Social networking is obviously a big part of life today, it is truly used in all parts of the world by people of all different social classes. From adults wanting to reconnect with old friends to younger generations just trying to stay updated on the newest gossip. Even businesses have found a way to incorporate social networks into their companies. Sites like MySpace, Facebook and LinkedIn have all played a major role over the past few years. Even the most technologically challenged members of society seem to have a Facebook and are on LinkedIn. This change and movement of society has come about because of advancements that have been made over the past decade.
It is amazing how far technology has brought social networking, in fact I find myself checking my Facebook on my phone at all times of the day. When notifications come to my phone and I am able to see what pictures or posts I am tagged in, and checking it is as easy as clicking a button, why not? It was not until I began recording and keeping track of my media usage that I truly realized how much I am on Facebook or texting. In my eyes, social networking has an overall positive effect on society as a whole, it allows us to keep in touch with old friends and also make positive career movements and connections through sites like LinkedIn. Although I use social networking sites to keep in touch with high school friends, so that I can stay connected to them and know what is going on in their lives since I am unable to see them in person, social networking can have an negative impact on society. The question of privacy often comes up when the topic of social networks and other technological advancements come up in discussion.
When I first got a cell phone, I had 250 texts a month, today I probably send between 200 and 300 a day. My usage of the cell phone as dramatically increased, and it is because it is so easy. I use my phone for everything, from checking email, Facebook, calling, texting, surfing the web, taking pictures, etc. With today’s technology the possibilities are endless. With this move towards constant access, it seems that some are losing track of what is and is not ok to share with the rest of the world and what should be kept private. I personally set all of the privacy on my Facebook to one of the highest, if you are not my friend you can only see one picture and even if you are my friend there are aspects to my Facebook that only I have access to, but I know people who when you go to their Facebook page you do not even need to be their friend to write on their wall or see any of their pictures. Information like where they are from, where they work, what their current town is, birthdate, schools, etc are all available for everyone to see. What you always have to remember is that once its on the internet, you cannot take it back, someone somewhere will see it and even if it is deleted, is it really gone?
Privacy is something that I always think about when using the internet. It has made such a positive impact on the world, but this proves that it also has its drawbacks. When you can google a friend’s name and their Facebook pops up as one of the top options, and all of their information including hometown and current city, birthday, place of work, and many other personal tid-bits show up, I begin to wonder just how safe I am, even with all of my privacy settings. Although I probably have ‘over-shared’ at some point, I learned through stories and others experiences just how important it is to have these privacy settings. The things that people have access to affect not only your own personal privacy but even future employment and other important aspects of our lives. When I first got a MySpace, my mom called it “OurSpace” meaning she would have access to it and have control over what personal information and pictures I posted. My dad often talks about how he has interviewed someone to work for his company and after checking their Facebook page, he did not hire them.
Facebook is a big part of my day, as embarrassing as it is to admit. It seems that it is my generation’s main source of gossip and information and I find myself constantly checking it. It is the first thing that I click on when I open my laptop and the last thing I check before going to bed. Social networking has a major role in the world today and it is because it helps everyone to keep in touch in ways that were never possible before. It allows us to talk and stay connected with old friends and helps companies to succeed and move forward. As we move towards a society that is more and more dependent on the internet, it will be fascinating to see what happens in over the next decade as a new generation that is even more technologically advanced becomes young adults and begins life in the working world.
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