.

However, ITS received complaints from students who said they received spam with the solicitation, Fatz said.

ITS notified the sending organization and the Internet service provider of the university’s intention to block the address if the spamming did not end, Fatz said. The Web site’s spam also did not have the opt-out option, violating federal spam guidelines, he said.

Legal issues including copyright infringement of the NIU logo and colors on NIUfacebook.com also were involved. ITS referred the issue to NIU’s general counsel office, Fatz said.

NIU officials also had security concerns, Fatz said. Students who give their Z-ID number and password could compromise personal information if the organizations are illegitimate, he said.

Nazli Yetgen, a senior political science major, registered for thefacebook.com because most of her friends registered.

“It’s a good way to keep in touch,” Yetgen said. “I found someone I went to high school with on it.”

Yetgen also said she thought the site might be effective for classwork.

“There was a guy I didn’t know before that turned out to be in one of my classes and asked me what books we needed,” she said. “We really only use Blackboard for class assignments.”

Fatz said he believed these Web sites would not be more educationally useful than Blackboard.

“They wouldn’t be able to provide much else because these organizations don’t have access to students’ class schedules,” Fatz said. “In a social aspect, they might have some benefit, but there could be problems with people stalking.”