Twitter. Facebook. Text. Skype. IM.

It is quite difficult and nearly impossible to imagine what life was like before the internet.

Facebook is one of the most popular online social networking websites. It re-connects us with long-lost friends, helps advertise our businesses and keeps us up-to-date on viral celebrity gossip. But, since your page is up for all to see, having such a consistent online presence does not always work in your favor.

Since the explosion of the social network, we didn't know the voyeuristic, exhibitionistic, back-stabbing nature of many. Thanks to digital communication, we now see and know all. For a closer, more irreverent examination, allow us to outline the the top 10 snags we've found in technology-mediated communication:

1. Awww, you didn't get the job. I wonder why?

Employers have begun to use the internet as a part of their hiring process. That's why.

According to a recent survey conducted by Harris Interactive for CareerBuilder, 45 percent of employers utilize social networking sites in order to research potential employees. Of those who conduct online searches/background checks of job candidates, 29 percent use Facebook, 26 percent use LinkedIn and 21 percent use MySpace.

University of the Pacific reveals that students are being turned down by employers for jobs, internships and even interviews because of the information employers are finding out about students on their social networking accounts.

2. Finding Out What We Didn't Want to Find Out

According to the article "13 Ways Facebook Ruins Your Relationship," Victoria Cole shares her story of a tiny detail she wished she hadn't known:

"I read my one of my boyfriend's messages, and found out he planned on breaking up with me, and he was telling his friends. I was devastated, and he found out and broke up with me within 2 hours after reading that message."

3. People are Unnecessarily Jealous, yet with reason when some women play the shameless urban hussy role

Amanda C. Romo, another regretful facebook user, tesitifes:

"I had a boyfriend that had a MySpace page and it ruined our relationship. Girls were always leavin

him nasty comments n he left them up there, his top 8 looked like a Playboy photo shoot, and when girls would find out we were together they would send me messages trying to convince me he was cheating. The idea of "cyber drama" was so dumb to me and eventually we just broke up."

Internet groupies can be a huge problem for both sexes. But, we have found that the green-eyed monster tends to rear its ugly head when digital communication is involved. Both men and women read further into the "Have a great day, sweetie" text message left by a guy friend, the friendly hug photos on your page or the instant message of an old girlfriend who doesn't yet know you're newly boo'd up.

4. We Don't Talk. We Text. 

Another technological trend that has become highly popular is texting. Many have substituted verbal conversations with communication via text messaging.

The Pew Internet and American Life Project discloses that half of teens send 50 or more text messages a day, and one in three sends more than 100. Girls aged 14 to 17 are the most garrulous, averaging 100 messages a day. The youngest teen boys are the most uncommunicative, averaging 20 messages per day.

According to psychologist Wayne Thompson, this trend can be a disadvantage as it makes for less rich, more sterile relationships.

"We're not actually growing as individuals. We are developing pseudo relationships rather than authentic ones," says psychologist Wayne Thompson.

5. Once it's online, it's out there forever.

Any information posted online can be viewed by millions of people. Whether the information is true or not, it is accessible for all to see. However, not all information paints a positive picture of who you are (blogs, comments, posts, pictures, etc).

"Content on the web is not biodegradable. That stuff is out there forever," says Dan Green, President of the Green Internet Group.

6. People Embellish...Ahem...Lie.

One should pay close attention to the truthfulness of the information you're being given when chatting, friend-hunting and profile-browsing. If you're connecting with someone who says that he/she drives a Jaguar, lives in a luxury high-rise, and goes for summers to the French Riviera with the family, but at the same time is chatting through a computer at a cyber café, chances are this person is not being honest and might simply be trying to attract you by saying things you might want to hear. Chances are, he/she is a phony.

7. Stalkers Have at It

According to data by SafetyNet in 2004, abusers have been said to monitor their victims' cell or wireless telephone use through the call history on the telephone and through billing records, but continue to use phone-based instant messaging, simple text messaging, and social networks to maintain constant access to their intimate partners.

Plus, some of us have experienced the awkward feeling that comes with a guy who takes you out on a date after having downloaded your entire Facebook profile to his memory bank and then breaks out every detailed fact about you during dinner. Can we say creepy?

8. Identity Theft

Stealing the identity of another person and using his or her credit to obtain goods and services is not a new idea, but the popularity of the Internet has enabled criminals to devise clever schemes that make this species of crime more attractive. One technique, called "phishing," consists of generating e-mail messages that ask consumers to click on a link to review their account data," said Paul Korzeniowski of TechNews World.

9. Like crack, technology can become addictive

A growing body of research in the area of addiction suggests that Internet Addiction Disorder is becoming a real problem. It is a psycho-physiological disorder involving tolerance; withdrawal symptoms; affective disturbances; and interruption of social relationships. The most common one is Facebook Addiction Disorder (FAD).

10. I miss my face time. Or do I?

"It's unfortunate that real-life interactions are on the outs as cell phone conversations, texting, instant messaging and Facebook emails start to take up more of our time. For young people especially, having a cell phone or iPod in hand and at the ready is the default mode while walking the streets. That means much less chance of conversation with the people who populate their real lives," says Mark Glaser who is a freelance journalist and executive editor for Media Shift.

Perhaps, that's why our dear makers of the iPod have added the newest feature to the iPhone 4.0. Face time.