The Effects of Social Networking

Social Networking, although very helpful in extending relationships, especially one's of greater distance, can be a danger and should be reconsidered in terms of privacy. Facebook, Myspace, Twitter, LiveJournal, etc. are some of the Internet's most viewed websites, allowing members of the site to stay in touch with each other via posts and comments, pictures, video, music, and messages. Although it is a great way to stay in touch, it has increasingly led to breaks in user privacy, allowing pedafiles and perverts and stalkers to gain more information about their desired user. Bullying and public humiliation via the Internet is another common problem that has become increasingly popular amongst teenagers. The daily torment and bullying a child receives during the classroom now lingers on over to after school activities, such as surfing the web. Bullys can harass their target online through instant messaging or facebook, etc. Situations like these lead to rises in suicide and counseling. It seems that there is nowhere to go to feel safe from harm and torment.

Even our President uses social networking! Barack Obama used his own social networking site, MyBO (my.BarackObama..com), to his advantage in the March 4th, 2008 Primaries against Hillary Clinton. Using this social networking site to encourage voters to go out and spread the word to vote, etc. helped him defeat Clinton, and ultimately gain the Presidency. You can even find Obama support groups on Facebook as well as many other delegates.

Another type of social networking site, Second Life, was intended to be an open-ended environment game where players could do almost anything possible. What developers didnt know was the significance it'd have on the world beyond gamers. Second Life is used as a way for abused children in safe house schools in Portugal to slowly gain their social skills back, due to the allowance of communication, team skills, and collaboration.

I feel that the Internet is the most significant change in the everyday lifestyle of how humans, and has allowed for a humongous gap between parents and children. The internet has changed the way people can shop, bank, watch television or theatre, educate themselves, communicate, etc. The changes are endless! I feel that without the internet readily available, the modern world would not be able to function.