Facebook: Your Friend or Enemy - Essay Example

Facebook: Your Friend or Enemy? “Every minute 8 million new ‘likes’ are made on Facebook.”, “About 20% of all photos this year will end up on Facebook.” and “if Facebook were a country, it would be the fifth-largest country in the world, after China, India, the U.S., and Indonesia.” Facebook is the greatest social network innovation in the world. The millennia generation is the most affected or one that has benefited the most from the changes brought by Facebook. It does not simply transform the way we communicate; it “shrinks” our world, making distances between our friends and family not to be a factor anymore. Surprisingly, it also changes our psychological lives, bringing majority of us “positive emotional experiences” and “enjoyments”. In the unnoticeable way, Facebook is encouraging and maximizing our potentials and talents, influencing student’s learning in the sociable and interactive style. In the recent years, Facebook has even deeply penetrated in promoting business growth and attracting many customers and clients for business. All those changes are affecting us unnoticeably, as some of us are using it more actively than anything else. However, critics have cautioned about the dangers of people are exposed to as they enjoy applications and options available through Facebook. It is imperative to note, though, that many things that exist in the world have their benefits and negative impacts, it all depends on whether the consumers use it wisely or not. Therefore, it is true to say that Facebook has offered many invaluable changes that influence our lives greatly. Facebook is one of the largest and most viral social networks that enable everyone around the world to connect, promoting the number of friends in our social life. According to research done on Facebook by Lars Backstrom, Paolo Boldi, Marco Rosa, Johan Ugander, and Sebastano Vigna, “The average number of acquaintances separating any two people in the world was not six degree but 4.74 degrees.” This finding can be interpreted as any two people knowing each other with only 4.74 people standing between them anywhere in the world, while back in many years ago, the number of such acquaintances that connected two strangers equaled six people. Facebook has reduced the distances between individuals, brought the entire world closer, which could also means the average size of the social circle has got large than ever before. Since communication was not as convenient before the digital age. On the other hand, some people think that regardless of the number of friends, those connections on Facebook are superficial. A recent study done by Robin Dunbar, a professor of Evolutionary Anthropology at Oxford University shows “a human brain is limited to keeping up with about 150 meaningful relationships, regardless of how many Facebook friend you might have”. The number 150 is named as the “Dunbar’s number”, it states that human brain is limited to approximately 150 meaningful relationships in the social circle, even if a person has thousands of friends on Facebook. Although there might be a limitation of how the human brain works, social network sites such as Facebook do not only provide a platform for people to meet new friends and develop meaningful relationships as it is a place where people can build up connections and relationship with their fellows, clients and acquaintances. The relationships established through Facebook allow users to build social capital that can be explored to ensure easy and fast problems solving avenues and sharing of resources and useful information. Furthermore, Social capital established through Facebook has the potential of improving one’s economic development through connection of jobs, boosting of mental and physical health, academic performance an intellectual development. Even though such relationships may not be manifested through face to face interactions, the availability of information from Facebook networks places solutions to different problems on one’s fingertips. What’s more, meaningful relationships in Facebook need not be cultivated on a daily basis as they can be helpful as and when necessary. Facebook assists in reconnection through communication when people have lost touch with family members and friends and have not communicated for a long time due to a long distance. In this case, Facebook acts as a platform for communication. As stated by David Blair, reporter for Daily Telegraph, “The number of people who are seeing a partner who lives more than two hours away has doubled in the last 10 years to 14 per cent.” David Blair, insists that “Three quarters of those in such relationships said they were easier to maintain through websites such as Facebook or MySpace where pictures can be shared and video phone calls via computer.” As the technology and communication products are improving, photo and video messaging are becoming very common and popular, through the communication in such imagery and vivid way, it makes relatives and friends just a click away for you. Geographic distances become less a concern for many of us in the digital age. Nevertheless, contrary opinion holds the position that social networking sites induce the negative impacts toward relationship. According to a 2010 survey by Richard Adams from the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers (AAML), “four out of five lawyers reported an increasing number of divorce cases citing evidence derived from social networking sites in the past five years, with Facebook being the market leader.” The survey shows that there is a linkage between Facebook and relationship trouble. However, this thought is susceptible to strong criticism. The fact that Facebook is the source of evidence for most of marital problems is actually a good thing. If people are to live together as a married couple, they have to be true to their feelings and to their partners. Many couples hide their extra marital affairs for such a long time that it becomes a nightmare for the partner who has been betrayed to handle the shock of having lived a lie all that time. Facebook provides the most powerful tool in such a situation – exposure. Exposure of marital infidelity marks the beginning of finding a solution as it gives the couple a platform to re-evaluate where they want their relationship to go. If they want to save their marriage, they get a chance to talk and resolve the underlying issues. On the other hand, if their relationship has become loveless, they can expose their true feelings and therefore give each other another opportunity of finding happiness elsewhere as opposed to one person suffering alone. Facebook brings people more happiness and promotes positive emotional experiences. A recent study by Maurizio Mauri, Pietro Cipresso, Anna Balgera, Marco Villamira and Giuseppe Riva, researchers from IULM University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Istituto Auxologico Italiano–IRCCS, Universita`Cattolica del Sacro Cuore show, “Facebook experience was significantly different from stress and relaxation on many linear and spectral indices of somatic activity. Moreover, the biological signals revealed that Facebook use can evoke a psychophysiological state characterized by high positive valence and high arousal (Core Flow State).” The finding suggests that Facebook has the ability to induce positive emotional enjoyment and providing the intense engagement. It is similar to the time when people eat chocolate, and it induces the pleasurable experience and enjoyment. However, contrary opinion indicates that Facebook has the potential to have some negative psychological effects on users. “We were surprised by how many people have a negative experience from Facebook with envy leaving them feeling lonely, frustrated, or angry,” states Hanna Krasnova , researcher from the Institute of Information Systems at Berlin’s Humboldt University. “From our observations some of these people will then leave Facebook or at least reduce their use of the site.” In such case, some Facebook users might develop a low self-esteem and might not even want to be associated with anyone including friends and families through the social network. This causes frustrations as such users compare themselves socially to their peers and feel a lack of attention from their friends. While this opinion may hold for a very negligible population, Facebook has been reported to raise the self-esteem of many who previously lacked the confidence and courage to stand before people. This is because Facebook allows users to look their best and put their best foot forward in terms of posting updates and sharing photos. The appreciation they get helps in boosting their self-confidence and ultimately improves their self-esteem. Sharing of the best pictures have been a successful tool for people suffering from low-self- esteem to revolutionize their mindset and start thinking of how great they really are. This helps in the improvement of the overall well-being of Facebook users. Youngsters who engage in various forms of social media such as Facebook, not only gain from extension of existing friendship, but could also benefit by developing many different skills, and discover more of their potential skills and talents. According to a jointed research project done by a group of researchers from University of Southern California and University of California, Berkeley, “By exploring new interests, tinkering, and “messing around” with new forms of social media, they acquire various forms of technical and media literacy. Through trial and error, youths add new media to their repertoire” (Ito, et al. 2). The study here indicates that, through the usage of social media, teenagers are creating new rules for social Behavior, not only can they see the world from other people’s vision, but also gain a platform through which they can dive into a topic or a talent such as creating a video or game and customizing their Facebook page. Conversely, “hierarchical (blocked) linear regression analyses revealed that time spent on Facebook was strongly and significantly negatively related to overall GPA”, says Dr. Rey Junco, professor at Lock Haven University in Pennsylvania. The study indicates that as if student spent more time on Facebook etc. social media, they would earn a lower grade in school. In other words, study suggests Facebook distracts us from learning. This opinion is highly biased based on the fact that Facebook has become an immense learning platform for many students. Facebook allows users to link in groups that share a common goal and share information. This is therefore a great interaction tool for students to form learning groups on Facebook where they can interact, ask questions and debate on issues related to their education. In this case, Facebook enhances education as it not only adds knowledge, but also skills and confidence in academic performance. In this digital age, student’s learning style is heavily effect by the use the social network. Through the sociable and interactive environment online, students are establishing a new way of learning successfully, improving their academic performances and outcomes. Hence, social network like Facebook does benefit the millennia generation from learning and also helps youngster to explore their new skills and potentials. Facebook does not only provide a great platform to communicate with friends and relatives, but it also helps to promote business growth. According to statistical findings gained by Monica Jade Romeri, Founder, and CEO of Darwin Digital Content, “The number of business that says Facebook is critical or important to their business has increased by 75%.” This means the contribution level by Facebook to their business. In addition, “Retail is the top industry that has acquired customers through Facebook.” Here, we can see how Facebook can help to boost sells. However, opponents have posed serious criticism to show that Facebook has the capacity of destroying business. “Customers and brand are now open to malicious defamation through the Facebook posting and messaging system, in order words, the feed Martín Paredes, CEO of Cognent, Inc says, “There is nothing stopping former disgruntled employees, customers or even competitors from posting malicious messages intended to destroy the company’s goodwill”. Here, Paredes suggests how a business might run into risks by having a page on Facebook. One of the examples could be the one described in the following case: In “April of 2009, two former Domino’s pizza employees posted a video online preparing sandwiches for a delivery that were tainted by bodily fluids by one employee.” From this case, Domino’s brand has been damaged and it will be a crisis if it is a small business. While there are few people who would use the Facebook to discredit the business, we cannot use such cases in isolation as they rarely happen. Imperatively, Facebook helps the business by providing the much needed feedback that allows business to make prompt and timely decisions that suit the needs of the customers. Facebook also saves the cost of the business as experiences used to conduct market research is saved by sampling feedback from Facebook. Facebook also helps improve the business by exposing the products and services of the business to broader boundaries. Satisfied customers who are also followers of a business in Facebook can help increase sales by sharing the good experiences of using the business’s products and services which in turns converts their friends into buyers through the spread of a good word. The millennia generation is characterized by the efficient application of technology, such as Facebook, for communication. The evolution of Facebook has already deeply embedded in to our lifestyle and has contributed to the development of online communication that would not be easily to be replaced by others means. What lies ahead for Facebook is difficult to predict, as many other technologies, such as the functions designed of the cellphones are becoming so intelligent and unpredictable, the depth perception of the computer generated image through screen has to offer are becoming eye-catching and impressive. Therefore, there are many opportunities for social networking sites like Facebook to develop from. A possible development could be the three-dimensional video communication, which could actually bring the online chatting experience to a new level. Facebook has a promising future as the most effective social economic and political tool for driving the intended agenda to the masses within the shortest time and with great service delivery. As such, Facebook will continue shining its light around the world Works Cited Adams, Richard. “Big Surge in Social Networking Evidence Says Survey of Nations Top Divorce Lawyers.” The American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers (AAML), 2010: Web. 6 Nov 2014. Angela Yan Yu, Stella Wen Tian, Douglas Vogel and Ron Chi-Wai Kowk. “Can Learning Be Virtually Boosted? An Investigation of Online Social Networking Impacts.” Science Direct (2010): Elseviser Ltd. Web. 29 Nov. 2014. Backstrom, Lars, Paolo Boldi, Marco Rosa, Johan Ugander, and Sebastano Vigna. “Four Degrees of Separation.” University of Milan (2012): 45-65. Web. 5 Nov. 2014. Blair, David. “Facebook Helps Promote Long-Distance Relationships.” The Telegraph. Technology, 17 Jul 2008. Web. 6 Nov 2014. Dunbar, Robin. “How Many Friends Does One Person Need?” University of Oxford, 2010. Web. 6 Nov 2014. Granovetter, Mark. “The Strength of Weak Ties: A Network Theory Revisited.” Sociological Theory 1 (1983): 201-33. Weily Blackwell. Web. 29 Nov. 2014 Ito, Mizuko, et al. “Living and Learning with New Media: Summary of Findings from the Digital Youth Project.” The John D. and Catherine T. Mac Arther Foundation, 2008. Web. 6 Nov 2014. Junco, Rey. “Too much Face and Not Enough Books: the Relationship Between Multiple Indices of Facebook Use and Academic Performance.” Computer in Human Behavior, 2011. Elsevier. Web. 7 Nov 2014. Maurizio Mauri, Ph.D., Pietro Cipresso, Ph.D., Anna Balgera, M.A., Marco Villamira, Ph.D., M.D. and Giuseppe Riva, Ph.D. “Why Is Facebook So Successful? Psychophysiological Measures Describe a Core Flow State While Using Facebook” Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking 14.1 (2011). Web. 7 Nov 2014. Krasnova, Hanna.“Facebook Makes Users Envious and Dissatisfied.” Institute of Information Systems at Berlins Humboldt University, 2013. Web. 7 Nov 2014. Paredes, Martin. “How Facebook Can Destroy Your Business” Congen, Inc., 2011. Web. 7 Nov 2014. Romeri, Monica Jade. “Facebook Marketing Statistics You Need to Know.” Innovation Marketing Resources, 2012. Web. 08 Nov 2014. Read More