Introduction
Facebook is a social network site with several online users globally. Since its inception in 2004, it has enhanced social networking provisions between friends, families, and communities. Evidently, facebook has grown tremendously over the years. It was founded by Mark Zuckerberg (a Harvard University scholar) who, before creating facebook, had intended to create an online blog where people could post their profiles, share their views, find friends, make announcements, and express their ethics (Ellis 269).
As a social networking system, facebook has gained considerable popularity with its impacts felt globally. On registration, it requires its users to be 13 years and above although some minors have been witnessed utilizing the site offensively. The site operates free of charge with users allowed to join and exit freely.
Financially, facebook generates bountiful revenues to its founders. It is used as an advertisement site where several companies (worldwide) post their ads at a considerable cost. On its use, provided one is computer literate, has a facebook account, and a reliable network, he or she can utilize the site. Precisely, facebook aims to be a globalized social networking system where individuals can intermingle online (Marshall 42).
Facebook equally offers some numerous provisions like hosting of images and videos to its users. It is important to agree that facebook is advantageous in various contexts due to its ability to enhance networking and relationships among individuals; nonetheless, it has bountiful disadvantages when considered critically.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Facebook
It is critical to Interact, connect, and relate to other people through a credible online media. Contextually, the emergence of social networking sites has transfigured the world massively. Facebook helps in augmenting relationships, passing crucial information to people, knowing fresh products in the market, and granting instant chatting provisions among its users.
This indicates how facebook is an important innovation in the current world. Its use is widespread, a fact that helps in attracting more people to register while enhancing the use and viability of the site (Carter 60). Additionally, facebook gives its users opportunities to update their personal profiles, invite other friends and families as well as dispensing vital information to other users.
Evidently, it is possible to choose and invite friends of various kinds through the network. When registered users are many, there are substantial chances of finding desired individuals. Numerous parties must register in order to favor the process. Consequently, a network is created that accomplishes the facebook’s mandates.
It is important to agree that facebook is the most influential social media and a credible networking facility. As indicated earlier, one is able to connect to his or her family members, friends, colleagues, schoolmates, and new acquaintances. Facebook is free (no charges); thus, it creates an equal ground for all its users regardless of their respective financial status. It requires no periodic subscriptions evident in other social sites.
This is quite advantageous to those individuals who are financially challenged and would like to connect online. It is important to agree that facebook has revolutionized the world in the realms of communication and other relevant networking provisions. This is a critical phenomenon when considered critically. The site offers considerable interaction opportunities, a fact that has rendered the facebook quite purposeful in various contexts. Precisely, the site forms one of the best media used for online interaction capabilities.
Additionally, the use of facebook is hardly limited to regions, social classes, age differences, or any discriminative factors witnessed in other networks. Provided one has an account within the site, he or she can use it freely. The site is powered globally and accessible to anyone who has a computer or Smartphone with reliable network (Curtis 95). This is a considerable advantage to most of its users.
Another advantage is that the site has reliable privacy provisions that allow people to customize some of their personal details. This is applicable when one does not want other individuals to access some of his or her personal details (Lüsted 36). Consequently, it is imperative to agree that the security options offered by facebook are of some importance. Through facebook, it is possible to communicate safely with strangers.
Since everything is online, it becomes quite safer to transact information with strangers despite the security challenges. It is the mandate of the concerned user to scrutinize their chatting partners. Additionally, one can block other users from accessing his or her profile details. This is for integrity and security purposes.
Another advantage is that facebook is utilizable for dating purposes where individuals can date friends, attract new dates, and strengthen their current dates using the site. It is possible for one to find a perfect dating partner from facebook’s site due to availability of registered users (numerous) who possess similar interests.
Precisely, the site promotes initiation of new dating opportunities. Additionally, facebook offers remarkable business opportunities since organizations can advertise their products using the site exclusively. Concurrently, such commodities can attain a global limelight faster (Weintraub 92). This is helpful in the promotional aspects and other business provisions. Additionally, facebook has interesting online games, which are evidently popular, trendy, and addictive (Smith 63).
It is crucial to consider various aspects of this provision in order to understand varying merits of social networking systems. Additionally, it is possible to use facebook as a site for hosting images and videos as indicated earlier. It provides a considerable storage space for each user. These photos and videos can be accessed anywhere. Other advantages include the use of facebook to build personal portfolios and as a source of information and news.
The demerits of facebook are equally bountiful. Firstly, the site is quite addictive to its users; hence, promoting time wastage. Some of the facebook users do not have time to engage in other constructive activities. Another disadvantage is the abuse of the site by some of its users.
Some people have posted obscene images and immoral videos that do not conform to the regulations governing the use of facebook (Bozarth 55). Concurrently, the site is abused by some minors despite the recent condemnations of the act. Additionally, the aspects of privacy might not apply if the user does not know how to set security provisions available on the site.
Unfortunately, the information intended to be private might go public unintentionally hence damaging reputations of the concerned parties. Additionally, the aspects of fake personal profiles are another concern in the facebook’s phenomenon. There is no verification criteria used to eradicate fake personal profiles; hence, some people might give misleading information. Additionally, the site labels every acquaintance as a friend, a fact that might be mistaken in case such acquaintances are of bad characters.
Argument between the sources
Evidently, some sources support the emergence of facebook due to its merits in numerous instances; nonetheless, there are other sources, which argue strongly against this popular social networking site. There are advantages associated with the site as indicated earlier. This exhibits why facebook should be embraced as its use hurls globally.
The sources argue that the provisions set by facebook are considerable since its applicability is feasible in various contexts. The site is none discriminative and offers a substantial platform where people can interact, communicate, find friends, create portfolios, market their products, and attain numerous provisions helpful in life. For the sources that support facebook, it is evident that the site is innovative, significant, and helpful in various contexts.
Opposing sources equally front considerable arguments against the use of this popular site. The considerable impacts facebook poses to some of its users are behind this argument. Additionally, it is important to concur that facebook operates with novelty and practicality when scrutinized critically. It brings together the world’s communities with precision. Precisely, the studied sources differ considerably on their arguments either for or against the facebook’s phenomenon.
Conclusion
The emergence of facebook has become a worldwide concern following its merits and other characterizing disadvantages. Being a social networking site, facebook has attracted numerous users globally indicating the popularity it has gained since its inception several years ago.
It offers various opportunities to its users ranging from creation of personal profiles to interaction with friends and families. It also helps in meeting fresh acquaintances and reaching various personalities globally. These constitute its core advantages. Demerits incorporate time wastage, abuse by some users, addiction, fake profiles, and false reports posted by some ill-willed users. Precisely, facebook is both advantageous and disadvantageous.
Works Cited
Bozarth, Jane. Social Media for Trainers: Techniques for Enhancing and Extending Learning. California, CA: Pfeiffer, 2010. Print.
Carter, Brian. The Like Economy: How Businesses Make Money with Facebook. Indianapolis, IN: Que Press, 2011. Print.
Curtis, Joan. The New Handshake: Sales Meets Social Media. California, CA: Praeger, 2010. Print.
Ellis, Dave. Becoming a Master Student. Massachusetts, MA: Wadsworth Cengage, 2010. Print.
Lüsted, Marcia. Mark Zuckerberg: Facebook Creator. Minnesota, MN: ABDO Pub, 2012. Print.
Marshall, Perry. Ultimate Guide to Facebook Advertising: How to Access 600 Million Customers in 10 Minutes. California, CA: Entrepreneur Press, 2011. Print.
Smith, Paul. Marketing Communications: Integrating Offline and Online with Social Media. Pennsylvania, PA: Kogan Page, 2011. Print.
Weintraub, Marty. Killer Facebook Ads: Master Cutting-Edge Facebook Advertising Techniques. New Jersey, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, 2011. Print.