The Effects of Social Networking - Report Example

Topic: Social networks Course name Student’s name Lecturer’s name 19th September 2011 Introduction The advent of information technology (IT) has given birth to numerous communication platforms ranging from advanced usage of the internet to advanced use of communication gadgets such as mobile phones (Jarvis, 2009). Information technology has also transformed economic and technological activities such as production and service delivery thus transforming the world into a global village. One of the significant ways in which information technology has impacted and affected the lives of many people in the contemporary society is through enhancement of social networks in which people create relationships and friendships on social network platforms. Regardless of the distance, IT aids in communication through social networking sites. There are numerous social networking sites in the world today such as facebook, twitter, AsianAvenue, aNobii, Badoo, BlackPlanet, CafeMom, DailyBooth, Faces.com and Google Buzz (to mention a few) (Jarvis, 2009). It is imperative to note that while some of these social networking sites have been developed and created to serve the interests of certain groups of people, others have been created and developed to connect people from all walks of life in all regions of the world. Examples of social networking sites that serve the global population regardless of race or culture include twitter and facebook among others. According to Freeman (2006) a social network can be defined as a social structure made up of organizations or individuals which in technological terms are called ‘nodes’ which are connected by certain types of interdependency such as common interest, kinship, friendship, dislike, financial exchange, sexual relationships, knowledge, beliefs or prestige (Freeman, 2006, p.45). The history of social networks can be traced back to the 1800s when authors such as Ferdinand Tonnes and Emile Durkheim argued that social groups cane exists as direct and personal ties that connect people and individuals with similar beliefs and values. Other authors who contributed significantly to the debate on social networks include Moreno J.L whose focus was on social interactions that exists between smaller groups such as workgroups and students in a classroom setting (Jarvis, 2009). However, it is important to note that the above arguments were not based on information technology platforms but rather on physical locations where social groups can meet and interact (Freeman, 2006). The advent of information technology was therefore instrumental in enhancing the social interactions of individuals located in different regions of the world. The purpose of this paper is to explore the issue of IT and Society with a focus on the advantages and disadvantages of social networks such as facebook and Twitter. It has been argued that social networks can led to social upheavals and destroy the lives of people. This statement is a negative statement that leans towards the disadvantages or the negative impacts brought about by social networking sites. The disadvantages of social networking sites are discussed as follows; a) Social upheavals In the recent past numerous conflicts have merged in the Middle East and the horn of Africa driven by the people’s demand for expansion of democratic space and freedom of expression. Countries such as Libya, Egypt, Tunisia, Yemen, and Syria which have experienced authoritarian type of leadership for many years have plunged into civil war with people demanding for their freedom of expression (Romm-Livermore & Setzekorn, 2008). One of the most powerful tools that have been used by the freedom crusaders to gang people together in order to rise against the ruling regimes include the social networks such as facebook where freedom crusaders communicate their agendas and their roadmap to freedom of the citizens. Social networks have also been used to create the hatred and anger in people required to push people to take action. As result, any young people in the above countries took to the streets after being fuelled by freedom crusaders through social networks. In the process, many lives have been lost with numerous young people being maimed for agitating for their freedom of expression. This shows that indeed social networks can cause social upheaval and in the process may lives are destroyed. The recent riots in the United Kingdom were also fuelled by intense communication and connections between the people in the United Kingdom where people were urged to take into the streets and protest against police killing of an innocent citizen (Romm-Livermore & Setzekorn, 2008). Within not time young people had taken to the streets and the conflict resulted into intense destruction of property and people lives. As a medium of communication and interaction, social networks are therefore responsible for different social upheavals in different countries globally which has seen numerous lives destroyed in the process. For example, protesters took advantage of technology and devised methods for overcoming the mobile and internet obstacles that had been established by the Egyptian government in the effort to cut short communication by protesters. Protesters devised new routes through which they could reach their friends and fellow protestors through social sites such as Twitter and Facebook. Status updates for social network users such as this “OUR DSL IS STILL WORKING IN EGYPT USING DIAL UP 0777 7776 or 07777 666 Share with every one asap #Egypt #25Ja.” (Romm-Livermore & Setzekorn, 2008). This messages were widely spread during the time of the protests making it possible for protestors to take directions from their commanders on when, where and how to undertake the mass protests in the country. b) Waste of productive time Social networks are platforms where an individual chats and interact with numerous friends who are connected to him through the social network websites. Since, social network sites are numerous some people have a chain of friends in different social networking sites to chat and interact with (Romm-Livermore & Setzekorn, 2008). In the process of chatting with all the friends and integrating new friends into the list of online friends a lot of time is wasted. Studies indicate that social networking websites have resulted into a significant drop in the performance of students in colleges, high school and universities because students spend a significant portion of their time chatting and making online friends rather than reading and doing their homework (Turkle, 2011). In this regard, students with significant potential to become useful to the economy in different capacities have ended up as burdens to the economy. In this respect, significant numbers of useful lives have been destroyed by social networking sites and the productivity of able-bodies people has also been impacted negatively by social networking sites. c) Harassment and scams The use of information technology has also given rise to the issue of business and personal security as more cases are reported of people being conned and ripped off their funds through the social networking sites (Turkle, 2011). Even though social networking sites have tried significantly to enhance privacy and security of information for the users, it is evident that identity theft, online scams, cyber-stalking and online harassment are issues that have featured widely in different social networking sites. Many people have been conned by unknown individual over the social networks and in the process huge amounts of money have been lost. This has significantly discouraged people to communicate over the social networks or other medium of communication such as mobile phones for fear of experiencing bitter encounters as they experienced previously through the social networks (Turkle, 2011). In this regard, social networks have indeed discouraged many people from communicating to the outside world and particularly to the people they do not know. In the process, huge and important business deals have been lost. d) Effects on heath According to Susan Greenfield, a pharmacology professor at Oxford University too much exposure to computer games and social networking sites have adverse effects on the health of children and adults as well (Moreno, Fost & Christakis, 2008). Greenfield argued that when adults spend many hours chatting with friends through social networks they forget that young children require the attention of the adults and parents in order to grow into healthy babies. Greenfield held that the reassurance given to the babies that their mothers and other people around them care about them is important for the proper development and growth of the children. However, the time to perform motherly roles has been shifted significantly to online chatting. Additionally, Greenfield noted that when babies are exposed to a world of reaction and fast action, of flashing and instant images on the computer screens the rapid change in computer screens and images results into a brain that is accustomed to perform roles with such timescales (Moreno, Fost & Christakis, 2008). As a result, children grow with the attention deficit disorder because they are neither given the attention they require from the parents which affect their entire life. In this perspective, social networks do not only destroy the lives of adults and young adults but they also destroy the lives of children. Advantages Even though it has been argued that social networks can lead to social upheavals and destruction of peoples’ lives it is important to state that social networks have several advantages as discussed below; a) A platform for employment opportunities In a world where economic hardships have characterised many nations with rising inflation and decreasing job opportunities making headlines news on a daily basis, many college leavers are left wondering where to get job opportunities. However, the social networks have helped friends identify and communicate vital information related to availability of job opportunities in different sectors of the economy (Moreno, Fost & Christakis, 2008). In this regard, fresh college and university graduates need to log into their social networks and chat with their fiends in order to get vital information that cal lead them to getting their dream jobs. b) Platforms of education Different social networks have been used by non-governmental organizations to spread vital information that can help prevent the spread or diseases and other natural calamities. For example, messages on how to prevent certain diseases such as HIV/AIDS have been passed widely through social networks to reach young people in order to reduce the incident rates and hence the spread of HIV/AIDS (Moreno, Fost & Christakis, 2008). In conclusion, information technology has give rise to numerous social networks which operate on the platform of shred information. As seen above, social networks have indeed led to social upheaval and destroyed the lives of many people including the adults, young adults and the children. Social networks have also led to bitter experiences as people end up being conned by their trusted friends they connected with through social networks. This has not only discouraged some people from communication but it has left negative lasting memories in the minds of many people. In spite of the above negative impacts of social networks, some positive impacts brought by social networks include being use as platforms for education and seeking for job opportunities as well as enhancing business activities. References Jarvis, T. (2009). Social Not-working: Perils of too much communication. The Oprah Magazine. Raphael, D. (2011). The effects of social networking (Facebook, Twitter, MySpace etc) available from http://newstodaynews.com/the-effect-of-social-networking-facebook-twitter-myspace-etc-for-children/12286 Freeman, L. (2006). The Development of Social Network Analysis. Vancouver: Empirical Press. Romm-Livermore, C. & Setzekorn, K. (2008). Social Networking Communities and E-Dating Services: Concepts and Implications‎. IGI Global. p.271 Turkle, S. (2011). Alone Together: Why We Expect More from Technology and Less from Each Other. p. 154. Moreno, M, Fost, N, Christakis, D. (2008). "Research ethics in the MySpace era". Pediatrics 121 (1): 157–61. Read More