Social Networking

It’s amazing how the concept of social networking has sky rocketed to the top of everyone’s vocabulary and day-to-day activities.  Social networking has become a huge trend as it seems that today everyone is blogging, tweeting, linking and posting on Facebook, Instagram, and other platforms.  These technologies can be used to share similar interest, opinions, experiences, tips, information, and even to advertise and market.  For instance, at the agency I work for, LinkedIn is used as a recruiting tool and Facebook is used as a communications and marketing forum to enhance the agency’s reputation and to share their impact on the community. 

 

Social networking is extremely interactive and because of this, there can be many downfalls. For starters, society has established a need for "social capital" as described in the article "Is MySpace Good for Society? A Freakonomics Quorum" by Stephen J. Dubner.  Social capital is a concept that describes the benefits individuals receive from their relationships with others.  The need to expand these relationships via social networking has increased exponentially.  What doesn't make sense is why would people want their information exposed and out on the web for the world to see.  Also, because of this need for social capital gain, the obsession over how many followers or friends you have trumps any real connections and in person interaction developed over time.  However, as William Reader states, "whether this is good or bad depends upon what kind of society you value."

Another downfall is the idea of privacy and appropriateness.  There is no real filter for what content can be posted or commented with the exception of certain privacy settings.  These settings can be used to "pre-approve" comments before they are made public or to distinguish who can see your page or photos.  As described in the article "Facebook Privacy Is So Confusing Even the Zuckerberg Family Photo Isn't Private" by Rebecca Greenfield, these privacy settings are not fool proof.  Some settings are so complex that they are difficult to monitor and ensure they are effective.  As the author recommends, "the lessons here is twofold: Facebook privacy settings are too confusing, and if you really don't want intimate photos out there, don't put 'em on Facebook. But also, don't expect to hide something if you do — everything can be shared and re-shared these days."

 

I would have to admit, I'm with William Reader on this, I find that I value a society that appreciates face to face interactions.  Truthfully, my eyes and brain are physically exhausted by the end of the day from staring at a computer, tablet, and smartphone for 12+ hours.  While the benefits of social networking and media may outweigh the risks, life as we know it will only continue to become impersonal, relying solely on these tech-based relationships.  When do I, as a human, turn off?