The Bad and The Good

By Klara Esposito

Most of my interviews were conducted on Twitter and Facebook. I found people spending their time on social networks out of shear boredom. When asking “which sites do you mainly partake in?” the popular answer was Facebook. Many individuals connect with Facebook because of their features. Facebook is notorious for its chat, profile, status updates, and pictures. A lot of the people I interviewed also explained that they would be spending their time on a social network during work.

 

Robert Dunning was an individual that I interviewed; he explained that it made him feel more comfortable to have the Facebook site opened when he was home alone. The feeling that arrives when clicking onto a social media site is a feeling of connection. A woman named Melissa Cummings explained that the social site helps her home businesses. It allows her to connect with customers in different locations around the world.

Mary Plunkett is an individual that I have spoken to numerous times on Facebook, “I questioned how has social media changed your life?” She stated that the social network has helped her stay connected with her children, who are older now. The site allows her to have a “peace of mind” and know that her children are safe.

Most individuals are multi-tasking while on Facebook. Nine out of the ten people I interviewed stated that they mainly look at photos and read status updates. Why?  People want to be connected with other human beings. Most of the people I interviewed have been social networking for the past three years. The fact that the social media network has not been around forever, creates an unsettling feeling. What will become of this social network within the next 15 years? Where will it lead us? Most of the people I spoke to agreed that it has become a life changing invention. It is not a fad. Facebook and Twitter are here to stay.

A girl, Alyssa Abbot, explained a great memorable moment was reconnecting with a childhood friend. They ended up dating because of finding each other on Facebook. Now they are in a committed long distant relationship. Good things are possible with social media, but negative is also possible. Alexis Turbin has spent the last three weeks trying to get her Facebook page un-hacked. The problem with these social work sites is that your personal information in thrown into the public. Your identification can easily be stolen.

I can see that our future hold some negative aspects for the future of social networking, but it has also done good for small businesses, finding families, and starting relationships. The negative that is found on Facebook is the same negative that we would see in person. There will always be someone bullying another individual, or trying to take an identity. These negatives we see in person, but we want this simulated social life, so individuals must expect the good and bad online as well.