Social Networking Sites Problems and Benefits Essay

Introduction

In the past century, the world has experienced great achievements that have facilitated growth and development in many countries. The invention of computers and the creation of the internet have been among the epic accomplishments made during this period. These two entities have virtually revolutionized information processing and communication, thereby taking it to another level. Social networking has been among the areas that have recorded significant growth in this regard.

Online social network sites attract millions of users across the world and have played a central role in facilitating interactions between diverse populations.

Despite the advantages documented by proponents of social networks, there have been increasing concerns regarding the harmful effects such networks have on users as a result of the personal information they provide in these networking sites. With these undertones, this paper shall set out to argue that social networks have created more problems5to the users as compared to expected benefits.

Problems caused by online social networks

Over the past decades, debates regarding the invasion of privacy have taken center stage. Such debates have been necessitated by technological advancements, which have made privacy invasion a real and achievable fete. According to Castro, online social networking sites have created a platform that makes it easy for people to invade the privacy of others (2).

As an example, Helfand states that social sites such as Facebook have certain features that allow people to interact with you even when you do not want to (1). For example, ‘friends’ can engage you in chats despite where you are or what you are doing. The problem is that some of the friends are not really friends but people you share common aspects with. As such, their ability to view your personal information or engage you in online interactions can be viewed as invasion of privacy.

On the same note, Castro reveals that there are internet companies that take personal information of various users and redistribute that information to other companies that use it to gain competitive advantage over rival (2). In some cases, sharing of personal information is done without the explicit consent of the owner therefore, constituting to violation of personal privacy.

This process is best explained by Gross and Acquisti who assert that most social networking sites encourage people to use real personal information as they register to be members of such sites, thereby exposing such individuals to a myriad of risks (1).

Erosion of identity has also been cited as being among the harmful effects of online social sites. In most sites, people are encouraged to use pseudonyms and create profiles that are appealing to other users. As a result, most people end up publicizing themselves in a manner that conflicts with who they really are.

For example, you may find underage children posing overt photos of themselves in parties, bikinis and other obviously destructive situations. While such photos may seem appealing to other users who actively ‘tag’ and comment on them, they affect how people view you in the long run.

In addition, Brown asserts that social networks encourage people to create new identities that contradict their personalities (32). In this regard, the author states that it is no longer a matter of who I am, but where, with whom, and when I am (Brown 34). This clearly shows that social networks have encouraged people to be deceiving in order to fit in.

Freedom of expression is best utilized through social networking sites. While interacting in these sites, members air their views freely regarding various matters. However, since there is no fear for repercussions, some people have misused this freedom by propelling radical views to other members of the online community.

This may have adverse effects on the masses, thereby leading to mass panic and protest in various parts of the world. In addition, comments posted on such sites can easily be publicized thereby destroying or damaging the professional and personal lives of different members of our societies.

Similarly, there seems to be a consensus on the fact that social networking sites expose children to many risks. Traditionally, parents are always teaching there children to be careful of the company they keep and try their best to keep their children away from unwanted attention.

However, social networking sites have developed an alternative way through which young children can be preyed upon by dangerous people in the online environment. For example, chat rooms can be used to lure children into meeting strangers who later subject them to various forms of abuses (Barnes 21). The author further states that in some occasions, predators have used these sites to stalk their victims (Barnes 24). Such incidences go to show the harmful effects of social networking sites.

Some of the major advantages of face to face communication are that the parties involved can express emotions through gestures, body language, facial expressions and tonal variations. Social networking sites are actively eliminating these crucial aspects of communication (Brown 32).

Since people do not meet physically in such sites, the emotional aspect of communication and interaction is slowly being phased off. This is fostering a culture that will eventually see people loose connection with their emotions as they interact in the virtual world. This is very harmful since it tampers with the core aspects that make us who we are.

Despite these disadvantages, there are some advantages that can be accrued from the existence of social networking networks. Castro states that the internet has played a pivotal role in ensuring that people have access to information and the ability to make and maintain friendships in a world where time is limited (2). However, Rosen asserts that the internet has to a great extent affected our ability to truly read books and analyze information effectively (1).

In her article, the author states that most websites are characterized by distractions, consumerism and attention-seeking behaviors, which present challenges to one’s ability to read effectively. This shows how internet sites affect the quality of learning especially to young children who only scan for information instead of actively reading over the internet.

Conclusion

This paper has argued that the risks associated with social networking sites far outweigh the expected benefits. To support this assertion, the harms that emanate as a result of using such sites have been outlined. As a result, an illustration on how these websites can be used to invade personal privacy, prey on innocent people and spy on individuals has been provided.

Despite the advantages mentioned above, it has been clearly shown that the risks that social networking sites expose users to are not justifiable. It can therefore be acknowledged that such sites are more harmful than beneficial to members of society.

Works Cited

Castro, Daniel. “The right to privacy is not a right to facebook.” Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (April 2010). Web.

Barnes, Susan. “A privacy paradox: social networking in the United States.” FirstMonday 11.9 (September 2006). Web.

Brown, Arnold. “Relationships, Community, and Identity in the New Virtual Society.” Futurist 45.2 (March 2011): 29 – 34. Print.

Gross, Ralph and Acquisti, Alessandro. “Information revelation and privacy in online social networks (the facebook case).” ACM Workshop on Privacy in the Electronic Society (2005). Web.

Helfand, Jessica. “My Facebook, My Self.” Dialogues: An Arguement Rhetoric and Reader. ‘Comp’. Gary Goshgarian and Kathleen Krueger. Boston: Longman, 2011. Print.

Rosen, Christine. “In the beginning was the world.” Dialogues: An Arguement Rhetoric and Reader. ‘Comp’. Gary Goshgarian and Kathleen Krueger. Boston: Longman, 2011. Print.