Social Network

Social networking can be a safe alternative for worldwide connectivity. It has many advantages such as meeting new people, discovering information from across the world, and can be used for entertainment while relaxing. In other words, social networking opens up different opportunities in which you will be satisfied. Meanwhile, being a part of a social networking site has many disadvantages. Some of those disadvantages can be risk of fraud or identity theft, cyberbullying, and it can be such a waste of time. Besides the advantages and disadvantages of social media, many individuals have an account for at least one social network. To those individuals, social media can be a safe place to explore other connections or have ones identity be stolen. Social networking has an advantage of making connections. Without a doubt, the best reason to join any social networking site is that it let you make connections with other people and make new friends. For example, I used a website called Craigslist to find a house around Santa Barbara. I am currently living in the place and became close friends with the individuals who posted the ad on the site. A person can also use social networking sites to stay up to speed with what their friends and family are doing. Since I now live in Santa Barbara, I can view on sites such as Facebook, what my friends from my hometown are doing. Instead of having to return back to my hometown, I can easily send my friend a message online and figure out how are is that person doing. If the social network is popular, someone may be able to track down old friend or acquaintances and renew long- forgetting friendships. Social networking sites are not only for meeting new friends, but can also be used to find romance. Many people who are in a relationship or happily married found there partners through a social network site. People who are shy or hopeless in finding romance can turn to a social networking site and find a like-minded individual. Furthermore, the ability to stay in contact with friends and family allows us to maintain closer ties to our love ones across long distance and make non- optimistic people find romance easier. Connecting with all your friends and family around the world in the comfort of your home is safer and comforting knowing that you can’t be harm by anyone. Social networks reduce or eliminates face-to-face socialization. It can be highly dangerous meeting a stranger face-to-face with no information about them than meeting them through a social networking site. These sites expose limited information about someone but still allows you to get an idea of what the person is like. If the person is constantly bothering or harassing you, it’s understandable that it’s hard to say no, be rude, or ignore them when you are looking them in their eyes. Through a social networking site, it is incredibly easy and quick to unfriend or unfollow someone or simply block their effort to make a connection. Another advantage of social network, beside of it being safe, is sharing information and news. Social networking sites are effective for anyone to share news, useful information, gossip, and to know what’s “in”. People on social networking sites share what interest them such as news on current events. People who share those same interest or who just want to stay informed, can read these stories and share them as well. Since stories are shared though “word of mouth”’ smaller news outlets such as blogs can get exposure, and social network users are overall committed to a larger amounts of new information and opinions. As a result, social networking provides a safer and more informative community. Social networking has disadvantages and exposes people to certain risks. One of those disadvantage involves cyberbullying. Use of social networks can expose individuals to cyberbullying or inappropriate contact from others. Cyberbullying occurs when out are being bullying through an electric device, mostly through a social network. Examples cyberbullying includes mean text messages or emails, rumor sent by email or posted on social networking sites, and embarrassing picture or fake profiles. Cyberbullying can happen twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, and reach an individual even when he or she is alone. The effects of cyberbullying involves use of alcohol and drugs, have lower self-esteem, and experience in-person bullying. Social networking sites can be used for positive activities, but these tools can be used to hurt other people. Another disadvantage of social networking is risking being fraud or identity being stolen. With the increased use of social media, there are more opportunities than ever before to steal identities or perpetrate fraud online. For example, status update posted on Twitter, Facebook and many other social media sites can be used by criminals. If you post that you’re out of town on vacations, you’re opened yourself for burglary. When it comes to stalking or stealing an identity, use of photos and video sharing websites like Flickr and Instagram provides deeper insight into you, your family and friends, your house, favorites hobbies, and interest. Although social networking sites can be used for positive things, it can easily be used to cyberbully someone or identity theft. Social media doesn’t brings you friends or romance, it also bring mental disorders such as addiction. Social networking addiction is another disadvantage certain people faced. It is a phrase sometime used to refer to someone spending too much time using Facebook, Twitter, and other forms of social media, that it interfere with other aspects of daily life. This can cause someone to be less productive, have health problems, or ends up spending valuable time. Spending hours every day on sites can lead to health problems such as obesity because of not being active. Social network can also be a big distraction and can interfere with your studies or endanger face-to-face connection with friends and family. With it being so easy to access these sites, it’s easy for social networks to swallow large parts of a working day and study time. The use of social networking can either be consider as a waste of time or consider as a great opportunity to socialize and leave the rest for later. Beside of the advantages and disadvantages, social networking can be a powerful tools if it is used wisely. To conclude, I believe that social networking has undoubtedly been beneficial, but there are good reasons to be concerned about social interaction in our society. It is therefore important that we maintain a balance between our online life and our contact with real human beings.