Introducing...

 Social networking has become the world wide trade center of the virtual world. It's become addictive, like your own personal dose of heroin, it's not enough to just hear about it. It makes people want to be part of the buzz. But is it all that negative? Are people becoming "anti-social beings" who refuse to go out into the world? Is it a big exaggeration when parents are being warned to keep their children away from the computers? Why do people hear the negatives of social networking? This blog may shed some light on the darkside of the moon.

How beneficial?

Social networking, it's almost become the center of many people's lives. Facebook, Twitter and Bebo a few of the many social networking sites out there. Forget meeting people in real life, meeting people online has become the norms in society, it's made easy for many users, all there is to do is signing up, and setting up a profile a few typed up facts about yourself and voila you're off to a good start.

But what happens when social networking is not all that's cut out to be. Neuroscientist Baroness Greenfield of Oxford University and director of the Royal Instution believes that younger users today are "lacking the ability to communicate and to concentrate away from the screens." Parents are being warned that social networking sites, like the ones mentioned above are the cause to this predicament. Young users are not benefitting at all.

There is nothing educational about networking socially. This may be an exaggeration but how else would people interpret this article. If younger generations are lacking the ability to communicate and concentrate, would you really blame the social networking system? If parents are being warned about this issue, shouldn't they make it their responsibility to administrate what is happening with their child? Okay, fair enough, it's not like they don't have anything against these social network sites, it's just a mere warning to parents who are worried about their children who use these social network sites. 

To add to that "social networking websites are causing  alarming changes in the brains of young users"  Young users are "selfish, have short attention spans and crave sensation." However, due to research done by Christine Greenhow of Minnesota University social networking sites are in fact educationally beneficial, however it's not discussed in the popular media of today. Students are finding social networking sites helpful, indicating the fact that it's sites like Facebook, or MySpace that are impacting the learning of students in and out of the classroom.

It's about communication...

 Social networking sites "allow for creative expression in a new medium." In addition to that, social networking sites "bring people with the same interests together." It creates the atmosphere of an online community, which makes users feel included and wanted. It allows users who aren't very sociable or are a bit on the "shy side" to express themselves "through the windows of the computer screen." 

To add to the above,  "it is evident that the main use of social networking sites is interaction and communicating with others." This is because you "are more in contact with people than you would be otherwise." There are a lot of people you can "consider your friends,"  most have friends who are not from the same country. Even if you are from the other side of the world you are still considerably friends, of course if you've never met them or never will, you still communicate as if you've known each other for a while which maintains that relationship you have between one another.

Feeling empathy

Wouldn't it be great to have somebody there who understands what you're going through? Social networking does not just provide friends it helps "users find like minded people" who understand what you are going through. You are able to "express your feelings" in such a way that other users are able to help and show you empathy.

What's more, it is said that students/teenagers are the main users of social networking sites. They are seeking those who know what it is they're are feeling.Denying the fact that students turn selfish due to social networking, it is found students aren't becoming "selfish" nor do they crave "sensation." In addition to this students/or regular people find it a bit harder to fit in to society, so being online actually helps boost the self-esteem of those who find it hard to communicate with others outside in the real world. Frankly, social networking helps adolescence "explore their identity." They are able to "try out those identities", and also show it. But wait there's more, not only that but "social networking supports educational outcomes."

And now to end...

Social Networking isn't all that negative. With what is shown, it all comes down to common sense really. There are so many tales of the negatives of social networking, and how "keeping your kids away from the computer is a MUST" but you've got to be serious, telling your child to stay away makes them want to do the opposite of what you tell them.

It all comes down to the user. This blog may have enlightened you as the reader in some way, or it may have not and writing all about this issue may have been a waste of the authors time (myself). However feeling obliged to do so, writing about the positive effects of social networking could shed some light at the end of that dark tunnel.

 "Dwelling on the negative simply contributes to its power."
Shirley MacLaine

Ten Links

                                      
The Role Social Network Plays in Suicide

The Positives Social Networking Plays

Social Networking does contribute to the distruction of the English language

Ghost Chips goes viral

Kiwis worried about social network past

Employers use Social Network sites to check out employees

Secondlife helping you become virtually unfaithful

How paedophiles are caught online

Making the most of young Maori minds

Reasons why social networking is good

Link Summary

Role Social Networking plays in Suicide

 With social networking, we are all warned to be careful and to watch who you talk to. Because most tend to ignore the warnings we then find social networking driving people to suicide, which is highlighted by the social media, and is frowned upon by the outside world. However, this article shows that there are ways to prevent one from ending their lives. They take the cause of social networking suicide and turn it around using it as a backfire to the causes of the suicides.

Employers use Social Networking to check up on employees

Social sites are being used as a second source to find out background information of employees. "Social networking websites are giving employers an extra way to search for the people they want to work for them. And it also gives those looking for a new role a key avenue for exposure to potential recruiters." -New Zealand Herald

How paedophiles are caught online

Catching paedophiles out in the community is usually harder than when catching online. This article reports on how easy it is to spot a paedophile. An investigative officer shows this by setting up a fake profile of a young girl, and in no time he starts recieving private messages from men twice the age of the fake profile he's set up.The internet provides opportunities for paedophiles to prey on youngsters, which alarms police investigators. Although the internet is the prime source of catching paedophiles it is also helps investigators target the sex offenders.

Positives of Social Networking

The title says it all. This article reports of how social networking can help make a person feel a part of a community online, when they are feeling alienated and secluded in their own community. It shows that not only can people feel included but people are able to find support groups which can help them with problems that may be facing, and also "connecting with others online can be a good addition to therapy and for many, this can also encourage them to seek professional help." This article discusses positive effects of social networking and the benefits of it.

Ghost chip goes viral

Two friends at a party. Both are under the influence of alcohol and one tries to "internalize a very complicated situation in his head" however, when he's done he decides it's best if his intoxicated friend stays or "crashes for the night" at where the party is held. This article tells about how this advertisement goes viral, and how the influence of this advertisement has impacted some people in ways people never thought possible. It's due to social networking sites that this ad has reached over a million hits.