The Land Lost Before Time Unconsciously we linger around the techno babble days on end with no recollection of our surroundings. Nearly impossible to avoid in most social experiences, I’m talking about the prized “connection websites.†These sites can be a problem in our society, and the issue has risen over and over again. There are benefits to having connections websites for obvious reasons; such as to communicate, but do the risks outweigh the benefits? I’d like to explore how social networking sites have affected the very society we live in, and the individuals involved. Social networking sites have created problems such as cyberbullying, and privacy issues. Although there are bad things that come along with connections websites, there’s still good in them such as reinforcing existing relationships with one another, and meeting new people. Cyberbullying has been a problem among young teenagers, and even adults, for longer than I can remember. There are teens that have been so horribly bullied, that they have actually committed suicide because they were so hurt. I rarely ever hear of a fight that wasn’t just over the internet. I’ve observed these issues myself, and also experienced them. When they meet face-to-face, the kids act like they’ve never fought. This is because it’s just an “easy way out,†why say it to their face when you can hide behind your computer screen? Teenagers have found it easier to get all they want to get out, just over Facebook or MySpace. This has damaged our generation, teenagers have committed other acts of violence as well just because they were cyberbullied, and hurt mentally. Another problem that is often argued about it the privacy issue. I’ve seen phone numbers, emails, and even addresses on peoples Facebooks that I wasn’t even friends with! It takes about 5 minutes to put in an address in map quest. That could be a problem, most people don’t feel like they’re in danger, but giving out your cell phone number like that is dangerous, strangers could call and harass you. They are so many possibilities for predators that way. However there are people who put the privacy settings to good use, but shouldn’t some information be private anyways? I think so. Social networking sites entice people to spend more time online and less time interacting face-to-face. These sites offer many time wasting activities that supplant more productive activities. Many people worry that since talking to people over the internet is easier, others will start to miss some of their socialization process. In psychology, the socialization process is a necessity while growing toward adulthood, it’s a continuing process whereby an individual acquires a personal identity and learns the norms, values, and beliefs appropriate to their social position, let’s agree that’s hard to obtain that over the internet. The time that is spent communicating face-to-face has decreased while connections websites popularity has increased, and people who use these sites are more prone to social isolation. Although there are bad issues with social networking sites, there are also positives. Social networking sites allow people to create new relationships and reconnect with friends and family. Increased communication, even online, strengthens relationships. Social networking sites were set up for that reason, and it helps people create new friends and stay in touch with others. Social networking sites bring people with common interest’s together, offer exposure to new ideas from around the world, and lower inhibitions to overcome social anxiety. People who have a difficulty communicating in person are more comfortable interacting via the Internet, which is a good and bad thing. Social networking sites allow for creative expression as well. They provide free messaging, blogging, photo storage, games, event invitations, and many other services to anyone with access to a computer and the Internet. So even though social networking sites influence society, they are not as bad as some people may think. It’s up to you to decide whether the good outweighs the bad. In conclusion, Facebook on the surface is a socially acceptable networking site for people to connect, share experiences, and meet friends. It does say some disturbing things about how our society views privacy, personal information, and how our society is adjusting to the age of technology, and it brings into question what a generation of social networkers will deal with the challenges of the real world in person, like a career, family, and success.
Privacy is indeed a big issue. I guess it's good to keep that in mind when putting your information on these social media sites.