The Perils of Social Networking

1392 Words3 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: The side effects of using social media

Social networking sites, such as Facebook, promote sharing of personal information, dissemination of potential misinformation regarding activism and leaves users in danger of incurring many other offenses. Before the internet, people’s expectations were only as pressing as the technology that they had at their fingertips. These days, instant gratification is a conceivable reality and many people feel that they must have a cell phone, use email and would be culturally remiss without participation in a social networking site. To foster this participation, social networking sites allow the user to create a profile which reflects who they are and give them the ability to share it with others. It also allows for relationships and connections to networks of interest-based groups. The negative impacts of this cultural phenomenon are becoming apparent with the intensity of its popularity. In fact, according to the Facebook website, of the more than five hundred million active users, at least half log onto the site, daily (Facebook). With the number of users logging onto Facebook alone, there’s no wonder how this technological marvel can quickly turn dim.

Negative impacts of social networking sites include: identity theft, cyber bullying, perils of employment vs. social networking and abuses of online activism. Just like the introduction of the television, social networking is making a drastic cultural upheaval, ushering in an age where information is nearly limitless and you can be, virtually, whomever you want. Prior to the advent of electronic communication, such as, the use of cell phones, electronic mail and social networking sites, there was more human interaction. There was more letter writing, evening walks and cultivati...

... middle of paper ...

...ut vulnerability. Everyone is at risk and should be weary of abusing social networking sites, be aware of predators and safeguard against identity theft. Although instant gratification seems to be here to stay, we should remind ourselves that there is physical world beyond our virtual lives.

Works Cited

Dugan, Laura. "The Pitfalls of Facebook Activism." 3 May. 2010. Web. 28 March 2011

Espejo, Roman. Should Social Networking Sites be Banned? Detroit: Greenhaven, 2008. Print

Gaudin, Sharon. Computerworld. 6 October. 2009. Web. 28 March 2011

Sfakiyanudis, Ermis. Crackdown on Cyberslackers - BusinessWeek. Web. 28 March. 2011.

Facebook. "Statistics" Web. 28 March. 2011.

Thomas, Joe. Negative Impact of Social Networking Sites. Web. 28 March. 2011

Willard, Nancy E. Cyberbullying and Cyberthreats. Champaign: Research Press; 2nd edition, 2007. Print.

Show More
Related

  • Privacy In Peter Singer's Possible Man

    1162 Words  | 3 Pages

    “The standards of what we want to keep private and what we make public are constantly evolving. Over the course of Western history, we’ve developed a desire for more privacy, quite possibly as a status symbol…”(Singer) Technological change leads to new abuses, creating new challenges to security, but society adapts to those challenges. To meet the innate need for privacy, we learn what to reveal and where, and how to keep secret what we don't want to disclose. “Whether Facebook and similar sites are reflecting a change in social norms about privacy or are actually driving that change, that half a billion people are now on Facebook suggests that people believe the benefits of connecting with others, sharing information, networking, self-promoting, flirting, and bragging outweigh breaches of privacy that accompany such behaviours,”(Singer) This is obvious by the continuous and unceasing use of social media platforms, but what needs to be considered is that this information is being provided willingly. “More difficult questions arise when the loss of privacy is not in any sense a choice.”(Singer) When the choice to be anonymous it taken away through social media, the person loses the ability to keep their personal information

    Read More

  • Negative Social Media

    896 Words  | 2 Pages

    It has been forty three years since the first email was delivered; since then, our ways of communication have changed. We are now living in a society in which almost everybody is provided with a piece of communicating technology to keep in touch with each other. Social networking service, a platform for people who want to share interests, activities, backgrounds or real-life connections over the Internet, has deeply affected our life in many ways. The debate as to whether the influences are positive or negative has been a controversial issue since 72 percent of all internet users are now active on social media (22 Social Media Facts and Statistics You Should Know in 2014). So, how does social media affect our lives? Speaking for myself, I think social networking is slowly damaging our everyday life by crawling into our personal life, turning into a deadly weapon, and becoming a dangerous addiction and distraction.

    Read More

  • Privacy Issues and Facebook

    1275 Words  | 3 Pages

    The growing popularity of information technologies has significantly altered our world, and in particular, the way people interact. Social networking websites are becoming one of the primary forms of communication used by people of all ages and backgrounds. No doubt, we have seen numerous benefits from the impact of social media communication: We can easily meet and stay in touch with people, promote ourselves, and readily find information. However, these changes prompt us to consider how our moral and political values can be threatened. One common fear among users is that their privacy will be violated on the web. In her book, Privacy in Context, Helen Nissenbaum suggests a framework for understanding privacy concerns online. She focuses particularly on monitoring and tracking, and how four “pivotal transformations” caused by technology can endanger the privacy of our personal information. One website that may pose such a threat is Facebook.

    Read More

  • Narcissism In Social Media

    1942 Words  | 4 Pages

    “I didn't know what Facebook was, and now that I do know what it is, I have to say, it sounds like a huge waste of time –Betty White (“Betty White Quotes,” 2014, para. 1).” This quote can be interpreted to fit with several of the social media avenues that many people spend their time on. Day in and day out people post, tweet, share, and pin countless times throughout the world. These different forms of communication were first created for an easier way for people to connect with others. Yet now, so much time is spent on these social sites that it has warped the interactive part and is causing more damage than good. Many are growing a desire and are living for the amount of “likes” they can receive on a post or how many re-tweets they can generate. Instead of going to these outlets to participate in a partial portion of their social lives, people are filling that time with the technological aspect of communication. As White said, this can become an inordinate amount of wasted time and can ultimately grow into further damaging circumstances. These different social media channels can cause emotional harm through disparaging the relationship between friends, conjuring of a narcissistic personality, and the retrogradation of ones self-esteem.

    Read More

  • Risks and Benefits of Social Media

    1059 Words  | 3 Pages

    ...ile Steven Pinker believes that social networking is improving society and Sherry Turkle finds it to be harmful to individuals, the real answer lies in-between the two positions. “It is a well-known fact that the web is a valuable asset for research and learning,” stated Sue Scheff in her article “Social Networking Sites Can Limit Interpersonal Skills and Physical Activity,” “…[but] it can also be a very dangerous place” (1). While the Internet is beneficial in gaining knowledge and connecting with others, it will always come with downsides as well because it can become addictive and an easy source for predators and bullies to prey on those who are vulnerable. Ultimately, “it is in our collective interest to ensure that the Internet lives up to its potential as a revolutionary connective medium” (Pariser 11) while being aware of the risks and practicing self-control.

    Read More

  • Research Proposal: Effects of Social Networking on Undergraduate Student’s Grades

    1564 Words  | 4 Pages

    This research is unique because it will give light to the individuals who are against social networking that will not take to consideration that it has any positive outcomes at all and to those who believe that social networking has no downfalls and are too blinded by the social networking to even notice the affects it has on their own lives.

    Read More

  • Dangers of Social Networking Sites

    914 Words  | 2 Pages

    handle? Some say yes, others might disagree. Social networking was created to connect friends and family together. Now, many predators use sites such as Facebook or Myspace to find their prey. This is the source of what parents are stressing about to their children. While many who use social media are enjoying meeting new people, they are also becoming distant from contact with real people and they are involved in a very surprising and dangerous environment.

    Read More

  • The Social Distraction

    1112 Words  | 3 Pages

    In Betty White’s opening monologue to Saturday Night Live, she said, “I didn’t know what Facebook was, and now that I do know what it is, I have to say, it sounds like a huge waste of time. I would never say the people on it are losers, but that’s only because I’m polite.” Originally intended for the use of students at Harvard University in 2004, Facebook grew exponentially to be an online phenomenon in the years following. In 2006, it became accessible to anyone and everyone with internet connection. Aside from the advantages that give the site its popularity, creating a profile comes with a number of significant disadvantages inherit to online social networks. What do more than 500 million active users use their Facebook for? Communicating with long distance friends and spreading awareness of causes are common responses. Unfortunately, Facebook has it flaws, from limiting the privacy of relationships to creating a form of almost unmanageable bullying, making one reconsider their involvement and think, “do I really want my Facebook account?”

    Read More

  • Facebook Effects in Socialization

    875 Words  | 2 Pages

    In this day and age, many individuals simply cannot go without some sort of socialization. Specifically speaking, most participate in online social networking sites. The most popular and used one is commonly known as Facebook. Facebook was created in 2004 by Mark Zuckerberg. By 2007, Facebook had over 21 million users, adding up to 1.6 billion page views every single day. The typical user spends over twenty minutes per day on Facebook and two thirds of the users log in every day at least once. It is not questionable as to why many people have a Facebook account. Facebook is generally efficient, easy for socialization, and not difficult to manage. Most organizations are affiliated with Facebook, as “almost 22,000 organizations had Facebook directories,” as of November 2006. A year after that in 2007, Facebook was named the seventh most popular website (Ellison 1). However, with anything well known, many oppose to using Facebook and hold criticism against the popular network. There are many flaws in the website and the relationships it starts online. Facebook is risking dangerous activities, ignoring privacy laws, and demeaning healthy socialization.

    Read More

  • Social Media's Effect on Academic Performance

    879 Words  | 2 Pages

    The negative effects of social networking sites overweigh the positive. These sites has resulted in an impact of potential hazards to the community. The students are victims of social networks more often than others. This is because the consequences when they learn or find their course material online, they get attracted to these sites to kill their boredom in their studies and also distract them from their duties. Other negative effects of social networking sites include the following:

    Read More

  • Argumentative Essay On Social Media

    1365 Words  | 3 Pages

    Social networking is doing more harm than good in society, if traditional and personal interactions continue to be replaced with conversations through online networking sites, it won’t be long before they are perceived as the ‘norm’. Traditional methods of interaction will continue to be at risk if the effects of social media are not realised. Social networking sites were created as a means of making it easier for individuals to communicate in a timely and efficient manner, they were not created to take over face-to-face communications altogether. The constant use of online networking is doing more harm than good not only individually, similarly through the community

    Read More

  • The Popularity of Social Networking Sites

    670 Words  | 2 Pages

    However, there are also some negative effects of social networking sites. Spending too much time on social networking sites affects people’s work and study, and people will become more and more isolated from their friends in real life. Moreover, it is difficult to protect users’ privacy on social networking sites, so it may result in the risk of revealing personal details. All in all, the popularity of social networking sites depends on the copycat effect among people, convenience in themselves, and their good functions. When social networking sites are becoming an important part of people’s lives, people should learn to make the most of these sites instead of wasting time.

    Read More

  • The Negative Effects Of Social Media On Personal Freedom

    1422 Words  | 3 Pages

    The use of social media has risen exponentially in the past decade, and with it the impact of its ubiquity has become evident. Although social media can undoubtedly be a positive vehicle for self expression and social interaction, it is largely restrictive of personal liberty and subsequently does more harm than good. Though this applies primarily to the individual, the negative effects of social media on personal freedom extends to interpersonal relationships and can therefore negatively affect groups as well. The convergence of audiences and associated privacy concerns on social media sites like Facebook can result in self-censorship, while the inbuilt filtering systems create a sense of censorship. Data collection and surveillance make it

    Read More

  • Argumentative Essay On Social Media

    1278 Words  | 3 Pages

    Social media has nothing but negative effects on people’s minds. Social networking can become very addicting and people can get wrapped up in the drama and excitement of the cyber world. It would only improve our society today if social media never existed to our knowledge. Our society today feels so connected with social media that it interferes with our lives making every task even harder with the temptations.

    Read More

  • Negative Effects Of Social Media Essay

    1111 Words  | 3 Pages

    Even though people have different opinions on whether social media has a positive or negative impact on society, it can be said that social media has a positive effect on society as a whole because it lets people communicate with each other easily, it has been said to improve education among children, and has helped improve the economy in the world. One of the main reasons why social media has positively affected our society is because of how it has made communicating with people much easier. “Today, four out of five active internet users maintain at least one social media profile” (Moe, 3). Using these websites, such as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and etc., people talk about everything with anyone from what they are planning to do, to what they are eating and much more (Moe, 24). We can also send private messages to other users of these websites about personal matters that you just want to discuss with them.

    Read More

More about The Perils of Social Networking

Open Document