Social Networking Sites - A Part of Our Daily Habit - Book Report/Review Example

Social Networking Sites - A Part of Our Daily Habit Social networking sites have become a part of our daily habit. It becomes automatic for us to log-in every chance that we get to get connected to the worldwide web and to the member’s of our social network. It has turned into a one-stop communicating device that has diversified the way we communicate. Just when we thought cellular phones and texting was innovative, the advent of social networking sites to develop into multi-faceted websites that transcend the way we use the internet.

None of these sites can boast more of this than the ever so popular Facebook.com. It has developed into the most popular social networking site and has trampled Friendster.com and Myspace.com, its previously leading and seemingly impenetrable reputation for its precedent in the arena. Facebook has transformed our internet usage and has made it almost impossible to log out. From a small college networking site developed by Harvard dropout Mark Zuckerberg, the multi-billion dollars worth company is continuously gaining momentum.

The similarity between Zuckerberg and Microsoft head honcho Bill Gates makes for an interesting side note. And when software marketing giant Microsoft bought a mere 1.6% of Facebook, speculations ignited like wildfire. Already with its worth projected at billions but to no avail anything close to that of Google.com, the comparatively fledgling dot com has exploded in terms of its marketing side and money continued to pour in. With everything paying off, it seems that sky is the limit for this company (Hamilton, par. 3). The undoable edge of Facebook is its integration of almost everything that you could want in a website and more.

CEO Mark Zuckerberg counts on the influence of friends in the way that people make their decisions. It has incorporated the inclusion of enabling users to publish the most mundane facts and tidbits of their lives to the most significant in just seconds and with the simple clicking of a button. At no other point in our life have we become more aware of the activities of our friends than today. Commenting on their posts has also become so much easier and at no extra expense. Even the more seemingly irrelevant actions that include virtually ‘poking’ a friend, sending a ‘Starbucks drink,’ a ‘flower’ etc.

all became possible through Facebook. It may not make sense but it cannot be denied that just the thought itself signified that the person cared enough to bother with it no matter how trivial the act seemed or whether or not it even made sense to us. Of course we may have preferred it if there was an actual coffee that you could have shared with your friend but when the moment comes that the two of you had the time to meet face to face, it becomes apparent that there would be more things that you could talk about because you have been constantly bombarded and intrigued by the information they themselves have shared.

Face time doesn’t necessarily need to be avoided but can be enhanced through your activities in Facebook. Even games become a matter of socializing and gauge your connectivity including your friend’s willingness to accept invitations and include you in his ‘neighbors’ list including helping you out with your task and giving you gifts and all the other activities you can each do for each other in games such as ‘Mafia Wars, ‘Café World,’ ‘Pet Society,’ ‘Farmville’ and so many other role playing games made available by the website.

Not to mention other arcade games such as online ‘Poker,’ ‘Scrabble’ and even classic games like ‘Super Mario’ and ‘Pac Man.’ Getting connected has progressed into a state where it has become imperative to ensure that one is still ‘on the loop’ as a manner of saying. What’s even more interesting is that more and more people on the age group of 25 and above are joining the website (Davis, par.2). This proves that it is more than just a trend that the younger age groups, most especially the teenagers, as the most valid reason for its popularity.

This goes to show that the social networking site was able catch the attention of a wider variety in members. So the rants that we may read are not only regarding school or teachers but also of bosses and company policies. Even the posting of relationship status becomes a thing of interest to people. With the selections to choose from that includes single, married, engaged, in a relationship, it’s complicated and even opting not to indicate it, this becomes a matter of scrutiny and gossip. There is no doubt that Facebook has changed the way we communicate.

It is more than just a choice it is an imperative, unless you want to be regarded as living under a rock. With the means of communication that we currently have, one can only presume what could be the next. But as it is that there had been those that preceded Facebook, no one can guarantee that the site will reign forever and with that perception, what could be next and how tremendous could the innovation be to create the migration of internet traffic. Suffice to say that the changes brought to our life have become tremendous.

With the younger generations growing into the social networking phenomenon, more and more advancements are sure to be generated. For the mean time, we are more than content and even awestruck by what Facebook has brought into our lives and how it augmented internet consumption. Bibliography Davis, Lisa Selin. "Does Facebook Replace Face Time or Enhance It?" 18 January 2009. Time Magazine. 4 June 2010 . Hamilton, Anita. "Is Facebook Overrated?" 27 November 2007. Time Magazine. 4 June 2010 .