Social Netwoking - Essay Example

Nowadays joining websites such as Facebook and Myspace have become a norm for the whole society. Increasingly it is seen that the younger generation is being diverted to these networking habits. Social networking has become a topic of debate these days as it is seen that many researches are being carried out to find out the pros and cons of it. This essay would revolve around the pros and cons of social networking and would present a conclusion as to what should be done with regard to the problems that it actually poses (University of Minnesota 2008).

The stigma of social networking is spread all over the world to places like Pakistan and India. It has been found that social networking has many benefits when it comes to the younger generation. A study done by the researchers of University of Minnesota concluded that around 94 percent of the people use internet in which around 77 percent of them had a profile on a social networking site. The research found out the positives of social networking and related it to the skills of technology. It has been found that social networking helps in increasing technological skills along with creativity.

A researcher was stated as saying “What we found was that students using social networking sites are actually practicing the kinds of 21st century skills we want them to develop to be successful today” (University of Minnesota 2008). These social networking sites can help the educators to inform the younger generation about possible topics through these social networking sites. The educators can use these social networking sites as a tool to inform and educate their audience in a way that an interest is created amongst the students (Warner 2008).

Another positive of social networking websites lies in the communication that it may provide in times of emergency. Researchers have found out that these networking sites can prove to be a great tool for the transmission of information from one area to the other. In natural disasters such as earthquakes or human influenced disasters one can easily transmit information on these social networking websites faster than the traditional media. It can help in the diffusion of information from one area to another so that everyone is informed about the calamity.

It is also found that the social networking websites such as Facebook have allowed disaster management organizations to work on the website so that they can create awareness amongst the masses of the society (Inderscience Publishers 2010). Social networking also helps people to integrate with the society if they are suffering from problems. People who are suffering from social diseases such as autism are at ease when talking on the internet. Thus these social networking websites provide an advantage to these socially impaired people to talk and get engaged in conversations.

It has also been found that social networking is helping people to communicate easily. While social networking has its own benefits it also has certain disadvantages which should be kept in mind when analyzing these portals. The most potent drawback of these websites is that of privacy when it comes to certain issues. It is seen that these social networking websites do not have strict privacy settings when it comes to its users. A research found that personal information of users is leaked out to the websites which help in tracking the users.

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