Social Networking: Crippling, Not Cool (1st Draft)

The phenomena of social networking started in 1971, when the first email was sent. In 1994, Geocities, one of the world’s first social networking website, was launch with the idea of allowing users to construct their own websites. 1997 saw the beginning of AOL Messenger which popularized instant messaging. Also in 1997, Andrew Weinreich started SixDegrees which was “the first online business that attempted to identify and map a set of real relationships between real people using their real names” (Kirkpatrick, 2010). Friendster was then launched in 2002, starting the era of real-world friends connecting online. It was followed by Myspace in 2003, Facebook in 2004 and Twitter in 2006. The rise of social networking gave way to the generation of a variety of social networking sites. There many types of social networking sites that caters to the different needs of different people. However, the most rampant kind of social networking sites are recreational sites that allow people to communicate and connect with those who already part of their real-life social circle and, in some cases, allow them to connect with strangers who share common interests, beliefs and views. Social networking has become so deeply integrated in people’s, especially the youth’s, lives that it is now considered a necessity. People have become so dependent on social networking. But through the years, social networking has led to several negative consequences that made many question its safety. Due to its negative social, psychological and mental effects, social networking is harmful to society.

Many would say that one of social networking’s greatest advantages is that it is a tool for communication. Because of email, instant messaging, posts on profiles and the like, people are able to connect and communicate over large distances in the snap of a finger. But is all this cyber-communication enhancing or eroding our real-life communication skills? Since online communication does not allow active communication, it wears down face-to-face communication skills. People now prefer to virtually connect with people instead of seeing them in person, leading to the deterioration of their ability to hold conversations, exercise wit, and sympathize. Gone are the joy of making someone laugh or smile, pain of hurting a friend, hum Irreplaceable things such as emotions, honesty, body language, facial expressions and wit are taken away. People are no longer emotionally connected. Long hours online also eat away at near-distance relationships. Users allot so much on social networking sites instead of cultivating real-life relationships. Conversations and banter are now rare and a thing of the past because either people have no time for it or have lost the capabilities to do so. People do not sit down and talk about their day, vent out their feelings or catch up with loved ones. Instead, they post it, comment it, Instagram it and tweet it. By being so wrapped up in their own cyber box, people alienate each other in the real world.

In relation to communication, it can also be claimed that social networking provides introverted people an outlet to develop social skills. Since personal information, ranging from place of occupation to favorite music, is made accessible online, commonalities are established and connections are made, even between strangers. Interactions made through social networking may be stronger than those through face-to-face methods because it is easier to talk about deeper and more personal topics. However, people have grown addicted to social networking, spending too much time than is healthy, which has led to the emergence of several negative psychological effects. According to Dr. Larry D. Rosen in his 2011 talk entitled “Poke Me: How Social Networks Can Both Help and Harm Our Kids”, over dosage of technology and media can increase children’s, preteens’ and teenagers’ risks of developing depression, anxiety and other psychological disorders. Part of this can be accounted to the presence of cyber-bullying, a rampant problem on social networks. Victims of cyber-bullying respond similarly to victims of traditional bullying in terms of feeling sad, anxious and having low self-esteem (Cowiec & Berdondini, 2002; Ybarra &Mitchell, 2007) as well as anger, embarrassment and fear. If these emotions are not handled properly, it could result to misbehavior, violence (Aseltine &Gordon, 2000) poor performance in school or work, self-inflicted harm and even suicide. Depression also stems from the fact that people’s happiness can be underestimated or overestimated online. Everyone hides their negative emotions online, which unhappy people to believe that they are the only ones suffering. Another negative psychological effect of social networking is narcissism. In 2009, Dr. Jean Twenge, collaborated with Youth Polls in conducting a national survey concerning social networking. It was found that 2/3 of the sample of the study agreed to the statement that the present generation is more narcissistic and over-confident compared to previous generations. Narcissistic people tend to have more friends in these social networking sites and post more attractive pictures of themselves (Twenge, 2009). Their popularity fuels their vanity.

It can also be argued that social networking sites can be used as a tool for learning. Students have come to rely on social networking sites, especially Facebook, Twitter and Instant Messaging, as a means to update one another on school work, consult classmates about lessons and collaborate on projects. Social networking sites such as groups, blogs and email are also used by teachers to connect with students and inform them of projects, assignments and the like. However, these social networking sites also pose as distractions and temptations for procrastination for students. Students who log on to a social networking site at least once every 15 minutes are more likely to achieve lower grades (Rosen, 2011). Due to the obsession with social networking, students work under constant distraction, causing their lack of interest and concentration on school works. Therefore, they achieve mediocre results.

This generation has grown accustomed to overusing and abusing it that disadvantages have stemmed from it. People have traded in face-to-face interaction for a virtual one, impairing real-life communication. Social networking sites also cultivate narcissism, anti-social behavior, aggression and other psychological disorders. It has also become a problem for students, parents and teachers for it poses as a distraction from learning. But like most other things, social networking can be good if it is used in moderation. Parents should communicate with their children, gain their trust with these matters and teach them the appropriate way of using this technology (Rosen, 2011). The youth should develop the discipline to control their activities online. Setting a time limit and only logging on after all the school works are done can minimize time spent online and improve study habits. Getting a hobby, joining a club or team or participating in extra-curricular activities can curb the obsession with the virtual social life and boost the real-life one. Social networking is gripping the world, showing promise that it is not going anywhere anytime soon. It can be tool for communication and learning. But it can also be a weapon for interpersonal harm and self-destruction. The choice is in our hands.