I've previously expressed my disdain for all things social networking, so I'll resist the temptation to delve into a full blown rant against this reprehensible fad. And yes, despite the spin coming from hype driven media outlets, the social networking phenomenon is, alas, nothing more than a fad. I say that with the utmost confidence, although I admit that my assertion may be a product of wishful thinking. Perhaps I fail to grasp the depths of human depravity that are responsible for creating this egocentric aspect of contemporary culture. Indeed, Sigmund Freud would have a field day with Facebook and Twitter.

Speaking of Facebook, CEO Mark Zuckerberg's obsession with getting people to broadcast the most mundane details of inane existence has gotten him into a bit more legal trouble. You may or may not be aware of the fact that Zuckerberg faced a slew of accusations shortly after the release of his virtual plague, spearheaded by Harvard dorm mates. Naturally I'm questioning the validity of these intellectual property claims because, after all, there was absolutely nothing innovative about Facebook from the get go. It certainly wasn't the first website of its kind; that honor belongs to SixDegrees.com (launched in 1997, or 7 years prior to Facebook). Most of these instances have been settled out of court, and reports indicate that Zuckerberg is in fact guilty of numerous ethical violations, including spying on his own users and deliberately sabotaging a competitor's site. Maybe that's what he was referring to when he declared that privacy is dead.

Anyway, Zuckerberg finds himself in court this time because of allegations that he signed a contract effectively selling half of his company to a guy named Paul Ceglia before the site even went live. The merits of the case appear rather flimsy at this point, seeing as how Mr. Ceglia himself is no stranger to fraud charges. Yet, the official record proves that Zuckerberg worked for Ceglia during his freshman year, which lends the suit a modicum of credibility. Today Zuckerberg stated that the alleged contract is "likely forged," hardly forceful diction for a man who stands to lose 85% of his company. Still, it seems unbelievable that Ceglia would have simply sat on the sidelines for nearly a decade as the company transformed into a widely publicized success. Zuckerberg's lawyers are hoping to use this and the fact that 'The Facebook" supposedly hadn't been dreamed up at the time of their relationship will provide the veritable smoking gun. Early predictions favor Zuckerberg, although this could be another sign of that wishful thinking I mentioned earlier.