Sunday, June 7, 2009

Social Media

Welcome to the new semester! One of the things that i noticed last semester was how much time i was spending with Facebook. If you don't know about Facebook, then you need to look it up. Google it. Using this social connector, i have been able to re-establish contact with friends from long ago. I recently had dinner with an old college buddy that i found by using facebook.

So here's my question to you. How has social media like facebook, myspace, youtube, changed your life? Do you use any of these programs? Some people even have their cellphone connected to facebook. I'm amazed at how much information people will share on these sites. People constantly post pictures of themselves in compromising situations. I even know some employers who check candidates' facebook pages to see what kind of person they are in private. Do you think the Internet, with the help of these programs, is helping us reveal too much about ourself. Is modesty fading because of new media? Or does the possibility of re-connecting with old friends and establishing relationships with similar likes and dislikes outweigh the negative implications of this media. Remember, two paragraphs. Again, welcome to class.

14 comments:

Abbi said...

While Facebook and MySpace have become the most popular and widely used social networking sites, there are a great number of other similar sites. On Friday my soon-to-be ten year old niece came to work with me. While she was here I let her play on the computer to pass the time. She got on the Internet and logged onto a site that is very similar to Facebook. She starts reading her profile to me, and I soon realize that this site is similar to MySpace (just not as well known). As she reads her profile to me she ends up telling me that you have to be 19 years old to register to get on this site…remember my niece is only 10. I am not condoning the fact that she is on this site (or calling her out about it…I’m not her mother), but it does make me a little hesitant about these types of sites.

I am on Facebook, and I have really enjoyed using it to reconnect with people. I had a best friend in second grade, but she moved away the next year. We didn’t talk for ten years – We found each other on Facebook and were able to catch up on all those lost years. I say all of that to make it clear that I am not against social networking sites when used responsibly. The negative side of these social networking sites is that too many people young (and unwise) and old (just stupid) are making bad decisions with the type of information they are putting up on these sites.

However, I am also a firm believer in personal responsibility. The people that are using these social networking sites need to realize that there are consequences when they are used inappropriately. I don’t know if y’all have been hearing about these cases dealing with “sexting,” but they are becoming more and more prevalent. To see examples of cases that are being dealt with click on the links below. There are consequences for our actions – and in this case big consequences.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,497604,00.html

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,479803,00.html

Overall I am not against these social networking sites…again I belong to one of them, but I just think we need to be very careful the type of information we tell about ourselves and the ages that are actually on these sites.

marjorie said...

I have heard lots of comments about social networking like Facebook and myspace, but I do not use any of them. I hardly socialize outside of school, work, immediate family, and church family; therefore, I do not see the need to visit these sites. I socialize with peers, coworkers, family, and church members in person or by phone. Also, I am not a big fan of the internet or posting personal information on the internet because you never know what kind of people you are really conversating with.

I work in a setting with teens, so I see them visiting the sites frequently. Therefore, I have seen some of the pictures and other things that are shared on the sites. The sites haven't had a change in my life because I have not used them, but they do seem to cause problems in some of the teens' lives. Some people use the sites to spread rumors or give away the privacy of others.

Last but not least, I do not think the internet is the blame for people revealing things about themselves. A computer only does what a person tells it to do or it processes information that we put in it. Therefore, we have the power to control what info the internet reveals about us, and if we don't want it shared, we should not input it.

ChaosandOrder said...

I personally was amazed by sites like Myspace and Facebook. In the middle of high school my mother moved my family and I hesitantly gave up friendships that I had for many years. My mother was also a penny pincher, so calling long distance was out of question. After I discovered these networking sites, I have gotten back in touch with many of my friends from high school including my boyfriend at the time of my move. We got back together and have had a little boy and all because of one of these sites.

I do disagree with parents not being totally in-tune with their children and allowing them to access these sites without supervision, which inevitably will put them in compromising situations. Again this is something that to me says America and other countries are losing their youth. If this trully happens, then who is going to control our government 30 years from now? I sure hope not those teens that are saying and doing whatever it takes to get as many friends as possible on their side. Ethical values are slowy fading away.

MR said...

So there has been alot of talk about these sites and if they are wrong or right. But, the main factor is that nobody is making anyone do anything. For someone to belong to one of these sites they have to make an account. Also, for someone to add information or pictures they have to know about it for the most part. So in the case of "Are we putting to much information about oursleves on line?" I think it really depends on the person because I don't put anything on there that I would not want people to know.

Also, with employers looking at people's profile, its olny the fault of the person if they do not block their profile from people who are not their friends. Most of these sites have made it where people can block there profiles which helps cut down on people you do not know looking at your profile.

Sites like these I do think helps people to reunite with lost freinds and family. People just need to research how these sites work so they can help keep their privacy.

allison said...

Social networking has changed my life dramaitcaly. I can not only find long lost associates and classmates but I can find jobs, order items, chat with friends, continue education and pretty much any information my mind gathers that it might want at any given minute. I use these programs on a daily basis.
On the other hand, many people put to much information that they might not want employers, parents, and teachers to see. They sometimes do not understand that this information revealed about themselves is worldwide and anyone with access can see or read it.
Overall, these resources are good when used for the right reasons. It depends on what information or the type individual accessing the computer to what kind of information one recieves.

cstone042 said...

I have had accounts with facebook and myspace. I recently canceled my myspace account and only use facebook at this time. These social networking sites have revolutionized the way people around the world communicate and interact. I have been able to find and keep up with friends who I grew up with, fought in Iraq with, went to basic training with, and trained with early in my military career. This would not have been possible with out these sites. To find one friend that lives in another part of the country or world would be next to impossible. Another excellent thing about social networking sites is that the men and women deployed to the Middle East and Korea, far away from their friends and family can send messages and pictures instead of sending a letter that might take up to a month to arrive. Satellite phones are hard to find and are very expensive to use and the wait to use one could be up to three hours are more. If you are lucking enough to have the time to use the phone the price per minute is outrageous, and you only have time to call either your Mom, Dad, Wife, or Girlfriend. With the social networking sites you can communicate with multiple friends and family members in a relatively short amount of time. They can also post pictures so their family can have some kind of idea of where their loved one is at and if they look healthy. It means a lot to a Mother to be able to see an updated picture of their child while they are caught in the middle of a civil war between the Sunni and Shiite Muslims or in the Mountains of Afghanistan.
One thing that concerns me about social networking sites is the amount of information that some people provide for strangers to see. We have recently learned through the Craig’s list killer that predators use the internet to target their victims. If you saw the news coverage on the Craig’s list killer he does not look like a murder. Not that all murders look alike, but he looked like a nice clean cut young man in medical school. Some of you are probably thinking well he solicited a prostitute and meet up with her in a hotel room alone and no women in their right mind would meet a man on myspace or facebook and then go to his house the very same night. I am sorry to say that you are wrong. I am not proud of this and I am not bragging. But, a few years ago when I was young and immature I saw a good looking girls profile one night and saw that she was online. So of course I sent her a message and we talked for about 30 minutes and than she came to my house. She did not know me and I did not know her. The whole time she was at my house I was thinking this so dangerous for the both of us. If I were a sexual predator I could have sexually assaulted her killed her. It was also very dangerous for me. She could have brought a gun and robbed and killed me. Unfortunately this was not an isolated incident I meet a few more women on myspace and all of them came to my house alone before we really knew each other and it happens all around the country everyday.
Modesty is definitely eroding away, but can we blame social networking sites for this? Over the last century the entire country has progressively became less and less modest. Around the turn of the century women wore bathing suits that looked like jogging suits compared to the bathing suits that are worn by women today. This change has occurred over the last one hundred are so years, and will continue to change as long as humans walk our plant. Social networking sites are not to blame for the erosion of modesty it is the mass media. Television Shows like the Real World, Rock of Love with Bret Michaels, and Charm School with Ricki Lake, and the countless other train wreck programs that revolve around alcohol and sex are to blame for the erosion of modesty in this country and the entire world. Why is Paris Hilton a celebrity? Because she is rich, somewhat attractive and has a sex tape.

tFisher said...

I was not an instant fan for Crackbook, I mean Facebook, until much talking by my wife and family. With my family living out of state, friends from college out of state, and others in town that life does not allow the chance to catch up with on any regular basis, it has been a great tool to keep in touch. The connection it allows lets you stay up to date with everyone and their life, allowing the small talk to be out of the way when you can see one another. Between Facebook and Skype my family, including my toddlers, haven't missed a beat with their aunt, uncles, and cousins.

However, I can see that people would place themselves in possibly bad situations. I feel that the people that place pictures and information that should not be seen would be the type of person that would do this type of behavior no matter the media offered. If it weren't for Facebook or MySpace, they would do this behavior no matter the media offered to them. I am sure that the people that abuse this source are the same genes that would abuse internet sites and email, video cameras, digital cameras, and even just by the old phone and film processing cameras. People will always use what is available to embarrass themselves. Thankfully for me and my family we use this tool to catch up with old friends and family, and to have a good laugh at everyone else!

mhayes said...

It's funny that I don't have my own MySpace or Facebook page but I use my husband's. He is a recruiter for the Marine Corps and found that these sources have been a great to connect with those in his area that are interested in the Marines. I am not against them as a social network but I just choose not to have my personal information available on the internet. I know people who have their cell phone numbers such as my husband. I understand that his purpose for being on these websites are different than most. But I think the cell number is a bit much. I think this is a great way for people to connect and reconnect but I feel it handicaps people. The thing to do now is update profiles. This is absolutely crazy to me. I can't believe people spend so much time putting up pictures and changing headlines and status'. I think these are great tools but at the same time I think people need to set limits about what they expose about themselves. They never know who is reading their information.

Susan Fulgham said...

I have a Facebook account and I absolutely love it. I have reconnected with old friends that I might have never found again if not for Facebook. My high school class relied on Facebook and MySpace largely to organize our 10year class reunion last year. I not only keep in touch with more friends because of these social networking sites, but I can see pictures of them and their kids or family and friends. I think being able to actually see what they are doing now makes it seem more personal than if the pictures were not available.

Although I have found many positives to social networking, there are careless individuals that post photos and information irresponsibly on these websites. Also, if you are interacting with strangers on these sites, then there really is no guarantee that they are who they say they are. The guy of your dreams could be a fifty-year-old man or a 12-year-old boy posing as the man you think you know. I think we should be very careful meeting new people online. I personally choose to use social networking sites to keep in touch with my friends and family, and I really enjoy it.

Paige said...

I joined Facebook back in 2004 when it was really starting to spread like wildfire. I never imagined that it would come to be a serious networking tool...it was something that we just did for fun. I was on Myspace as well but the ability to implement HTML and a lot of the junk that was out there turned me away from it eventually.

I'm also an avid Tweeter...I've got an app on my iPhone that I Tweet from and it also updates my Facebook status simultaneously. I don't know why I do it, but there's something about telling the world what you're doing that is freeing. I also enjoy reading other people's statuses and it's a thrill to receive a comment on something that I write.

http://www.twitter.com/stevecaldwell

I don't post EVERYTHING that I do, and don't post anything too personal, but I have seen people out there who are a little too personal. I think there is a line that should be drawn and anyone with normal social bounds knows where this line is.

I think that the networking and ability to catch up with old friends outweighs whatever negatives there are...I also like that employers are now using these sites. I've got nothing to hide from an employer, there are no incriminating pictures to be posted :).

Jon Goldman said...

I do use some of these social websites. The ones I use most often are Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter. In some way, all these programs have affected my life in both positive and negative ways. For example, I have two high school and community college friends who go to school in Louisville, Kentucky. Since we are all busy with school, work, friends, and girlfriends, it would be hard to keep up through cell phones and text messaging. Time would just not allow us to talk very long and no real meaningful conversation can, nor should it, occur over text messaging. So this is were Facebook comes in. I allows me to keep up with whats going on in my friend's lives through status updates and posts and allows us to talk through our walls and sending private messages.

Now that was a good thing Facebook has done for my life, now for the bad. I had a tough break up with a girl a few years back and she had a hard time getting over it. Facebook allowed her to sort of "stalk" me. She was able to see who I was talking to and would on occasion ask me who a particular girl was and if I was dating her. I eventually stopped this by only letter her see my limited profile, so she could no longer nag me about girls I may talk to.

Thats some ways these sites have affected my life. As far as these programs helping us reveal too much about ourself, I don't think so. I mean, yeah, there are those people out there who post every picture they take, tweet about every small action they do, and are constantly writing meaningless notes about something in their life. About these types of people, I would argue that if something negative came from thing they post on these sites, they did it to themselves. I think it would be obvious to most people that if you put up a picture of you drinking at a bar, it is going to be tough to get a job at the local Baptist church. There are those out there that put WAY too much on these social sites and reveal too much about themselves, but that is their decision and they will feel the consequences if something happens.

I think common sense is a big thing here. You just have to have sense to know that certain pictures, videos, blogs, or posts can be seen by people in the future who may not view them as funny or cool as you or your friends might have. For example, about a year ago I deleted a video I had up on YouTube of my friends and I doing some stupid things. We made the video when we were younger and at that time, it was really funny to us and our friends. Now, I can only see it as stupid and a career ender if my futur boss might see it. Therefore, I took it off. It was not worth having on the internet for the bad repercussions it might could bring me. So I believe people just need to have common sense to understand that the internet is forever. Unless you take something down, it will always remain up for all to see for the rest of your life.

Phillips Harbarger said...

I do use most of these social networking sites. I'm big into facebook, twitter, and youtube. In a way all these sites have changed my social life. Facebook for me has made a huge impact. With me moving to go to college out of state facebook has been the way I have been able to keep up with my friends back at home. I have lately become a big fan of twitter. I enjoy this site because for the most part I am able to log into my account and so all the latest local and national news headlines, while at the same time keeping with with what my friends are doing. Youtube has also had a huge impact on my life, I have found that you can learn to do almost anything off youtube. The other night I learned how to weld just from watching a couple of short videos.

A cell phone has changed access to these site in a major way. Now all these sites are accessible from almost any wireless phone. I have a Iphone and I'm capable of accessing all these social networking site from just a couple of application.

What people post on these sites seems to have turned into a major legal battle recently. People seem to post everything about their social lives these days on the internet. I agree that sometimes it goes a little to far. Im not sure its the internet revealing peoples social lives as much at it is people revealing themselves. I do agree that the reconnecting with old friends and making new friends overweights the negative aspect of revealing yourself.

Cherry Uvodka said...

I just signed up and started using Facebook about two weeks ago. A girl I use to work with wanted me to sign up because we don't see other anymore. She's off at Delta State now. Since signing up I have reconnected with a few classmates that I haven't seen in years! I have a friend who uses her Facebook and My Space page to leave ambigous messages for another person who use to date the same married man she is presently dating. Those pages can get kinda childish sometimes. At one time I belonged to Black Planet to socialize but destroyed my page a few months later because it was bringing too much unwanted attention. I noticed a lot of women that posted pics of themselves wearing next to nothing and i think it's crazy to put yourself out there like that. The pics I posted were all in good taste and I got all kind of attention, so I can only imagine the attention they received! Then again they're probably putting it out there just for that reason. I love Youtube because I can see all the music videos of songs I loved way back when. It's my favorite site next to Hulu.

Lanna Nations said...

I have both a facebook and myspace account and I have to say that I much more prefer facebook over the other. Myspace has a lot of turn-offs about it and so I never get on there anymore. Facebook has allowed me to get in contact with people that I have not seen in years, and family that I don't get to see often. My parents and siblings live all over the US so it's just easier to be able to keep in touch with them and see pictures of them, as well as nieces and nephews.
Facebook is also a great networking tool and allows you to spread information quickly to a broad range of people.
I also think that you have to be responsible when using these sites. You have to be aware of who might be looking at your profile, and what you want them to see. Therefore, you probably should not post inappropriate pictures or comments that could end up backfiring on you.