Social Networking and its Different Aspects - Research Paper Example

of Social Networking and its Different Aspects Social networking is one of the most important developments in the fields of media and science in the twenty first century. It has great relevance in the fields of industry and personal relationships. The importance of social networks can be seen from the size and reach of social networking giants such as Facebook, Twitter and other such websites on the internet. Such websites not only enable the frequent and easy transfer of information, they are also able to create platforms through which people shall be able to exchange messages that would probably not be allowed by censorship programs of the governments of certain countries. They are thus, very important as far as underground movements are concerned. We thus see how such networks are important from a political point of view as well. These websites also open up certain avenues for communication between people who are in conventionally inaccessible positions. Celebrities and politicians are thus, able to connect more directly with their fans and voters. They also help companies and firms to reach out to their clientele through advertisements that are cheaper than other media. Apart from this, it also leads to the creation of communities that would not be possible in the real world. The virtual reality that is created through such networks enables the dissolution of narrow parochial bonds. All of this has a negative side as well as social networks can be used by miscreants and anti-social elements as well. They can also be incorporated into the power structures of our society, thus blunting their revolutionary potential in a certain sense. The immense number of users of Facebook and Twitter bear testimony to the changing face of human relationships. People like Stuart Wooster feel that human relationships are being redefined in today’s world by such social networks. Such networks lead to the creation of a virtual reality that is capable of sustaining itself and people tend to feel connected with other people even without having seen them in a long time (Wooster). Such websites are able to provide one with a sense of being with a lot of friends even if one is not connected to those friends in any ostensible way at a certain point. One may have several ‘friends’ on Facebook whom one may never have met more than once. The conventions that Facebook gives rise to make it possible for several people to be contacted at once, leading to a fragile bond being created between those parties. This makes it possible for people to know about different people at the same time. While this may at times be nothing more than a network of gossip, the different transformations that it can take lead to endless possibilities. This can then be explored by the different users. Facebook as a website has constantly innovated itself and is virtually unrecognizable from the site that it was when it began. However, Wooster believes that the changes have not been enough as there are at this point of time a lot of websites that grew at incredible rates. Such websites have mostly been those that seek a niche clientele. They cater to people with certain interests such as music and photography (Wooster). Such websites then look at smaller groups of people who look to spend a larger part of their time in specialized activities rather than broad areas of interest. It is at this point that one begins to realize the inadequacies of a website like Facebook. While it offers one the ability to share anything that one likes at a virtual level, it can get too diffuse and not specialized. The very strength that Facebook has over other websites can also at times, thus, turn into a weakness. This results in the increase in figures of business. This shows that despite the increase in the number of pieces into which the pie of business has to be cut into, there is also a growth in this pie. The proliferation of such websites also proves another fact- the changing face of social networks. This has happened at a very early stage for such websites. This goes to show the dynamic nature of such sites and also the immense markets that exists for such websites despite the mammoth size that they already are at. The phenomenon of social networking is something that points at the size and number of relationships that people have to maintain in the twenty first century and the devices they need for that purpose. The websites that have emerged at this point of time answer this very need. The political importance that such sites have can be gauged from the role that it played in the crises that took place in countries like Tunisia and Egypt. In the face of widespread censorship by the governments of these countries and the dictators that ruled them, social networks provided a platform whereby people could connect with each other and make their dissent known. The underground nature of the movement was sustained through the flexibility that is offered by social networking sites. These sites also enable the information that is conceived at a certain point of time and space to be transmitted over a long distance. This led to Sheldon Himelfarb writes that such networks were a lifeline for protestors who could transfer information and enable people from different parts of a country to reach a particular spot for a protest that would then take the form of a mass protest. The reach of social networking websites were employed for the purpose of creating mass protests that would link people from different areas (Himelfarb). This then was instrumental in the understanding of the role of the individual citizen in the creation of the entire nation as well. It is also not incidental that the Wikileaks incident happened following the proliferation of social networking websites. Such instances of leaking information and connecting the conventionally high and low is something that social networking enables. The plethora of social networking websites was employed for the sharing of the information that the Wikileaks foundation made public. This then blurred the boundaries between those who had information and those who did not. The social networking sites of today make this very process of information sharing a democratic one where there are no differences of class and race when it comes to sharing as long as you have the money to have an internet connection. The fact that these websites are free to access also makes it a very important tool in the hands of organizations that are cash-strapped and are looking for cheap means to make other people aware of their importance and the significance of their cause. The changing of the boundaries between the high and the low can also be seen in the way celebrities and politicians are able to communicate with the masses on for a like Twitter and YouTube. Such sites are able to create a platform where people are able to communicate with those people that they would not have been able to in a conventional sense. Here, the communication is intended to make the masses feel connected to the people who are well-known. It is also a platform for such people to understand more about the interests of the people that they are working for. The changing interests and likes of the people whom politicians cater to can be known through the contacts that are developed on a site like Twitter. Authors can receive criticism on their books through such platforms as people are able to freely air their views on aspects of the books that they read. This can then lead to better music, creative writing and political policies as they shall emerge through a process of dialogue with the people who at the reception end of them. The impact of social networking sites can also be felt in the field of commerce and industry. This is probably the field that benefits the most from the phenomenon of social networking. Social networking is something that people spend a lot of their time on and this enables advertisers to reach out to a very large population in a very short span of time. Jessica Bosari comments on this phenomenon of advertising that enables people to be aware of the deals that are available on shopping sites online through advertisements that are put up by these websites online(Bosari). This leads to a whole lot of trade and communications that happen through the medium of social networking. Industries may prefer to advertise on such websites as a result of the immense reach that these sites have. Also such websites turn out to be cheaper for the companies that choose to invest in them as a part of their advertising policy. The amount of time that is spent on such sites also builds a false sense of being connected to people that one may not even be close to. This may lead to complications as physical contact and communication with people is still important. There are many cases of people not being able to communicate with others as a result of their overdependence on social networking. It is important that such sites do not impair one’s ability to understand reality as different from the virtual spaces that are present on the internet. This can lead to issues such as withdrawal which even the person may not be aware of as a result of the false sense of connectedness that they are imbued with by such social networking sites. It is important to limit the exposure that one has to such sites. Such sites may also turn into places where a certain kind of voyeurism is practiced and this may give rise to unhealthy practices. The onus is thus, also upon the people who run such sites to create foolproof software where people are able to place certain restrictions to the kind of information that can be passed on. The issue of free transfer of information without any control can also cause certain problems to arise. For instance, there is always the concern that such free transfer can be used for the purpose of spreading sentiments of hatred. Racist ideologies can be circulated as freely as those against certain dictators and such ideologies may remain online for a certain period of time before they are moved by moderators or by ay user. This may cause a great deal of damage to the social fabric of a nation and delicate balances that exist in a nation between certain groups that have a historic mistrust may be upset. This is why the idea of social networks having no checks or censors is a two-edged sword. It can be used for the toppling of cruel dictators; it can also be used for the spread of sentiments that may create rifts between certain groups for the benefit of groups with narrow and parochial sentiments. While there are advantages and disadvantages to the phenomenon of social networking, one must not lose sight of the fact that used in a certain way, it has the potential to revolutionize the way in which communications and other aspects of modern life are looked at. The fields of industry and advertising employ the sites of social networking in a way that is both cost-effective and also something that can reach to larger populations. Therefore there is the aspect of democratization in this sphere as well as larger groups of people are circulated information to. One also needs to look at the uprisings in Egypt and Tunisia that were to a large extent made possible through the use that the people made of social networking websites. Social networking needs to be accepted as a method of communication that can replace certain older forms of communication in a more efficient manner. There however, needs to be certain codes of restriction that can then enable the establishment of a peaceful and harmonious society. Social networking has a great role to play in this. Works Cited Bosari, Jessica. “The Developing Role of Social Media in the Modern Business World”. Forbes. 8 Aug. 2012. Web. 10 Dec. 2012. Himelfarb, Sheldon. “The Impact of Social Media in Egypt”. United States Institute of Peace. 31 Jan. 2011. Web. 10 Dec. 2012. Wooster, Stuart. “Are Alternative Social Networks the Future of being Truly Social in 2013?” Business2Community. 10 Dec. 2012. Web. 11 Dec. 2012. Read More