On a Facebook group called Anyone Who Knew Cho Seung Hui, a reporter named Karen Park, with Tokyo Broadcasting System (TBS) in New York City is looking for Koreans from Virginia who knew Mr. Cho and would talk to the press. There are 57 members in her group now, mostly college students trying to make sense of the events that have transpired, mostly ignoring Ms. Park. Reporters are trolling Facebook and MySpace today, looking for kids who want to talk.But above and beyond Facebook’s latest use as a reporter’s source list, there’s something more important going on. Facebook is being used in some novel ways–to grieve, to commemorate, to call for action, to reach out to others, and to reminisce. Of course, all is not perfect. One of the signatures of this online world is the tasteless jokes, rants, and flames. They are present, too, but few and far between.

A Facebook group called Blame Cho Seung Hui has over 1,000 members. Other groups include Cho Seung Hui is Pure Evil and Cho Seung-Hui does NOT represent Asians. In all, there are 131 Facebook groups that contain the name Cho Seung Hui. Each has a least four or five members, many have hundreds. In terms of the tasteless, some groups contain fake posts with a picture of Mr. Hui made to look like he actually made an entry.

Many of the victims had their own Facebook pages that as of this morning are still available. I can see their listings as I search Facebook, though I cannot view the details because I am not a part of their network. Their profiles have been augmented by the creation of new groups in their names, memorializing them and celebrating their lives.

One boy who put up a collection of photos to commemorate one of the young students, Caitlin, posted a message asking reporters for their understanding in not asking him for information. His space was meant as a memorial. Another girl publicized this commemorative necklace designed by her mother (see photo). All proceeds from the sale will go to a memorial fund at the school.

USA Today called technology a coping mechanism, reporting that that many students’ first reaction to the shootings were to update their profiles with I’m OK messages. Students, they said, including ones from other colleges, replaced their Facebook profile photos with a VT logo shrouded in a black ribbon as a symbol.

Facebook groups that contain the words Virginia Tech in the title now number over 500. Many of them are from other universities all over the world. All of them are expressing their sadness and vowing to make this a part of Facebook’s collective memory.

Parents often ask me whether anything good can come from social networking sites. “What’s the point?,” they ask. “Why is this even necessary?”

Looking at the words written from the hearts of these young faces throughout the world, it’s clear that Facebook is the glue of a new, virtual community where words of hope, peace, and understanding prevail.