The Ways in Which Social Media Are Contributing to Changing Social Relationships - Coursework Example

CRITICALLY DISCUSS THE WAYS IN WHICH SOCIAL MEDIA ARE CONTRIBUTING TO CHANGING SOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS Over the years, the means used by individuals worldwide to interact with one another have gradually changed. These changes have been made possible by the technological advancements that have and continue to occur. Now, the social media affects virtually every aspect of relationships and interactions (Haythornwaite 2005). All a person needs is a mobile phone, laptop, iPad, Smartphone or iPhone to be able to access a variety of social sites. The interaction between individuals whether it is family, friends or workmates is done through a variety of media depending on the preferences, cost and availability of these media. Individuals are able to create, share and exchange information through a global internet connection (Kaplan and Haenlein 2010). Some of the social media used include Wikipedia, blogs, Social Networking Sites and YouTube. According to Livingston (2008), some of the social networking sites are MySpace, Bebo, Friendster and Facebook. The internet has created a new perspective on human relationships and I would like to take particular interest in romantic relationships through the internet. It has over time provided new and dynamic ways of meeting and getting to know people from every part of the world. All a person needs is to know the kind of person they are looking for. For those seeking to find ‘The One’ an ideal partner, the internet provides a much easier and faster alternative through social networking or online dating sites. This method is however not foolproof and if one is not careful, they may have to deal with the negative aspects of online romance; you’ve got to take the good with the bad. In order to determine the extent of the impact of social media on romantic relationships, we need to take keen interest in Online Dating. This forms the foundation of most online relationships (Roma-Livermore 2009). Online dating is a practice that has risen at an alarming rate and is becoming more popular among users irrespective of their age, gender, race, cultures or even geographical locations. With every day that passes more users log into dating sites and create accounts in order to find partners. Most of these individuals seek marriage partners, casual dates or new sexual adventures. The sites provide them with the chance to find the ideal partners at a cheap and easy way. Some of the dating sites include; www.match.com , www.eharmony.com , www.besocial.com , www.plentyoffish.com and www.OkCupid.com . Research has shown that the number of women subscribers in these sites tends to be higher in comparison to that of the male subscribers. Visual Economics (2012) estimates the women to be at 59% whereas the men are 53% of the total. The low number of male subscribers is particularly due to the requirements by the sites that have long forms to be filled out by the interested users. Details are required in personal information, interests and what one is looking for in a partner. Most men find this cumbersome. Statistics also show that most subscribers tend to give false information about their physical appearances, attributes and achievements in a bid to impress the targeted partners (Cornwell and Lundgren 2001). It has been noted that at least one out of four couples met online. This figure continues to increase with the improvements and diversification of internet and technology services and products. Away from the numbers and figures let us make an analysis of exactly what internet dating entails. This will help in determining its advantages, disadvantages and ways of dealing with the negative impact it has on relationships. This is a system which provides a chance for users to meet and communicate via the internet (Roma-Livermore 2009). Through this kind of interaction, users are able to share information and relate to one another on a personal, romantic or friendly level. The information provided by the users is analyzed and suitable matches are identified and made available. Depending on the quality of the services offered, some dating sites are free whereas others may require subscription fees and subsequent monthly payments. According to Brooks (2012), these sites have a variety of positive impacts on the start and growth of romantic relationships between individuals who use them. The use of these sites to search for an ideal partner broadens an individual’s perspective of humanity. The sites are diverse in nature thus providing a wide variety to choose from. The members seeking partners and the possible matches all come from different backgrounds, age groups, social classes, race and have varying political interests. The users thus learn to appreciate and accommodate these differences by seeing each other as equals in the search of true love and happiness. These sites also cater for the different tastes in the kinds of relationships the users are looking for. Most online dating sites have options for people who are in search of marriage partners, long-term relationships, one-night stands, casual relationships and even financial-centered relationships such as the case of sugar daddies and mummies. Sexual preferences are also catered for through options for homosexual subscribers. In regard to gay, transsexual, bisexual and lesbian relationships, the users are able to find other users like them seeking companionship and love. This makes it easier for them considering the fact that the population of the homosexual community worldwide is relatively small in comparison to the heterosexual individuals. It is also taken into consideration that in some countries, homosexual relationships are regarded as illegal. The privacy and security terms offered by the dating sites provide the individuals in such countries with the ability to find each other and interact online to avoid any form of victimization and confrontation. Online dating exposes partners to a number of options they can use to build their relationships and be intimate with each other. This can be done through the use of private chat settings which ensure no unwanted audiences can view the content shared. They can exchange photographs, intimate audio files and video recordings. This brings partners closer and spices up the relationship that would have been otherwise boring. Even in a situation where your partner is far away from you and the possibility of meeting is slim, the sites enable you to be constantly in touch with your partners. Applications such as Skype allow visual interaction (Brooks 2012). This kind of dating increases chances of successful relationships. This is because the matching strategy is based on the individuals’ personalities and interests (Joinson 2007). This is a step ahead in comparison to the usual way people meet in schools, colleges, bars, hotels and other social interaction places. They then develop interest from the instant smile, looks or behavior of the person even before getting to know them well. Online, the possible matches are selected in accordance to shared interests and characteristics or if the partners match the expectations of the person in search of a compatible companion. It has also made it possible for people who are reserved to meet and develop sustainable romantic relationships. Shy individuals find it hard to interact physically with other people, express their interests and show emotional feelings towards someone they are interested in (Dwyer 2000). Computer screens provide a barrier and the distance makes interaction more comfortable. They are at ease and are able to interact confidently when not face-to-face with the other user. This also puts the user in a control position; in a case where the interaction becomes uncomfortable he or she can easily escape by logging off. Not to say that online dating is flawless, there are certain aspects that are hindrances to the success of romantic relationships. One of the major factors is high subscription fees. Some online sites require the payment of a certain amount when creating an account in order to find a perfect match. Worse still there may be subsequent monthly payments that are made after the subscription and special payments made for specific matches. These payments are totally unnecessary according to OkCupid Online Dating which views them as a means of exploiting users who are desperately in search of love. Some of the sites commit fraud and create a list of non-existent matches in order to gain from the unsuspecting users. These matches are portrayed as non-paying while those who wish to contact them are required to pay a certain amount. These fraudsters have stolen millions from subscribers worldwide and continue to do so (Rudder 2010). There are sites that go as far as barring potential subscribers from searching or viewing the options available before they pay the subscription fees. This leaves them uncertain and unsure of the effectiveness of the site. Such sites should be identified and users made aware of their irregular practices. While taking part in online interactions, users have a risk of being exposed to dangers. They are likely to fall prey to sexual predators, a phenomenon which is common especially to women. The handsome young man with an amazing personality you have been dating online may actually turn out to be a rapist. Private Rights Clearinghouse (2012) shows that statistics have proven 25% of rapists use the online dating system to find their victims. Through these sites they are able to access information about the victims and where they live. They embark on gaining the trust of the vulnerable victims until he or she agrees to meet up and have a real date. Users can also be exposed to criminals who may defraud, steal from them, hurt or even murder them. Then there is a breed of users who are stalkers. According to Mishna and McLuckie (2009), they may not have an evident tendency of violence or other criminal behavior at first, but most of them suffer from personality disorders and emotional deviances. When a stalker notices a user they like, they will find ways to get closer and give their full attention to them. This may lead to a romantic relationship as most victims view the attention and excessive control as signs of commitment. The victim will start having feelings of privacy invasion and develop a fear of the individual. Some stalkers go as far as finding out where the victim lives, works, studies and spend time. They follow the victim and note their every move thus causing fear and anxiety. The above security problems can be solved if all online dating agencies ensured a background check is done on all subscribers to avoid putting other users in danger. For example True.com is one of the first agencies to have established a way to screen and prevent unwanted parties from subscribing. Its system automatically identifies and rejects felons and predators and people who are already married. It is not jus t up to the agencies to ensure internet safety users have a responsibility of preventing t5hemselves from falling prey to these predators. They can use the My MatchChecker.com which has been designed by safety officials to analyze and indicate any individuals who may pose a threat (Privacy Rights Clearinghouse 2012). The use of social media has brought with it a level of freedom that most users misuse. Those who are in online relationships share a lot through messages, audio files, pictures and videos. The content shared has evolved from being decent to highly sexual (Schnarch 1997). Partners take pictures of themselves half-naked or naked doing a variety of erotic activities. These are then sent to their partners who enjoy viewing them and send their own. Most of the users do this to experiment, feel closer to their partners and to keep the relationship interesting especially in a case where the relationship is long-distant. Major risks are involved in this kind of interaction. Most online dating sites do not offer standard privacy and security services to their customers. This leaves the users in a vulnerable position when the content they share online can be easily accessed by third parties with the required software and retrieval skills (Privacy Rights Clearinghouse 2012). This information can then be exposed to the public, friends and family causing feelings of shame and regret. In a case of break-up a partner may use such intimate information to punish or blackmail the individual by threatening to expose it to the public. This can be controlled by ensuring you do not post extremely intimate content online because its safety is uncertain. The agencies should ensure information provided by subscribers is kept safe to maintain customer trust. A common characteristic of relationships started online is the distance factor. Most of the subscribers tend to meet perfect matches who live away from them thanks to the global connection of the entire world through the internet. Your partner may be a town away, in the neighboring country or even in a different continent. This makes it difficult to maintain the relationship. Partners may find it hard to know if the love even exists or the partner is just wasting their time. Knowing each other through sharing experiences becomes a challenge due to the lack of physical contact or the few meetings that occur. It becomes costly to make regular visits to someone who is far. The issue of jealousy and lack of trust also arises due to the lack of knowledge of what your partner does when he or she is not online. There is a possibility that they may be seeing someone else without your knowledge. However the situation can be remedied by the use of regular communication strategies. Partners need to chat more, share experiences often online. They can talk about what happens in their separate lives, share pictures and videos. They can also figure out a way to raise funds to cater for the trip expenses whenever they visit each other and make it as regular as possible. Social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter have also provided an environment where individuals can create and maintain romantic relationships. On Facebook for instance, there are over 900 million subscribers who interact and socialize worldwide. They are able to meet new people, find old friends, interact, share and exchange information through pictures, comments, posts, audio files, videos and sharing various links. Facebook provides a wide variety of possible compatible partners for someone seeking to establish an online romantic relationship. One can meet their partner through shared friends, mutually liking certain pages or just random Facebook activities. They can learn about each other through profile information, sharing of content and staying in touch through the Inbox that provides privacy. It is easy and cheap. In respect to changes in the social relationships, the structural framework of social sites such as Facebook has a great effect on the state of romantic relationships that are started or built online. This sets it apart from the usual expectations of meeting a stranger and getting to know each other through dates and other physically interactive activities (Kietzmann and Kristopher 2011). Social sites are broken down into defined functional building blocks. First, we have the Identity which describes how the user displays himself or herself through the provision of Profile Information. An individual has sole control of the information he wants the other party to know. This includes details on; name, age, profession, location and other aspects of the user’s interests and personality. In the provision of this information most people tend to exaggerate the good qualities or give false information to impress the person of interest. This kind of deception fools most people who are lonely and surf the internet in search of ideal partners. Most of them are clueless until they meet the ‘love’ of their lives only to realize he or she is completely opposite to the profile details. Some individuals even go as far as using fake pictures. Subsequently, conversations form a major block in the social media. Interaction between individuals and the exchange of ideas is facilitated by this. They way in which a user communicates with the user he or she has romantic interest in will affect the direction and success rate of the relationship. A user may display ideal qualities like honesty, respect, morality, self-control, courage and confidence through the choice of words and opinion on various topics and issues they may discuss. Most ladies find interest in men who are charming, polite, compliments her, and concerned with the wellbeing of other people. This, as opposed to a rude personality, self-centeredness and lack of social responsibility, will make a person more sociable. It is important to note that some users have competence when it comes to their choice of words. They are able to fool others into thinking of an ideal nature. Such charmers leave behind a trail of admirers swooning over them. Healthy and genuine conversations often form the start of a good friendship which may develop into a long-lasting romance. Many have successfully found love matches online. You no longer have to wait for the hand of fate to cause an accidental meeting between you and your true love. In sharing, users are able to start up and build relationships. This will help in defining the extent to which a user is able to give out information, and receive it from the other individual. It makes them more connected and through personalization of the information shared, they are able to grow stronger. Online couples can exchange photos of each other, the things they like, friends and relatives. The individuals get to know each other better and build trust. Through video and audio file exchange they can spice up their relationships as previously mentioned. Groups are functional blocks that can enable a user determine what kind of a person his or her partner is. Through the analysis of partner’s interaction with others online, contributions to various groups and the things he or she advocates for, personality can be determined. Joining socially productive groups serves to show that one is sensitive to social welfare as well as the positive growth of oneself and others. These may include; environmental activism, peace campaigns and social service activities. Consideration of such characteristics will help in determining qualities an individual has and thus be able to know if you are compatible and have the possibility of a successful relationship. It should be taken into account the fact that the above blocks do not provide detailed information on individual personalities since they are controlled by the users (McKenna and Bargh 2002). The world is continuing to evolve technologically as the years go by. Most of the activities are carried out online and relationships too have not been left behind. Everyday more people meet, relationships are formed, others are broken and some are nurtured through the variety of social media available. This is made possible through the breaking down of social barriers. Content can now be shared online by everybody everywhere regardless of social status. The internet has made the world a global village and thus expanding possibilities of finding true love and companionship. Are you lonely? Need someone to share your experiences with? Seeking a lifetime partner? Looking for a temporary fling? Your ideal partner is just a ‘CLICK’ away. REFERENCE “A Business of Love: Online Dating By the Numbers.” Visual Economics (2012). Retrieved Jan. 5th 2013. www.visualeconomics.creditloan.com>Home>Infographics Adam, N. Joinson. The Oxford Handbook of Internet Psychology. Oxford University Press (May 2007) ISBN 978-0-19-856800-1 Retrieved Jan. 5th 2013 www.oxfordhandbooks.com/view/10.109.. Brooks, Mark. “How has the Internet Changed Society? An Insider’s Look.” Scholarly Articles. Courtland Brooks. (2012) Retrieved Jan. 5th 2013 www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet Cornwell, B.; Lundgren, D. C. “Love on the Internet: Involvement and mispresentation in romantic relationships in Cyberspace vs. Real space.” Computers in Human Behavior. (2001)Retrieved Jan. 5th 2013 www.faculty.nps.edu/ncrowe/virtcomm160.htm Dwyer, Diana. Interpersonal Relationships. Routledge Modular Psychology (2000) Retrieved Jan. 5th 2013 www.books.google.com>Famili&Relationships>InterpersonalRelations Haythornwaite, Caroline. “Social Networks and Internet.” Connectivity Effects. (2005) Retrieved Jan. 5th 2013 www.scedu.unibo.it/../114601.pdf Kaplan Andreas M. ; Haenlein Michael. “Users of the World Unite! The Challenges and Opportunities of Social Media.” Business Horizons, Vol. 53, Issue 1 (2010) Retrieved Jan. 5th 2013 www.openmediart.com/log/sdarticle.pdf Kietzmann, H. Jan; Kristopher Hermkens. “Social Media? Get serious! Understanding the functional building blocks of social media.” Business Horizons (2011) 54: 241-251 Retrieved Jan. 5th 2013 www.academia.edu/959458/Social_Media... Livingstone, Sonia. “Taking Risky Opportunities in Youthful Content Creation: Teenagers’ use of social networking sites for intimacy, privacy and self-expression.” News Media & Society (June 2008). Retrieved Jan. 5th 2013 www.nms.sagepub.com McKenna, Katelyn Y.; Bargh, John A. “Causes and Consequences of Social Interaction on the Internet: A Conceptual Framework.” Media Psychology, (2002) Retrieved Jan. 5th 2013 www.annualreviews.org/doi/abs/10.11 Mishna, Faye,; Allan McLuckie and Michael Saini. “Real-World Dangers in an Online Reality: A qualitative study examining Online Relationships and Cyber Abuse.” The Oxford Journal (2009) Retrieved Jan. 5th 2013 www.oxfordjournals.org/ Roma-Livermore, Celia. Social Networking Communities and E-Dating Services: concepts and implications. Idea Group Inc. (2009) ISBN 978-160-5661-0-49 Retrieved Jan. 5th 2013 www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_rela Rudder, Christian. “Why You Should Never Pay for Online Dating.” OkTrends, Retrieved Jan. 5th 2013 www.waybackmachine.org Schnarch, D. “Sex, Intimacy and the Internet.” Journal of Sex Education. (1997) Retrieved Jan. 5th 2013 www.crucible4oints.com/david-schnarch... “The Perils and Pitfalls of Online Dating: How to Protect Yourself.” Privacy Rights Clearinghouse: Empowering Consumers. Protecting Privacy (December 2012) Retrieved Jan. 5th 2013 www.privacyrights.org/f537-onlin Read More

Visual Economics (2012) estimates the women to be at 59% whereas the men are 53% of the total. The low number of male subscribers is particularly due to the requirements by the sites that have long forms to be filled out by the interested users. Details are required in personal information, interests and what one is looking for in a partner. Most men find this cumbersome. Statistics also show that most subscribers tend to give false information about their physical appearances, attributes and achievements in a bid to impress the targeted partners (Cornwell and Lundgren 2001).

It has been noted that at least one out of four couples met online. This figure continues to increase with the improvements and diversification of internet and technology services and products. Away from the numbers and figures let us make an analysis of exactly what internet dating entails. This will help in determining its advantages, disadvantages and ways of dealing with the negative impact it has on relationships. This is a system which provides a chance for users to meet and communicate via the internet (Roma-Livermore 2009).

Through this kind of interaction, users are able to share information and relate to one another on a personal, romantic or friendly level. The information provided by the users is analyzed and suitable matches are identified and made available. Depending on the quality of the services offered, some dating sites are free whereas others may require subscription fees and subsequent monthly payments. According to Brooks (2012), these sites have a variety of positive impacts on the start and growth of romantic relationships between individuals who use them.

The use of these sites to search for an ideal partner broadens an individual’s perspective of humanity. The sites are diverse in nature thus providing a wide variety to choose from. The members seeking partners and the possible matches all come from different backgrounds, age groups, social classes, race and have varying political interests. The users thus learn to appreciate and accommodate these differences by seeing each other as equals in the search of true love and happiness. These sites also cater for the different tastes in the kinds of relationships the users are looking for.

Most online dating sites have options for people who are in search of marriage partners, long-term relationships, one-night stands, casual relationships and even financial-centered relationships such as the case of sugar daddies and mummies. Sexual preferences are also catered for through options for homosexual subscribers. In regard to gay, transsexual, bisexual and lesbian relationships, the users are able to find other users like them seeking companionship and love. This makes it easier for them considering the fact that the population of the homosexual community worldwide is relatively small in comparison to the heterosexual individuals.

It is also taken into consideration that in some countries, homosexual relationships are regarded as illegal. The privacy and security terms offered by the dating sites provide the individuals in such countries with the ability to find each other and interact online to avoid any form of victimization and confrontation. Online dating exposes partners to a number of options they can use to build their relationships and be intimate with each other. This can be done through the use of private chat settings which ensure no unwanted audiences can view the content shared.

They can exchange photographs, intimate audio files and video recordings. This brings partners closer and spices up the relationship that would have been otherwise boring. Even in a situation where your partner is far away from you and the possibility of meeting is slim, the sites enable you to be constantly in touch with your partners. Applications such as Skype allow visual interaction (Brooks 2012). This kind of dating increases chances of successful relationships. This is because the matching strategy is based on the individuals’ personalities and interests (Joinson 2007).

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