Social Networking for the Betterment of Society
Jackie Turner
Professor Bricker
English 103
12 December 2011
Social Networking: For the Betterment of Society
Networking in the 70’s usually referred to television. In the 80’s social networking would possibly have been defined as a complex group of friends, acquaintances, colleagues, and the like. However, social networking since the mid 90’s began to expand on the World Wide Web and has continued to do so up until present day. Due to its expansion and position taken in society, social networking has become something performed on Social Networking Sites (SNS).
We define social network sites as web-based services that allow individuals to (1) construct a public or semi-public profile within a bounded system, (2) articulate a list of other users with whom they share a connection, and (3) view and traverse their list of connections and those made by others within the system. The nature and nomenclature of these connections may vary from site to site (Boyd and Ellison (Boyd and Ellison 211)
In fact, if you asked a teenager today what social networking is, they would more than likely arrive at an answer along the lines of the later definition; simply put, social media and SNSs have become synonymous with social networking. However, with the maturing features of the web came new risks and challenges. With proper mitigation and preventative measures the true potential of social networking can be harnessed to better society. Social networking is for the betterment of society in that it facilitates; identity formation, educational results, structural relationships, creativity, and productivity.
Researchers have tried for decades to map out the science of networking and figure out “how many intermediate acquaintance links are needed before [person] X and Z are connected,” says Christine Rosen; senior editor of The New Atlantis: A Journal of Technology & Society (Rosen 23). The verb network is often used to describe an
Professor Bricker
English 103
12 December 2011
Social Networking: For the Betterment of Society
Networking in the 70’s usually referred to television. In the 80’s social networking would possibly have been defined as a complex group of friends, acquaintances, colleagues, and the like. However, social networking since the mid 90’s began to expand on the World Wide Web and has continued to do so up until present day. Due to its expansion and position taken in society, social networking has become something performed on Social Networking Sites (SNS).
We define social network sites as web-based services that allow individuals to (1) construct a public or semi-public profile within a bounded system, (2) articulate a list of other users with whom they share a connection, and (3) view and traverse their list of connections and those made by others within the system. The nature and nomenclature of these connections may vary from site to site (Boyd and Ellison (Boyd and Ellison 211)
In fact, if you asked a teenager today what social networking is, they would more than likely arrive at an answer along the lines of the later definition; simply put, social media and SNSs have become synonymous with social networking. However, with the maturing features of the web came new risks and challenges. With proper mitigation and preventative measures the true potential of social networking can be harnessed to better society. Social networking is for the betterment of society in that it facilitates; identity formation, educational results, structural relationships, creativity, and productivity.
Researchers have tried for decades to map out the science of networking and figure out “how many intermediate acquaintance links are needed before [person] X and Z are connected,” says Christine Rosen; senior editor of The New Atlantis: A Journal of Technology & Society (Rosen 23). The verb network is often used to describe an