Social Networking Sites and Human Interactions - Research Paper Example

?Social Networking Sites and Human Interaction Computers and Internet are two main technologies that have revolutionized our lives in many aspects. The number of benefits these two technologies can have for humanity is too great to count. Through the Internet, the world has become one click away from us. As they are the most enthusiastic and energetic sector of any society, young people are the ones who uses their computers to access the Internet heavily. Tempted by the variety of ideas and options available through them on the Internet, many young people spend hours either navigate the Internet in search for ideas, products, or any other item, or chatting online with friends and strangers. As such, young people can spend hours online without feeling bored or tired. This long time on the Internet is actually taken from the time that those young people may have spent with other people, experiencing social interaction. There are various scientists who realize that the time people spent online is ever increasing rapidly. In fact, most modern social studies concluded that "today, people spend more time using communication technology than they did twenty years ago" (Degord). Consequently, a heated debate has started to emerge about the possible negative effects of the Internet on the social interaction of young people. While some analysts undermine the effects that may be caused by the long time spent online, there are others who raise a serious warning about the deterioration of physical social interaction because of online activities. Despite the numerous benefits of the Internet, it can seriously hurt the physical communication process among young people, minimize social interaction, and push young people to live in isolation. The Internet has revolutionized people's lives in many positive ways. For young people, the Internet is an open window on the world, where they can do a variety of activities from the comfort of their own homes. Reading books and newspapers, searching for information about any topic, and involving in important discussions on billboards and newsgroups are some of the important activities young people can do online. Professor Thomas B. Riley, from the School of Law, University of Glasgow, argues that "the Internet is a revolutionary medium that has afforded the opportunity for millions of people to open themselves to a rich panoply of information and services" (Riley). In that sense, the Internet has become an important source of information for people. It enlightens navigators about any issue they research. If used adequately and insightfully, the Internet can widen the scope of knowledge for you people and prepare them for their future careers in life. In addition, online social networks, such as Facebook and Twitter, help people socialize online, meet new people, and re-unite with their old friends. Actually, Facebook and Twitter are examples of the most popular online social networks over the Internet. The popularity of both programs increase rapidly as thousands of users join both of them daily. Preceding Twitter, Facebook has a started as a network for the students of Harvard and turned to be one of the most famous online social networks. Moderators of Facebook seem to have much to do. The network is in fact the second most visited site in the world. It knows no borders and can help spread the best and the worst. In that sense, the Internet and social networking sites may play important roles in enriching people’s knowledge and facilitating the process of online socialization. However, the overuse of the Internet by young people minimizes physical social interaction and promotes isolation and loneliness. Young people who spend hours and hours chatting with other online users over the Internet are not actually enhancing their social experiences (Snook). That's because they do not physically interact with other people and involve themselves in real life situations; rather, all what they do is to sit alone in front of their computers, using their fingers to type what they want to tell. Attempting to insightfully describe the relationship between a young person and his computer, Professor Riley refer to it as young people "connect with other people in cyberspace but, often as not;" so, he argues that the Internet "is a solitary medium engaged in by an individual sitting alone in front of a terminal, removed from the experience of group interaction" (Riley). In fact, there is a reverse relationship between the time spent on the computer and that spent in real life social interaction. Various international studies concluded that the more time a young person spends online, the less time this person will spend in real life social interactions (McInnerney, J. M., & Roberts). The result is that heavy online users will turn into isolated and self centered being unable to interact actively in their societies. Consequently, the Internet is actually taking young people from their physical social networking into a virtual world when they cannot interact face-to-face with other people. In addition, when young people spend an excessive time over the Internet, their communication abilities are negatively affected. A successive communication among people is the one that involves many aspects, such as physical talking and exchanging opinions, experiencing eye-contact, and knowing about gestures and body language. All these aspects are almost lacking in online chatting. This would bring up people who are not good at physically communicating with people around them, and will may be turn up being hostile and anti-social persons. In an article which is entitled "Electronic Communication: Implications for Human Interaction and Social Change" Natalie Hanson claims that "communication with strangers and the lack of face-to-face accountability in computer-mediated communication will lead to increasingly hostile exchanges" (Hanson). One of the areas which are currently witnessing less communication because of the Internet is education. Many young people around the world prefer to go in an experience of distance learning instead of the traditional educational approach in classrooms. However, this new form of learning may deprive those young people from an opportunity to physically communicate with students and teachers. Hence, they would not be able to create intimate relationships with other, as they would have if they were learning through the traditional classroom (McInnerney, J. M., & Roberts). In that sense, the Internet is actually giving people less opportunities to communicate, leading to a new form of social suffering. As noted by young online users themselves, "human interaction has suffered even in the last year because of the effects that technology has had on the way people communicate" (Hall). Therefore, young people should decrease the time they spend online in order to give themselves an opportunity to enhance their communication abilities in physical social situations. In conclusion, despite the numerous positive effects of the Internet, it has many disadvantages in the areas of human social interaction and communication. Young people are becoming more able to use their hands in typing than to use their mouths to talk and their gestures to communicate in body language. This will lead to less-sociable people, who are hostile and isolated in their societies. Accordingly, one should not be blinded about the ill-effects of any technology when it is misused or over-used. This is applicable on the Internet too, as it is a medium which can be extremely beneficial if it is wisely used, and at the same time it can be dangerous if it used without discretion. Finally, young people should be adequately warned about the negative consequences of their online experiences in order for them to give some time for their physical social networking. References Degord, O. (2007). 'Telecommunications and social interaction - Social constructions in virtual space." Retrieved from: http://people.opera.com/howcome/ 1993/telektronikk-4-93/Oedegaard_O.html Hall, A. (2005, April 14). "Technology Shrinks Outside Interaction." 01 Dec. 2007. Retrieved from: http://www.dailyvidette.org/media/paper420/news/2005/04/14/EZone/Technology.Shrinks.Outside.Interaction-924898.shtml Hanson, N.(2007). "Electronic Communication: Implications for Human Interaction and Social Change." Retrieved from: McInnerney, J. M., & Roberts, T. S. (2002). "Online Learning and Effective Communication." Retrieved from: http://www.ascilite.org.au/aset-archives/confs/2002/mcinnerney.html Riley, T. (2008). "Living in the Electronic Village: The Impact of Information Technology in a Changing World." Retrieved from: Snook, J. (2002). "The Effect of Technology on Social Interaction in Local Community Organizations." Retrieved from: Read More