Are Social Networking Websites Corrosive to Real Community - Essay Example

Recently-developed social networking websites (such as Facebook) are corrosive to ‘real’ community. Introduction Technology is the best innovation that the world is currently enjoying. As it is said, the invention of the internet is the best creative innovation that the world has. Through this, people have turned the world into a global village. Through the internet, things that are more creative than before have come up. Among them is the social networking websites. Generally, human beings like exploring their environments. This includes meeting new people, learning more about some new places and following up the current world news. Social websites like Face book, Twitter and MySpace have made this need a reality. However, the question after such a great global innovation is, are they corroding the real community? The essay will look at the arguments that are in favor of the question (negative impacts) and argument that are not in favor of the question (positive impacts) and finally give a clear conclusion that indeed, recently-developed social networking websites (such as Facebook) are corrosive to ‘real’ community. . Negative impacts of social networking websites on the society So many lobby groups claim there are many negative effects that social networking websites are causing to the society. In their view, something has to be done in order to save the current generation that seems to enjoy the negative trend. Some of the negative impacts are as discussed below. Social networking sites cause loneliness (Boyd d and Ellison: pp. 221). When joining these sites for instance face book, no one has the intention to get lonely while online. However, most research findings can prove that the more someone uses the internet services, the more the chances of getting lonely and depressed. This is because the sense of being happy rapidly drops after the first day of using the website. The loneliness issue arises because face book serves different purposes with everyone using what is meaningful to their social life. Therefore, through the consumption of so much content on such social networking websites, people lose their social bonding thus lowering their self-esteem and feeling which in turn increases loneliness. Social networking websites are creating a false sense of interaction. The society fosters real and meaningful kinds of relationships. They are supposed to be healthy to everyone because they act as role-shaping structures, increases the sense of belonging and the will to conquer problems. However, most of these social networks though created out of a simple idea of promoting social relationships, have been creating a wrong sense of connection (Kennedy, et al.: pp. 110). They are among the fastest growing companies with face book being on the lead. They have chat rooms that enable users to communicate with each other. These chat rooms make users glued on their computer screens, as they want to find out more from their online friends. This in turn translates into a lot of time wasted interacting using the social sites. Natural fostering relationships arise when individuals can physically see each other. Spending most of the time online is killing the natural type of relationship. Some can claim that they are keeping in touch with their friends but the truth is that they know little about the friends they claim beyond their profile information. The real society values privacy (Kavanaugh, et al.: pp 34). However, social networking websites have made it easy for people to publicize their private information. Issues about intimacy have always been confined by the society as those meant for married people and have to be discussed in the bedroom. However, since most people are always busy with work schedules, they find it easy and nice to post such on the profile walls. While it may sound nice among friends, it can be very bad when other family members or employers find such things through such social sites. Pictures also tell a lot about who we are. Drinking, going to clubs to have fun,, kissing strangers can be very nice but once posted on Face book, they can cause other issues like divorces, job loss or disrespect among friends. “Each time we spend time on social networks, we are promoting other businesses by following links. The founders of the sites get a huge share as well. However, we are decreasing the level of productivity in the society” (Paul & Brier: pp. 82). This could be the reason as to why many companies are using social sites in marketing their products. It is because they know that most people spend most of their productive time-sharing their experiences and following what their friends are saying or doing. In Britain, most companies loose almost 3 billion each year due to under-production. They attribute face book usage amongst their employees’ accounts for the greatest percentage of this loss. This is the reason as to why most companies have decided to block most of the social websites especially face book on their networks. This ensures that employees focus on the company’s goals and not social networking. Facebook is on the process of launching a platform that will allow individuals below the age of thirteen years to access its services. It sounds like a great idea already because they are sure they will get many users. However, this will increase the levels of cyber bullying. Kids are an important asset in the community. Exposing them to such a technological world puts them at risk of predators who may pose as friends. Kids are easy to trust other people, provided they are good to them. What they do not know is that they are the target victims. Some publications show that kids have been abducted through the social platforms that have left most of their families in great pain. They use these means to trick such families into paying off huge ransoms failure to which kids can be killed or taken into exile. Positive impacts of Social networking websites on the society There are many negative effects as confirmed in the above argument. However, they do not deny the fact that there exist some benefits that the society is enjoying. Some of them are as discussed below. Education. Social Networking Sites (SNS) are being integrated in most learning institutions to facilitate modern education (Nie: pp. 415). For instance, learners in Tasmania Sacred Heart School and Pularumpi are using webcam-enabled chat rooms on social sites to interact and share vital information that range from their culture to school work. In addition, they have been able to use this mode of earning because it enables them to interact and share ideas with more than other fifty schools. The use of SNS amongst students and teachers is very essential in motivating because it engages them in learning. It increases their self-esteem as well as self-drive in learning. According to most research findings, teenagers find it awesome learning by interacting with their peers. It makes them understand the concept and improve the quality of their memory as well. Social networks promote community wellbeing. People use SNS because of the love and the uniqueness of experience in them. It is not their own interests but for the sake of the strong attraction that the online community has (Johnson, Levine & Smith, 2009). In this sense, an online community is a group of people or organizations who meet and interact for a short or long period through an electronic platform. Therefore, SNS like Face book, which has fan pages, and Groups give people the opportunity to meet and interact while inhabiting the same interests (Plant: pp. 54). This in the end promotes community well being because it improves how people relate even if they are far apart. The world has already become a global village through the advanced technology. This makes it easy for people to meet using SNS. Through such interactions, they are able to strengthen their relationships (Ellison, et al.: pp. 1154). The society encourages everyone to have a positive kind of interpersonal relationship. This is because it promotes good co-existence amongst people. The SNS use the same principle. Through its use, people, develop a good interpersonal relationship that makes it easy for them to overcome stressful moments. In young people, it is very helpful in the transition procedure from being a child to adulthood. Many research findings can prove that actually the use of SNS is good at strengthening interpersonal relationships among young individuals in a society. This is because through chatting, emailing and networking helps them in troubleshooting the problems they face in establishing and maintaining positive relationships. SNS improve political participation. Most of the interested political candidates have found a new political ground that can earn them a good lead. Most young people use SNS in their daily communications and sharing of ideas. Through their discussions, it is easy for mobilizing them though while respecting their final decisions, into electing the right candidates. Apart from political campaigns, SNS are serving as good platforms through which the government ministries can use to get ideas from what their citizens want done. Through criticism and applauds, the government can easily locate and change where necessary in order to serve their countries in their best way possible. Most companies are making a lot of profit through SNS marketing. They have found this as the best way to market their products because they are sure the message will reach most people than if they would have done it using other means. Through ads, they are able to convince their target markets into purchasing their products. This in turn has promoted business growth all over the world. It has also made it easy for clients to locate their best products while being sure that they will get them in time. As businesses grow and expand, the countries benefit from the revenue generate through taxation, which in turn improves the national growth. Conclusion Social Networking sites were developed out of a simple idea, which was to make human interaction easy and enjoyable. However, through their use, there have been many effects to the general wellbeing in the society. Among them are cyber bullying which is likely to increase after the inauguration of the new Facebook platform for kids, increasing levels of loneliness among heavy users of SNS. In addition, there is little productivity as people waste productive time checking on the friends on these SNS. It has also increased a false sense of communication and violation of privacy in the society. On the contrary, SNS, which is a global best innovation, has some benefits. It improves and strengthens positive interpersonal relationships among people; it improves political participation and promotes business growth and expansion. In addition, it has made the learning process easy and enjoyable as well as improving on community well being. Basing on these arguments, it may sound difficult in supporting one side of the argument. However, from the reality posed in the society, the Social Networking Websites have really corroded the real society. To end such a growing trend, the society must be ready to teach the young people the essence of real relationships and the dangers that awaits those who meet on such sites. This will help everybody in leading a real life. Work cited Boyd d and Ellison N. Social network sites: Definition, history, and scholarship. Journal of Computer-mediated Communication, 2007, 13: 210–230. Ellison, N., B., Steinflield, C., & Lampe, C. The Benefits of Face book “Friends:” Social capital and College Students’ Use of Online Social Network Sites. Journal of computer- Medicated Communication, 2007, 12 (4): 1143-1168. Johnson, L., Levine, A., & Smith, R. The 2009 Horizon Report, The New Media Consortium, Austin, Texas, 2009. Print. Kavanaugh, A., Carroll, J. M., Rosson, M. B., Zin, T. T., & Reese, D. D. Community networks: Where offline communities meet online. 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