I do not have a Twitter account and have never heard of FourSquare. I do spend quite a bit of time texting every day and check Facebook regularly. My Facebook use has gone down though. When I first signed up for an account at the beginning of my freshmen year here at SCU is was so excited. Finally, I had a college email account and can see for myself what all the hype was about. I loved it. I was constantly adding new friends, writing on people’s walls, and updating my status. Luckily, during that time I never “over-shared” or posted anything that I have regretted. But now that the novelty has worn off, I usually only check to see if I have any notifications, scan the news feed and like to look at friends’ pictures if there are new ones posted. Sometimes I go days without logging on. And other times I go on multiple times a day but only when I’m trying to distract myself from doing homework or class and only for a few minutes at a time unlike the hours I used to spend on it.
I think the cultural move toward social networking, constant access, and the loss of privacy is more of a positive trend. I do think the privacy issues need more attention and regulations but the overall benefits of this movement outweigh the disadvantages. The way the Internet and social networks are bringing people together and strengthening old and new relationships is amazing. I know I wouldn’t have the chance to stay in touch with a lot of friends from grade school and high school if it weren’t for Facebook. Another great example is that my Mom has been able to reconnect with old sorority sisters through Facebook. She has been so excited that she is now able to talk to and catch up with friends that she hasn’t talked to or seen in over 25 years! Constant access has its benefits as well. It is really nice when you can respond quickly to an important email because you get them immediately on your Blackberry. Or when you need to look up directions on your phone because you’re lost. Another benefit of the entanglement between our personal lives and technology is that it has made certain everyday activities easier. Being able to buy groceries and clothing online and have them delivered, and to do your banking online have been very convenient. Also for bloggers, or anyone for that matter, having the platform to speak their mind is a huge plus. Drawbacks, on the other hand, could be seen in the form of viruses and spam. Also I think the most dangerous drawback is the threat of your personal information getting into the wrong hands. There are plenty of hackers out there hoping to get a hold of your name, address, or even credit card number. This worries me a lot and that even if I try to set up strict privacy settings, some computer genius will be able to get my information. I definitely don’t have much personal information on my Facebook or any other site for this reason.
No, you are certainly not alone in your feelings when you do not have your phone on you. I am the same way. Also, I agree that security needs to be improved so that it is impossible to get personal information. I know an 'unhackable' server will eventually be hacked, but maybe there can be a way of not requiring any information to be stored.
ReplyDeleteYou raised an excellent point, whenever I don’t have my phone I feel like a part of me is missing. I too have the anxiety of looking at my phone for any text messages or missed calls. However, I think we do this because it allows us to escape from the “real world”. That is we use it as an excuse, for example during class we tend to text instead of taking notes or pay attention, but if you really think about what you’re doing then you realize that you do it as an excuse to not pay attention or take notes. It seems like every day that goes by we are sucked into this huge “global village” and through the use of the internet we can communicate with others across the world in real time.
ReplyDeleteI must agree with the fact the social networking allows you to keep bonds with old friends, but it also exposes you to everyone. Everything you post of create online is public and it can be easily breached by unwanted individuals. This leads me into my next comment; I admire your opinion on how social network and the internet are more beneficial than harmful. However, social networking and the use of the internet, TV, cell phones, or any form of network is the primary cause of civic disconnect. They are taking us away from participating in social events, community service, community meetings, volunteer, etc, which I think are things that only unify our society.
Great Post!
I agree with your comments on Facebook and your usage and feel I use Facebook for the same thing. When I first got an account, I was thrilled, constantly clicking and updating myself, it was a completely new world I had never experienced. Then, as the novelty wore of and I now use it as a procrastination device. I also agree with your comments on the positive nature of social networking and bringing people together and staying connected more than ever before. I think we can all see the huge effect of social networking within the last few years and its impact on our lives and I foresee social networking being a great tool for our generation entering the business world.
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