By ROBIN SHANNON

L’Observateur

LAPLACE – Earlier this month, officials with the online social network Facebook announced plans to go public and begin the process of selling stock in the company to investors internationally.

In its more than seven year history, Facebook has grown from a connecting source for college students to a bit of a cultural phenomenon that has more than 800 million active users who use the site for various things. With that in mind, L’Observateur asked its website visitors this week how they use Facebook regularly. The majority of those who use the network say it is a tool to keep up with current friends and family. Others say they continue to use it as a way to reconnect with old friends that are not as close, or as a time killer between work assignments.

In a bit of a surprise, however, the majority of those who voted in the poll said they do not use Facebook at all, perhaps a sign that popularity is waning in the River Parishes.

A complete breakdown of results is as follows:

• 10 percent of respondents said, “to reconnect with old friends.”

• 23 percent of respondents said, “to keep up with current friends and family.”

• 8 percent of respondents said, “a time killer between work assignments.”

• 2 percent of respondents said, “it is a source for local news or other information.”

• 58 percent of respondents said, “I don’t use Facebook.”