Jamie Zanelotti
Professor Fisher
English 111 –
601
08 October 2014
Are Social Networking Sites Good
for Our Society?
Part one: From my experience
With
the innovation of technology our generation has stepped into a new and exciting
era of communicating. Within the last 20 years, we have progressed from old
fashioned written letters and landline phone calls to modern day social media.
Social media is a term used to define websites that provide users the ability
to share content in the form of videos, pictures and information. This term is
not to be confused with Social Networking which is another term to indicate an
online community that brings likeminded individuals into groups to participate
in the sharing of content, using a social media website. As our technological
landscape has evolved, the Internet has changed the structure of the underlying
network of social interactions by allowing individuals to interact regardless
of their geographical location. I
think social networking sites have had a positive impact enabling us
unprecedented access to connect and communicate via our smart phones,
laptop/computers, gaming consoles and even watches. My daily and personal use of social media has
had a positive impact on my life by connecting me with family, friends and
bringing to my awareness events and causes which are personal to me. In many
ways social networking has not only empowered me, but has made me appreciate
the powerful dynamics of sharing information through social media.
One
of the many ways social media has empowered me is by helping me keep in touch
with my family who lives in Trinidad, a small island nation just
north of Venezuela. In this most southern island in the Caribbean chain we
Trini’s pride ourselves on our beautiful lush tropical rain forests, melodious
steel drums, and sun baked sandy
beaches. Being thousands of miles away from home made it hard to keep in touch
and was very expensive. Before the advent of Instagram, Facebook, or YouTube,
the choices of staying connected were limited. When I first came to the United
States, I lived in a small town. Most of the interactions with locals were
friendly but people there were reserved. Anxious and just a little more than
homesick, I craved hearing my mother’s hearty laugh or my sister’s overactive
conversations. My only options for staying connected were a choice between a
local cyber café, which was a mile away from my house, or a local gas station
that sold international calling cards. These days due to technological
advancements, wireless internet has become free and just about every business
has a hotspot connection, making dial-up something of the past. Thanks to this
convenience I can have quality time with my family anywhere and anytime on my
smart phone.
One
of the things I truly missed about home was a tradition in my country which
took place every Sunday. In Trinidad, it is a tradition for families to cook a
big Sunday feast serving tasty dishes. Everyone comes together to eat and bond,
sharing a laugh or discussing the issues of the week gone by. Social networking video capabilities have
given me the ability to see and almost taste the dishes. My mother usually
prepares Pileau, a type of a gumbo made of rice, carrots, peas, pumpkin,
coconut milk, ginger and some type of meat, our favorite being chicken. To add
some tropical flare, Pileau is traditionally complimented with Caribbean herbs such
as the famous “Bandania” and homegrown Spanish thyme. These herbs are similar
to the commonly known Saw Tooth Coriander in the United States. Slow cooked for
about an hour, these ingredients marry together into a delectable lunch. Lunch
isn’t just about food, its about the silly quirks and habits, like the way my
brother playfully teases my mom about her food being too spicy, or the constant
jabbering and debate between my father and sister as they wrestle the point of
some controversial topic on the news. It’s the way my mother pops a carrot in
her mouth when she thinks nobody is looking, and there’s a happy smile behind
her lips. These intimate experiences have greatly helped to foster my
wellbeing, emotionally and physiologically. Now we share birthdays, holidays,
and moments instantaneously. Not a moment is left unknown when we all make the
effort to post pictures, upload family videos via the cloud, instant messaging,
and Facebook. Indeed my biggest personal use for social media in my daily life
is talking to my family back home.
Another
way I found that social media has empowered me is through virtual communities
and groups, which gave me a variety ways to participate in meaningful, fun
activities without the geographical restrictions. Interest groups are a great
way to stay connected with people who share common social ideals and interests.
They can allow new friendships to form, or an individual to learn new skills or
bring awareness to a good cause. Sometimes they can do all three. Shortly after the economic collapse a few
years ago, the strain on the Washington job market was high and I was left
without a job. Keeping a positive attitude, I wanted to find a way to use my
time purposefully. Trying not to be overwhelmed by the current situation, I
decided to shift my perspective and advocate my time to a positive cause.
Always having an interest in helping others, I decided to utilize social media
to search through several interest group pages filtering the ones that closely
matched my moral compass. A particular non-profit organization group was
seeking prospective volunteers to organize their annual fund raising event.
Their purpose was helping families with hospitalized children
cope with the challenges of their medical journey through programs such as
Starbright World, the first ever online social network for teens with chronic
and life-threatening medical conditions. Facebook
had given me the ability to directly contact the volunteer director
and soon I was given the position of Event Coordinator for the Oscar tribute
fund raising event. Moving quickly, I interacted in person and through social
media with staff members, charity donors, team personnel, and catering
companies, putting together a production that would forever change my life.
These challenges required thinking outside the box by being creative and savvy
with the Internet and social media. The rewards of contributing to a real
positive change to help others were profound. Not only that, I was able to add
to my resume new skills, which made me more marketable and benefited me in
bringing me a new job.
Social networking piqued my curiosity by
giving me the opportunity to meet new people, and probably in the most
unconventional of ways. Being a Caribe-girl,
an informal name given to girls in the Caribbean, I had a way of being very
adventurous. Back at home, I had enjoyed swimming in underground caves,
visiting exotic tourist attractions and taking hikes up mountainous terrain.
Yet, when I came to the US, I didn’t have much time for leisure activities. My
work hours were demanding and odd, not to mention there was barely anyone I
knew whom, I could interact with. Social networking gave me the chance to meet
new interesting people with similar interests. It allowed me to connect with
new people and make friends from all across the state and country. I found
myself utilizing one particular networking site called Meetup, is comprised of
dozens of local special interest groups. I joined an online hiking group while
living in Oregon, which changed my life for the better. Spring had just sprung
and I was ready to get out my hiking boots and venture to the Oregon
mountaintops. I had been intrigued by the online hiking group I joined, because
every weekend a new group of individuals would get together and pick a spot in
the state to go on a hike. I met many interesting people and made a few new
friends along the way but one particular fellow stayed closer to me than the
rest. This is the wonderful man who is my kindred spirit. Our friendship led to
courtship after several months of staying in contact. We have been dating for 4
years and plan on getting married in a couple more years. Social media
networking has ignited a bond that would never have existed otherwise. This has
changed my life and it keeps getting better.
Jamie Zanelotti
Professor Fisher
English 111 – 601
14 November 2014
Are Social Networking Sites Good for Our Society?
Part Two – Yes social networking sites
are good for our Society.
Proponents of social
networking sites (SNS) say these online communities have a positive impact on
both individuals and on societies as a whole. They play a vital role from
enhancing health and relationships to empowering the public through quickly
disseminated news feeds, and even to revolutionizing the political landscape of
countries around the world
Those in favor of social networking
sites say it allows people to improve their relationships and make new friends.
Social networking sites enable the user
to post and share information, which includes pictures, videos, and status
updates to friends’, family and social groups. Users can express
their feelings and create stronger bonds with friends, family and group members
through this sharing. This virtual
interaction leads to feelings of connectedness. This helps fulfill the
physiological human need of belonging in Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. Brian
Solis, a digital analyst, anthropologist, and futurist explored the data on a
Customer Business Management (CRM) analysis done by technology company International
Business Machines (IBM). The analysis seeks to show why consumers were active
on social networks. He shares “At the top of the list with 70%, no surprise,
was the aim of connecting with family and friends” (Solis). Another research
Organization led by the Pew Research Internet Project found “Social Networking
sites are increasingly used to keep up with close social ties” (Pew Research
Center). The Pew Research Internet Project also stated in its study “people
receive a wide range of support from their social networks. This includes
emotional support - such as offering advice, information, and understanding;
companionship - such as having people available to spend time with; and
instrumental or tangible support - such as having someone to help you if you
are sick in bed” (Pew Research Center). By utilizing SNS to interact with
family and friends, users are more attuned to events in the lives of friends
and family thousands of miles away.
The
advent of social media has changed the way we make and maintain friendships and
relationships. Individuals are no longer restricted by geographic borders and
dividing oceans to fulfill their need of being connected. Overcoming a sense of isolation is one of the
greatest features of online communities and virtual worlds. Those who feel like
outcasts in their own community or family might find others with similar
hobbies, pursuits, and interests. Connections made in this virtual space
with those who share common interests can lead to new friendships. By
being part of a social community, a user has an extended network of friends
from which he or she can actively interact with. Research Assistant
Professor, Danah Boyd of New York University and Nicole Ellison, Associate
Professor, School of Information at the University of Michigan report “people use social
media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, and Myspace try to create and sustain
relationships with others” (Boyd & Ellison). This can result in connections between
individuals that would not otherwise be made. It is perhaps simpler to
understand the power of social media when it is used in the example of someone
who is very passionate about a certain type of hobby or work, such as a
photographer. With social media this person has the ability to share their passion
with people all over the world using the internet and its powerful tools
(e-mail, video chat, discussion boards, online video, web sites). As such other
like-minded hobbyists can reach out and organize social events or excursions
that enable face-to-face interaction or collaboration. These interactions can
lead to great conversations and friendships which can positively enrich an
individual’s life.
The deaf community has
benefitted from SNS as they provide unique, convenient communication forums
which do not require verbal communication. “The deaf and hard of hearing individuals have been isolated from
mainstream society” (Valenine & Shelton). SNS enable impaired users to
develop and maintain a community of friends. Communicating as a deaf individual
is an ongoing challenge when most of society relates thoughts through speech.
Auditory devices
including televisions, telephones and radio were designed to relay information
to the general population who can hear and understand verbal speech. These
mediums are at the forefront of society’s personal interaction and are used to
transmit current events, which present a communication barrier to the hearing
impaired. Social networking sites have provided successful communicative
mediums that allow the hearing impaired to interact and share information with
others. These interactive platforms allow
increased integration into society without the stigmas and prejudices that can
occur in real world interactions. Users can become part of an extended
online community where they can participate in group discussions, read the
news, engage in business endeavors and make and maintain new friendships.
Research experts Tracey Skelton and Gill Valentine pointed out in their Honors
Thesis titled “Building Interactions with an Isolated Population through Social
Media”, “The hard of hearing are now able to keep up with the world by reading
about current events, exploring the numerous sources of information, and
retaining relationships” (Valentine and Skelton).
The deaf community proactively
utilized SNS by bringing awareness to the public regarding an interpretation
failure at the funeral ceremony of anti-apartheid icon and former president to
South Africa, Nelson Mandela. The live event was broadcast through several
mediums including SNS Facebook, Youtube and Twitter. An interpreter was hired
to translate the funeral ceremony into sign language, which was viewed by
millions of individuals including deaf communities around the world.
Unfortunately, the signs were unintelligible. Deaf individuals watching the
memorial were outraged and shocked by the ‘fake’ sign language interpreter and
instantly took to social media to advocate awareness and express their anger.
“Several deaf groups confirmed his signing did not reflect the comments being
made about the anti-apartheid icon”(NBC NEWS). On their website NBC news also
reported an article confirming the first individual to express her
dissatisfaction on SNS Twitter. “The first deaf woman to be elected to the
South African parliament Wilma Newhoudt-Druchen tweeted that the signing was
“rubbish,” adding: “he cannot sign. Please get him off” (NBC NEWS). The man
responsible for the fake sign language, Thamsanqu Jantijlie, was mentally ill
and suffered from Schizophrenia. The deaf community played an integral role in
bringing awareness to the public via social media by exposing the fake interpreter.
SNS have proven to be powerful communication tool for the deaf. With this new technological emergence,
society’s perspective on what it means to be deaf is shifting. Although it is a
challenge to be deaf, technological advancements and the rise of the internet
have provided the deaf community an opportunity to integrate themselves into
society without feeling isolated. The deaf community values this visual
platform because it allows them to be ‘heard’ through active participation via
online blogs, posts, or utilizing integrated tools such as instant messaging
features or emails. By expanding their social capacity and integrating
themselves into online social communities, the deaf have been accepted and
respected for their opinions and feedback, making new friends and sparking the
interests of similar-minded individuals.
Research
experts conducting social networking studies have found evidence that being
part of a social networking site can increase a person's quality of life and
reduce the risk of health problems.
Studies reported in Scientific American Mind found that “social support and
social networking offer benefits to the active user, everything from resiliency
in their daily lives to the reduction of health
problems … individuals participating within larger groups feel a greater sense
of self-significance and acceptance, helping them in a number of ways of
personal productivity such as memory retention to stroke recovery” (Scientific
American Mind). Support and feedback via online participation can
stimulate conscious thinking towards a healthier lifestyle through a process
called Social Contagion. The term illustrates that point-of-view, attitudes,
beliefs, and behavior could spread through populations as if they were
infectious. Utilizing SNS to participate in forums, group meetings or
commenting on related posts can influence an individual’s choices and actions,
thereby influencing behavioral changes.
These actions have been proven to support positive change. Professor James
Fowler, a social scientist at the University of California San-Diego, along
with his colleague Professor Nicholas Christakis of Social and Natural Science
at Yale University, pioneered ground breaking research titled “Three Degrees of
Influence Rule”. In their research they examined the influence of social
networks on people’s lives. They explained this phenomenon by stating,
“everything we do or say tends to ripple through our network, having an impact
on our friends (one degree), our friends’ friends (two degrees), and even our
friends’ friends’ friends (three degrees). Our influence gradually dissipates
and ceases to have a noticeable effect on people beyond the social frontier
that lies at three degrees of separation" (Christakis). This research is
the premise behind the contagion mechanism. “I change my mind about how much I should be exercising or I share
stories with my other friends who are influenced to do the same. You either
change your behavior or you transmit information about the behavior to others,
who change their behavior" (Fowler). This research reveals that virtual
social networks influence human behavior and shape our lives. Social media
users actively seek information and consciously decide to propagate the spread
of information among individuals. Individuals who share information content via
SNS can influence other like-minded individuals through feedback posts. These
can be in the form of email, instant messaging or blog posts. With each
positive comment it leads to a positive shift in perspective, stimulating a
deeper desire for personal change. This is important because when an
individual’s behavior is positively influenced they are motivated to actively
participate in social activities offline. For instance, when social media users
participate in sharing their health goals on support groups, they
can see in real time other users results, encouraging feedback and responses,
which inspire healthy activities
offline. The stories of other individuals, spoken in a candid, unfiltered, and
‘real’ manner inspires ordinary people to believe their personal goals are
achievable and possible, inspiring them to take action by joining fitness
groups such as Zumba, Latin or Hip Hop dance classes. Through active
participation, users can gain the motivation and support they require to
achieve their goals and also inspire others. By developing new friendships with
members and setting new goals, users can focus and even realign their personal
beliefs for their well-being and health which can lead to achieving a better
quality of life.
Advocates of social networking
sites say news stories on social media spread faster than on any other media
source. SNS is appealing to the masses and surpassing traditional media such as
radio, television, and printed newspaper. Although journalism has not gone
away, social media has increased to the point that it is now a dynamic
news-reporting tool that many audiences now use as their primary news source.
Audiences can experience minute-by-minute updates on breaking news, sports, or
weather conveniently no matter where they are. Pew Research Center conducted a
survey evaluating social media as a pathway to news. The data represented
eleven SNS including preferred powerhouse Facebook, “Roughly two-thirds 64% of
U.S adults use the site, and half of those users get news there” (Pew Research
Center). This shows as we become more interconnected we are utilizing social media
as a powerful medium by which we receive our news. By channeling news content and information
resources on social media websites, people are given an interactive forum to
participate with news feeds. They can comment on related topics, sharing their thoughts
and opinions. This makes SNS a dynamic tool for sharing and enriching
information content effectively and quickly. A Twitter user and neighbor to
Osama Bin Laden tweeted a complaint about the noise levels next door tweeting
“Go away helicopter – before I take out my giant swatter” (Telegraph.co.uk).
This went viral because they unknowingly tweeted about one of the biggest news
stories of the decade. This platform offered millions of readers an insight
into the chilling yet gripping first hand accounts of capturing Osama Bin
Laden. These posts quickly surfaced and went viral, a term used for the rapid
spread of information over the Internet, captivating audiences all over the
world.
SNS have played a critical role in
spreading awareness about international events over the past several years. The
7.0 earthquake which devastated Haiti on January 12, 2010 sent a shockwave of
sympathy from online communities all over the world. It was estimated that some
“230,000 people had died from the catastrophic event; subsequently the death
toll continued when a cholera outbreak hit the island” (CNN). The paralyzed
nation inspired online supporters around the world to advocate and help. In
fact, SNS Twitter led a phenomenon which gave users who tweeted the words
“Haiti” or “Red Cross” direct access to take action by donating money or
supplies. Sysomos, a Twitter tracking service, recorded “2.3 million Tweets
included the word “Haiti” or “Red Cross” between January 12 and January 14,
2012” (Sysomos.com). Supporters also took to Facebook where they organized
several Haiti-related groups. CNN.com said “the largest group - Earthquake
Haiti, had nearly 170,000 members by Thursday 12th 2010” (CNN). The
mass attention led by social media garnered endorsements from White House blogs
and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. “Ultimately, the use of social media
helped raise $8 million by the end of the week” (CNN).
Mainstream media outlets have also
realized the valuable prospects of utilizing social media. Among these are
media giants, CNN, BBC and the Wall Street Journal, all of which offer live
updates, slideshows depicting pictures of the unfolding events, statements from
political leaders and tweets from those directly affected on the ground. The
synergy embraced by societies via social media to advocate time and money for
fund raising missions has been unprecedented over the last several years. Social media has proven an effective
tool for bringing awareness and disseminating news to those in need around the
world. Citizen journalists are
able to report firsthand accounts of breaking news events, capturing the
details in picture and video formats. SNS is a resourceful
platform which journalists can use effectively to gather information content
and report via several mediums including the radio, television or printed
newspapers. The interconnected web of shared information has provided
users unrestricted access to a plethora of content. Social
media has become a popular choice for delivering news and events and does so
faster than any other media source.
Proponents of social networking
sites say social media facilitates political and social change by giving social
movement a quick, no cost method to organize, disseminate information and
mobilize people. Social networking sites have become an innovative tool
utilized by cyber activists to bring awareness of political concerns to people
on a global scale. Political scientists support “new communication technologies
particularly like Short Messaging Services (SMS), social-networking sites, and
blogs as being collectively an important new resource for the successful
organization and implementation of social movements” (Della Porta & Mosca).
SNS aids in the decision-making process
and facilitates political change through coordinated efforts. New York
University Media Professor, Clay Shirky shares SNS are used as “coordinating
tools for nearly all of the world’s political movements … the formation of
well-considered political opinions is a two-step process” (Shirky). He
explains, “the formation of political opinions transpire by the transmission of
opinions via media; second, echo/reinforcement of those opinions by family, friends
or colleagues - it is at the second stage opinions are formed. The ability to
discuss political opinions - from a literacy rather than freedom standpoint, is
central to the formation or emergence of a public sphere which is necessary to
instigate social change” (Shirky). Larger masses can be reached, bringing
awareness and exposure on key issues. This facilitates the formation of looser
groups, which can be organized at a lower cost due to social media. The
discussions and opinions shared by individuals allows an educated and connected
population to become catalysts for political change.
The historical Egyptian revolution,
which led to the resignation of former President to Egypt, Hosni Mubarak, was
first started using social media on January 25th, 2011. The young
citizens of Egypt led several organized protests via Facebook and Twitter.
Their Facebook page brought awareness to people across the country and by
extension millions more around the world. Group activists were posting pictures
of the government’s brutality towards its citizens, as well as reporting candid
news feeds and video from citizen journalists. Activists were building support
from global supporters, streaming live debates and blog updates via both
Twitter and Facebook. This collective information created a sense of solidarity
throughout the region and also within Egypt. The Egyptian citizens focused
their grievances and took to the streets of Cairo, Egypt’s capital, where they
led marches protests and demonstrations for 18 days. Cyber activists
effectively organized protests across the country on specific days and times.
They took to Twitter where they were tagging revolt related Tweets “#25”
following the January 25, 2011 revolution. Followers were thus able to stay
quickly updated to all related posts and protest led information. “Egypt’s
youth, offered guidance on everything from using technology to escape
government surveillance to facing rubber bullets and setting up barricades”
(Kirkpatrick & Sanger). The use of
Social media was influential in the revolution because it allowed news
information, pictures and video content to be disseminated quickly and
effectively throughout Egypt, the Arab region and around the world. After
several organized protests throughout the country the voices and concerns of
the people were heard and felt. This led to President Mubarak stepping down and
resigning after 30 years of being in power, thereby liberating Egypt from a
society of social and economic depression. Social networking sites have since
initiated other successful revolutions around the world. It is an innovative
tool used by cyber activists to catalyze change and it does this by bringing
people together who share a similar idea and exchanging information content
with them and spreading the message. It is used to disseminate information
quickly and effectively while being cost effective. Followers can follow posts
and live blog feeds and also participate in conversations and debates. This
makes social media a critical new tool in facilitating political change.
In conclusion, advocates feel
social networking sites are positive for society. They provide a medium which
supports the physiological human need of belonging. They are transforming the
lives of individuals by offering them an extended community by which they can
support each other. They are a resource users can use to establish and maintain
solid connections and use these connections to also support a healthier
lifestyle. They have also changed the way people get their news and allowed
them to interact with it. Social networks have empowered societies to make
profound global contributions and changes in times of social, political and
humanity crisis.
Works Cited
Boyd, Danah M.,
and Nicole B. Ellison. "Social Network Sites: Definition, History, and
Scholarship." Journal of
Computer-Mediated Communication 13.1 (2007): 210-30. Web.
Christakis,
Nicholas A., and James H. Fowler. Connected:
The Surprising Power of Our Social Networks and How They Shape Our Lives.
New York: Little, Brown, 2009. Http://connectedthebook.com/pdf/excerpt.pdf.
Web.
"Haiti
Earthquake Fast Facts." CNN.
Cable News Network, 28 Feb. 2014. Web. 16 Oct. 2014.
"Haitian
Earthquake Dominates Twitter - Sysomos Blog." Sysomos Blog RSS. N.p., 15 Jan. 2012. Web. 19 Oct. 2014.
"How Social
Media Is Reshaping News." Pew
Research Center RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Oct. 2014.
Kirkpatrick,
David, and David Sanger. "A Tunisian-Egyptian Link That Shook Arab
History." (n.d.): n. pag. Web.
Malkin, Bonnie. "Osama Bin Laden Killed:
Pakistani Man Live Tweets Deadly Raid." The Telegraph. Telegraph Media Group, 02 May 2011. Web. 12 Nov.
2014.
"People Use
Social Networks to Connect with Friends and Family, Sometimes Brands." Brian Solis RSS. N.p., 13 Sept. 2011.
Web. 16 Oct. 2014.
SMITH, ALEXANDER.
"'Fake' Sign Language Interpreter at Nelson Mandela Memorial Provokes
Anger - NBC News." NBC News.
N.p., 11 Dec. 2013. Web. 20 Oct. 2014.
"Social Media
Aid the Haiti Relief Effort." Pew
Research Centers Journalism Project RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Oct. 2014.
"Social
Networking Fact Sheet." Pew Research
Centers Internet American Life Project RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Oct. 2014.
Valentine, Gill. AN UMBILICAL CORD TO THE WORLD’ The Role of the Internet in D/deaf
People's Information and Communication Practices. Ed. Tracey Skelton. Vol.
12. N.p.: n.p., n.d. 44-65. Print. Ser. 1
Jamie Zanelotti
Professor Fisher
English 111 – 601
14 November 2014
Are Social Networking Sites Good for Our Society?
Part Three – No social networking sites
are not good for our Society.
Critics of social
networking sites say these online communities have a negative impact on both
individuals and societies. They compromise personal privacy and security, lead
to addiction and emotional disorders, decrease face to face interaction, and
facilitate criminal offences and bullying.
Research experts say the use of social
networking sites (SNS) correlate with brain disorders such as addiction and
anxiety. “Hyperconnected. Always on. These are terms
invented to describe the environment created when individuals are continuously
connected – that is communicating with others through tech devices”
(Pewinternet.org). Utilizing
SNS to connect and stay connected with friends, family or colleagues has
progressively transformed the way people communicate. Although the idea of
having constant connectivity might seem beneficial, researchers have found it
to be otherwise. Smart devices are enabling users frequent access to
social media platforms where they are sharing, posting and liking a perpetual
volume of content. The over use of these devices are signaling concerns for
many researchers. The
neurobiological vulnerability that SNS emit on our psychological well-being is
best explained by Professor David Linden of Neuroscience at John Hopkins
University School of Medicine, who expounds “these addictions activate a
combination of sites in the brain associated with pleasure known as the reward
center. When activated, dopamine levels increase and over time as the
neurotransmitter pathways are left exposed, their receptors become
over-stimulated” (Linden). This effect often leads to an increased need for
stimulation of the reward center. A Harvard research study led by Diana Tamir and
her colleague Jason Mitchell states “the act of disclosing
information about oneself activates the same part of the brain that is
associated with the sensation of pleasure, the same pleasure that we get from
eating food, earning money or even having sex” (Tamir and Mitchell). The interactive
participation in the form of “tweeting” or “poking” is not what addicts become
addicted to but rather they become addicted “to the pleasure derived from those
actions” (Tamir and Mitchell). Therefore, these actions feed an insatiable
appetite and momentarily satisfy the brain’s reward center through affirmations
and self-appraisals.
Frequent internet users face an
additional threat to their psychological well-being, anxiety. The impact of
social media on society has prompted research experts to investigate its
psychological effects on the brain. Clinical psychologist Dr. Linda Blair,
conducted a research project titled ‘the use of social media like Facebook and
Twitter might be responsible for feeding anxiety and feelings of inadequacy’.
Her research shows that “people who are pre-disposed to having self esteem
issues are the ones who are more inclined to social media anxiety” (Blair).
Having 24/7 access to SNS on smart devices has created an obsession, thereby
exacerbating the need for acceptance and approval by groups and its members;
unfortunately it also brings pain from being disassociated if an individual is
not accepted or turned away. “This leads to the issue where users behave as if
technology is in control of them, instead of the other way around” (Blair). Dr.
Blair statistics showed “two-thirds of respondents said they had difficulty
relaxing and sleeping after using the sites”, and “over half (55%) of
respondents said they felt worried or uncomfortable when they couldn’t get onto
their social media or email accounts” (Blair). Shyam Sundar, distinguished
Professor of Communications and co-director of the Media Effects research
laboratory, Penn State conducted research into the effects of self-esteem. His
report titled ‘INTERACT 2013’, was held in Cape Town, South Africa. He explains
“the more you get connected to Facebook, the stronger you feel that the items
you post - the pictures, for example are part of your identity and the more
likely you are going to view these as your virtual possessions” (Sundar). Individuals
who monitor their self worth in the form of likes or affirmative feedback are
putting themselves at serious risk of serious psychological damage. Creating a false self-identity is also
harmful to self-esteem because comparing themselves to others creates
insecurity for their own worth and unrealistic higher expectations are formed.
This feeds social media anxiety and endangers individuals’ self-esteem. The
constant use of technological devices on SNS are being used at an overwhelming
rate. This can put the individual at a higher risk for becoming addicted. The convenience of having these
devices allow users to connect and stay connected but at a risk of damaging their
emotional health. With the need
for constant feedback through posts or messages, these affirmations create a
form of pleasure that in turn becomes addictive. The long term effects will be
felt and seen through the lost of quality time for oneself and their families,
hence making this a dangerous addiction and struggle for some users of SNS.
Opponents of SNS say these sites
cause people to spend less time interacting face-to-face with one another.
Social media has broken the barriers of space and time by allowing people to
expand their social circle of friends, with the ability to communicate 24/7
without restriction. We are now constantly accessing these fast growing online
communities which have commanded our attention at an unprecedented rated
causing us to risk our social morale with less face-to-face interaction.
Sociologist Erving Goffman first defined the concept of face-to-face
interaction in his 1959 book, titled “The Presentation of Self in Everyday
Life” where it is reported as “the reciprocal influence of individuals upon one
another’s actions when in one another’s immediate physical presence” (Goffman).
Paul Booth, assistant Professor of Media and Cinema studies at Depaul
University Chicago explains, “there has been a shift in the way we communicate;
rather than face-to-face interaction, we prefer mediated communication. We
rather email than meet; we rather text than talk on the phone” (Booth). These
written communications lack the emotional complexity of spoken conversations. Social
media, and the addiction it causes, often affects face-to-face family dynamics,
especially at the dinner table. The idea of eating at the dinner table with
family and friends has been undermined with the use of SNS, as such the formal
“family” dinner no longer exists. A study led by Joann Pan current web producer
for Oprah.com, examined this trend and found “more than 29% of social media
users on social networking websites are eating or drinking while at home, and
47% of 18-34 year olds tweet, facebook and text during mealtimes” (Pan).
Paradoxically, though people are connecting 24/7 online, society has become
more disconnected.
The dynamic nature of human
interaction and communication is complex; humans need proactive engagement to
meet our physical, social, and practical needs. According to associate
Professor of Communication, Ronald Adler and his colleague Professor George
Rodman “Communication is seen as satisfying all these needs” (Adler and
Rodman). Face to face conversations play a critical role in nurturing our
psychological and emotional needs as human beings. Clinical psychologist Sherry Turkle of M.I.T explains how
and why the rise of technology has given rise to the “goldilocks effect”. She
explains people are substituting conversation by technology for actual
conversation and “we prefer the controlled, editable, deletable world of
texting and Facebook to the messy world of actually talking to others”
(Turkle). She continues by stating “ We like the world of social technology
because we can share what we want, yet still retain ultimate control” (Turkle).
The absence of engaging our human need for face-to-face interaction has created
weak ties and broken relationships. Online interactions allow users to
manipulate the way others perceive them. The words typed on an SNS tend to
characterize or define an individual, which in reality can be very different from
whom they are damaging the building blocks which stimulate strong
relationships and bonds. Essentially,
social media has expanded our social online interactions at unprecedented
rates, and users are spending less time face to face because of all this online
socialization. By constantly utilizing technological smart devices to access
the internet, which powers these social media websites, the negative impact on
society is that they are taking themselves away from the fundamental aspects of
interactive human communication. Engaging in face-to-face conversations fosters
deeper emotional connections, which are the building blocks for creating
meaningful thoughts and carefully considered interactions. Excessive exposure
to social media interrupts this fundamental flow and the negative impact
creates irrational thoughts and actions in place of better judgment. Until
users of social media are able to step back and realize the downside of their
excessive use, they will continuously experience a degraded quality of social
communication at the expense of face-to-face interaction.
Social media security advocates
say these sites lack privacy and expose user content to corporate and
government institutions. Social networking sites have become an
expansive platform by which information is exchanged and disseminated. This
information however is being used against unsuspecting individuals when SNS
corporate entities sell it to data mining companies who then use it for
unofficial government and target marketing gains. A study conducted by Emarketer showing the
rise in social media users around the world found “users who use social media
websites at least once a month would have risen from 1.22 billion in 2011 to
2.55 billion in 2017” (Emarketer). With an ever-growing social media
population, social media communities are storing user content on servers
strategically pinpointed all over the world. With this volume of content, corporations
and governments have collected vast amounts of data, violating the unsuspecting
users privacy rights. At the root of this problem is the lack of laws at the
state and federal level to enforce stricter privacy protection guidelines. This
allows, for example, Facebook who has an impressive database of 800 million
users, to store and sell millions of terabytes of personal information. This
information is sold to advertising agencies all over the world, who carefully
analyze the demographic and trends in data to target user interests and buying
habits. The NY Times reported that Facebook made “$3.2
billion in advertising revenue last year, 85 percent of its total revenue”
(NYTimes). Users who use SNS are being tracked by “cookies,” which are
messages a web server passes to a web browser when a user visits a website.
These cookies store personal user information such as what colors, prices and
types of things a user may like. The information is eventually acquired by data
mining companies and then sold to advertising companies. There are no laws to
protect against this intrusion.
The volume of information on SNS has
inspired insurance companies to increase profit margins by using user
information to rate risk in the form of a “social networking score”
(Dailyfinance). Insurance companies are strategically analyzing user activity on
online social media, everything from posting pictures, to tweeting and ‘likes’
and “they are using this data to compile detailed dossiers of individuals”
(Fertik). The underwriter utilizes data mining software, which scours an
individual’s profile page, and then uses that information to determine if they
are a high-risk applicant. As Mike Fitzgerald, a senior analyst with Celent
Research explains, “an insurance underwriter in life, health or disability
would be interested to know whether an applicant engages in dangerous
activities, such as sky diving or shark diving. They will look up pictures of
an applicant’s Facebook page and if in fact pictures are found related to
sharks or sky-diving they may increase their premiums and policies for risk
coverage, thereby making the applicant change their mind” (Fitzgerald). If the
applicant makes a claim and the information presented on the claim was
untruthful to what was compared on the individual’s social networking pictures,
then according to Michael
Packer, attorney with Marshall, Dennehey, Warner, Coleman & Goggin, “the
company will have the right to deny the claim or rescind the policy from the
date of the original inception”(Packer).
To improve the public’s ability to
participate and collaborate in policymaking agendas President Barack Obama
instituted his ‘Transparency and Open Government’ memorandum by endorsing the
‘new Web Technologies 2.0’ web platform, which includes third-party SNS. While
social media permits individuals to provide feedback to government on
policymaking via sharing posts and messages, it also provides government access
to the public’s social media data, including their group affiliations,
pictures, posts and other sensitive information. In a study conducted by Yale
University’s Danielle Keats Citron titled “Fulfilling Government 2.0 Promise
with Robust Privacy Protections”, she states, “the Privacy Act of 1974 sets the
basic conditions under which the federal government collects, uses, and
discloses personal information” (Citron). Rather than using a person’s social
media data for policymaking purposes, executive departments and agencies share
it with law enforcement, immigration, and tax authorities. That means social
media websites can collect and sell user information to third-party
data-brokers without penalty. Not only is user information invaded upon, people
have limited access to correct inaccuracies should the government use it
mistakenly against them. As such social media scholar Clay Shirky “warns that
government’s rush to adopt web 2.0 technologies may end in
catastrophe”(Shirky). This misuse of government tracking civilians was heavily
criticized after the arrest on January 2007 of freelance journalist and law
student Ken Krayeske during former republican governor Mary Jody Rell’s
inaugural parade in Connecticut. The government was scanning data on SNS
looking for suspected individuals trying to disrupt the governor’s inaugural
ball. Mr. Krayeske’s name was placed on the Connecticut Intelligence Center
Security bulletin, because of his “blog postings encouraging protests of the
governor’s inaugural ball; his service as a Green Party candidate campaign
manager, and his previous arrest at the antiwar rally” (Hladky). According to
Krayeske’s lawyer Norman Pattis, speaking in regard to his blog posting, “he
never articulated a threat to do bodily harm to anyone. He openly discussed
going to her inaugural ball to protest, which is a matter of expressing his
right with freedom of speech”(Pattis). Following Krayeske’s arrest on
January 2007, he was jailed for
13 hours and given a $75,000 bond, which was later lifted. Government and law
enforcement officials overreacted to a First Amendment protected posting on a
social networking site, which led Mike Lawlor, chairman of the Connecticut
House Judiciary Committee and State Representative, to call it “inexcusable, as
there was no probable cause”(Lawlor). Governor Rell herself asked for an
inquiry into Krayeske’s arrest, stating “the use of information must be
balanced with the individual rights of our citizens”(Rell).
SNS are designed purposefully to not
only lack transparency behind their privacy controls but are used as a
resourceful platform from which both government and corporations gain access
and capture pictures, posts, video and other identifying information of users.
The intrusion of online citizen’s privacy is becoming more wide spread due to
the lack of federal and state laws to protect citizens rights against these
intrusive acts. Essentially online citizens are being watched without warrant
and against their will. This is wrong because acts of connecting and sharing
moments with friends, family or colleagues are now being manipulated and used
against them for corporate and political gain. Stricter laws are needed that
protect this progressive environment. It continues to be a challenge as the
evolution of social media expands, but until proper laws and penalties are
established to protect online citizens it will continue to expose user content
to government and corporate intrusions.
Those against social
networking sites say criminals use social media to commit and promote crimes.
Social media’s growth over the last several years has certainly transformed the
way we communicate with each other around the world. Leading the way in these
virtual social communities is Facebook with an estimated “1.06 billion monthly
active users”. Twitter with “500 million”, Youtube with “800 million” and the
popular location application called Foursquare with “30
million people world wide” (United States Securities and Exchange Commission).
The nature of social media engages millions of active users to share, download,
tweet messages or post a wide range of information content including, pictures,
video’s and updates to a user’s profile page. According to scholars Gross and
Acquisti “the amount of personal details users reveal on social networking
sites put them at risk, both online and offline” (Gross and Acquisti). The
illusive element of having millions of users actively participate on social
media sites is that it provides anonymity to criminals due to its broad nature
and with the relative lack of awareness of internet users, it creates a ripe
environment for victimization.
Cyber criminals have engaged in many forms of criminal activity by
compiling information about unsuspecting users and using it to carry out their
criminal acts. Some dangerous groups using social media to conduct their
criminal activities are the Mexican cartels. They use social media to hunt down
targets by tracking their movements and strategically organizing criminal acts.
In a report conducted by journalist Keith Wagstaff of NBC “Mexican cartels live
large on social media”, he explains “criminal organizations use social networks
to send messages to rival cartels, keep local citizens in line, and intimidate
law enforcement, politicians and members of the media” (NBC).According to
Canadian researcher Antoine Nouvet from the SecDev Foundation “cyberspace is
empowering individuals and rewiring relations in Latin America. Cartels have
utilized cyberspace much in the same way as a television company’s PR
department might.” He adds, “they advertise their activities, they conduct
public relationship initiatives, and they have basically turned themselves into
their own media company” (Nouvet). “They utilize Facebook for tracking
unsuspecting targets using geo location technology such as “my location” - an
embedded program where users post their locations along with the time of day
they posted their update”. These gangs also use technology “to find the
individuals who post negative dialogue, which affects their drug trafficking
organizations and illicit business” (Securitymanagement). The cartels employ
analysts who work for them by monitoring social media “to find out what
Mexicans are saying and to keep an eye on the movement of troops in and out of
the city” (Nouvet). This enables the cartel leaders to direct their forces
appropriately without picking up any unwanted attention on the ground. George Grayson Professor of Latin American
politics at the College of William and Mary told NBC “cartels use social media
to recruit new members, especially the young and unemployed” (Grayson). He
further states “the vast majority of homicides over the last five or six years
have gone unsolved… criminal impunity is a big problem in Mexico” (Grayson).
Another intentional form of
victimization cyber criminal’s employ to harm unsuspecting users is identity
theft. They perform this act by utilizing a particular technique called phishing. This term “is a play on the
actual sport of “fishing”, in which perpetrators send out emails and websites
which resemble legitimate credit authorities like Citibank, Ebay or Paypal with
the hope of getting a “bite” in return” (Netforbeginners.com). Phishing is
successful due to its social engineering component. This drives the schemes
used by cybercriminals today to manipulate online users to divulge information
or give money through persuasion and trickery, getting victims to react
emotionally and immediately. A report done by Symantec’s titled ‘Internet
Security Threat Report, Vol.18’ found “the number of phishing sites that
spoofed social network sites increased by 123 percent” (Symantecs). Attackers
“use fake emails that originate from social networks which contain links or
messages that pique the user’s curiosity” (Symantecs). Once a user clicks the
link the cyber criminals can hijack their social accounts, acquire passwords,
account numbers, run scams, send spam, post false messages and potentially
infect other users with malware. One incident of such a scam occurred on
January 17th 2012 on social media website Facebook. According to
senior security researcher at Kapersky Labs, David Jacoby, “hackers hijacked
accounts and then impersonated Facebook security. The impersonated security
team sent a personal message to friends, reading: “Last Warning: Your facebook
account will be turned off because someone has reported you. Please do
re-confirm your account security by: (Link).” (Jacoby). The intent was to take
the victim to a fake page that looked similar to a Facebook page but “was
actually an external domain; once there, users were told to enter their
personal information such as their name, email, password, their security
questions, and other personal details. Once users entered the data, they were
directed to another form that asked for credit card information” (Jacoby). Criminals
are engaging in criminal acts via social networking sites and intentionally
victimizing social media users. They are employing cleaver tactics to recruit
vulnerable victims in dangerous causes and also cause danger to these victims
well-being. Users who are not properly educated regarding privacy laws and
privacy features which social media security incorporates into the legal
binding section of their websites, can become victims to many more cyber
attacks. Utilizing the privacy notification features and reporting any acts of
potential victimization to SNS authorities or police can offer protection to
users and effectively stop criminals from continuing their criminal
activities.
Opponents of Social networking
sites say these sites facilitate cyber bullying among teens. These increasingly
expanding social communities have created a platform that is used by cyber
bullies to harass and torment their victims. The presence of online teens who
use social media reported by Pew Internet showed “95% of all teens ages 12-17
are now online and 80% of those online teens are users of social media sites”
(Pew Internet). Many teens engage in social networking activities with friends and
family the same way adults do, however they are more prone to cyber attacks due
to their “limited capacity for self-regulation and susceptibility to peer
pressure” (American Academy of Pediatrics). The infliction of cyber bulling
involves “children intentionally and repeatedly being targets by another child
or teen in the form of threats, harassments and being humiliated or embarrassed
by means of cellular or internet technologies such as email, texting, social
networking sites, or instant messaging” (Kowalski). An internet website named
Enough is Enough has advocated protecting children’s internet safety by
educating parents and the public on how to protect against cyber bullying. They
found “One million children were harassed, threatened or subjected to
other forms of cyberbullying on Facebook during the past year, while 90% of
social media-using teens who have witnessed online cruelty say they have
ignored mean behavior on social media, and 35% have done this frequently. 95%
of social media-using teens who have witnessed cruel behavior on social
networking sites say they have seen others ignoring the mean behavior, and 55%
witness this frequently” (Enough is
Enough).
Although
parents, teachers and other authority figures can no longer count on physical signs
like scars, torn clothing and bruises to tell the story of being bullied, this
certainly doesn’t mean that the effects of cyber bullying are any less
damaging. A new trending form of cyber bulling popular amongst teens takes
advantage of the Twitter tweet known as sub-tweeting. Cyber bullies “talk
negatively about or gossip about a person without naming that individual
specifically. All the people involved have to do is use descriptions,
characterization or codes to discuss the person with impunity” (uknowkids.com).
This is a form of indirectly assaulting a person’s integrity and reputation
without specifically using their names in the messages. Utilizing such illusive forms of
communicating via social media makes the attacker less likely to be detected
for their actions. Rachel Resnik, director of the Mindwell Psychology practice
in Bethesda, shares “with this particular method of subtweeting, it is most
likely used to get around parental supervision” (Resnik). She further states
“Technology has made it very easy for one to be aggressive, one doesn’t see the
outcome of what they say or how the person reacts to what they say” (Resnik).
The profound psychosocial effects felt by victims due to cyber bullying
“include depression, anxiety, sever isolation, and tragically suicide”
(American Academy of Pediatrics). A
report conducted by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
estimated there are “at least 100 suicide attempts for every suicide among
young people, with more than 14 percent of high school students considered
suicide and nearly 7 percent have attempted it” (CDC).
Several disturbing cyber bully
related deaths have been reported in the media but one especially unfortunate
case took place on October 16, 2007 in small town Dardenne Prairie, Missouri.
The victim was Megan Taylor Meier, and she died of suicide by hanging three
weeks before her fourteenth birthday. Her death was attributed to
cyber-bullying through the social networking website MySpace. Weeks prior to
the death of Megan, she eagerly became friends with a 16 year old boy named
Josh Evans who initiated an invite via MySpace. After several weeks of friendly
communication exchanges Evans decided he did not wish to be friends with Megan.
An escalation of cyber bullying attacks flooded Megan’s inbox. Media news feeds
reported the messages included “The world would be a better place without you”
(nobullying.com). The torments further continued when “additional classmates
and friends on MySpace began writing disturbing messages and bulletins”
(nobullying.com). According to Tina Meier the mother of Megan Meier “it was
about 20 minutes after Megan went to her room after leaving the computer that
she found her daughter hanged in her bedroom closet” (Meier)
The shocking conclusion to the death
of Megan came to light when it was revealed later that fall that Josh Evans was
not a real person. He was made up by Megan’s neighbors. The culprits included
the adult mother Lori Drew, Drew’s daughter who once used to be friends with Megan,
and an 18 year old friend of the Drew family (nobullying.com). Since the death of Megan, her mother has been
an advocate against cyber bullying and has since established the Megan Meier
Foundation. “Tina also worked closely to help Missouri legislature pass Senate
Bill 818, unofficially known as the “Megan’s Law”, in August 2008… and in April
2009, U.S Representative Linda Sanchez of California introduced the “Megan
Meier Cyber bullying Prevention Act”. This act will aim to end the harassment
cyber bullying. Certain characteristics
inherent in online technologies increase the likelihood that they will be
exploited for deviant purposes. As such Cyber
bullying has become rampant amongst teens that now have access to a powerful
and somewhat illusive medium by which to communicate. This form of bullying
does not negate the fact that even if there are no physical scars or torn
clothing, does not mean the child is suffering from depression, anxiety or
being tormented as in the case of Megan Meier. Engaging in written messages
that are mean spirited in nature can be just as effective as a physical assault
on the individual’s physiological and physical well-being. It is important to
realize the profound effects these cyber attacks have on the younger generation
and educate children and teens about being responsible with the use of
technology among each other. This will help curb the violent and mean attacks
on social media websites, which currently facilitate cyber bulling among teens.
In conclusion, critics feel social
networking sites have impacted the 21st century generation with
profound negative effects that are felt throughout society on a daily basis.
They have degraded the fundamental moral sanctity in human nature. Individuals
can no longer take control over their lives and space without the aid of
technology and without feeling the need to be wired and connected to the
outside world 24/7. This false state of reality further depresses the mental
capacity to control and protect our self worth and judgment. Critics feel this
generation is on a downward spiral because of the lack of self-regulation and
the focus on counter-productive distractions. They are misdirecting attention
and energy that could otherwise produce real positive transparent changes in society.
These sites are pulling members of communities and societies further and
further away from really understanding themselves and fostering a deeper more
intuitive sense of self, which are the building blocks to a more stable,
creative and innovative society.
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Jamie Zanelotti
Professor Fisher
English 111 – 601
04 December 2014
Part
4: From my perspective, social media’s use and long-term effects are not good
for society
Since the inception of social
media, millions of people have used this medium to communicate and socialize. Facebook,
the largest of the social networking sites (SNS), has been an important part of
my own personal daily internet use. My avid use of this medium and personal life
experiences I have had on SNS set the foundation for me to advocate their use. Before
researching the negative aspects of SNS I was at a 10/10 in support of social
media. My perspective was one sided and I only cared about using it to
facilitate communication with old friends and family afar. Its structural
design was developed to support a social community through interactive posting
or affirming pictures and posts via the like button, however I had never
considered the deeper ramifications of SNS. The greater population is not fully
aware of the dangerous and damaging effects SNS can have. This eye opening
experience has shifted my perspective to a 4/10 because of the dangerous impact
SNS exposure has on users privacy and security, psychological addiction and emotional
disorders, and decreased face-to-face interaction. I had
discovered that for me the negative effects to some degree outweigh the
positive attributes of SNS.
My perspective of
social media has changed significantly due to my academic research regarding the
effects social media use has on individuals and society. While I was writing
the con side of my thesis I found a disturbing amount of information supporting
the extent to which users privacy and security were compromised. The root of
the problem is a lack of established laws to protect online citizens at the
federal and state levels. Social media has become a catalyst used by a growing
number of corporate and government groups to violate the privacy of unsuspecting
users. Corporate and government agencies hire third party data mining companies
to track, store and analyze users personal data and information content without
their consent. SNS users are being tracked by “cookies”, which are messages
a web server passes to a web browser when a user visits a website. These
cookies store personal user information such as what colors, prices, and types
of items a user may like. This information is sold to advertising agencies
who analyze the information and develop data which is then used to target user
interest and personal buying habits. The NY Times reported that Facebook made “$3.2 billion in advertising
revenue last year, 85 percent of its total revenue” (NYTimes). My research has led me to the realization that
my personal posts, pictures or comments are being collected and analyzed for profit
gains by big corporations. My use of social media made me more wary of this commercial
abuse because I share a considerable amount of personal information about
myself and my family. I feel vulnerable not having adequate online protection
put in place to safeguard this information from unauthorized use.
As a
former insurance employee I was alarmed to learn that some insurance companies
were gathering policy members personal social media content to create a social
networking score as a determining factor for higher premium costs without their
consent. As Mike Fitzgerald, a senior
analyst with Celent Research explains, “an insurance underwriter in life,
health or disability would be interested to know whether an applicant engages
in dangerous activities, such as sky diving or shark diving. They will look up
pictures of an applicant’s Facebook page and if in fact pictures are found
related to sharks or sky-diving they may increase their premiums and policies
for risk coverage” (Fitzgerald). This really
struck home for me because I believe member privacy and protection is very
important and I felt this is an obvious infraction. Policy applicants are unfairly
judged based on their social media profile information in the pricing of their
policy premiums. Furthermore, if the applicant makes a claim and the
information presented on the claim is incongruent with the individual’s social
networking pictures, then according to attorney Michael Packer, “the company will have the right to
deny the claim or rescind the policy from the date of the original
inception”(Packer). I firmly believe this is unacceptable customer treatment and
should be illegal. Insurance companies
have no right to intrude on an individual’s personal accounts. Stricter rules
and regulations to control this type of privacy intrusion must be established
and enforced by the government.
The
premise on which social media was built was to enable individuals unrestricted
access to connect, and maintain relationships with loved ones and close alias.
In my opinion this interactive form of communication should be preserved,
however I found that in retrospect tools are needed to protect this
communication from misuse by government and corporate organizations. My deeper
understanding of the government’s ability to access and control social
networking websites and users content really made me rethink how much freedom
is lost when we put ourselves out there by interacting through sharing or
posting content on public government Facebook or Twitter social media pages. To
improve the public’s ability to participate and collaborate on policymaking
agendas President Barack Obama instituted his ‘Transparency and Open
Government’ memorandum by endorsing the ‘new Web Technologies 2.0’ web
platform, which includes third-party SNS. In a study conducted by Yale
University’s Danielle Keats Citron titled “Fulfilling Government 2.0 Promise
with Robust Privacy Protections”, she states, “the Privacy Act of 1974 sets the
basic conditions under which the federal government collects, uses, and
discloses personal information” (Citron). The idea was to allow people to see how the government
was carrying out business operations by allowing transparency. This transparency
would enable the public to be a part of improving government systems such as
FEMA, CDC, or Homeland Security by inviting them to open discussions where they
can give candid feedback through comments and posts on social media. However,
the ‘Transparency and Open Government’ memorandum was acting as a type of tracking system targeting unsuspecting
individuals. The information collected on not only government official
websites, but also social media users personal profile pages is being collected
and sold to third party organizations without penalty. Rather
than using a person’s social media data for policymaking purposes, executive
departments and agencies share it with law enforcement, immigration, and tax
authorities. This information
is very disturbing because what that means is the government is strategically
using the information posted by users on SNS to gather intelligence to be used
as discretionary tools to track and follow unsuspecting individual on SNS with
impunity. Social media scholar Clay Shirky warns that “government’s rush to adopt
web 2.0 technologies may end in catastrophe”(Shirky). I think this statement by
is true because it damages the public trust with the government and as user
privacy is invaded upon, people have limited access to correct inaccuracies
should the government use it mistakenly against them. Inaccuracies can be very
damaging to an individual’s reputation especially at places where security is a
major concern such as country borders and airports. The implications of
government misuse and intrusions can have serious consequences for innocent
individuals. For example if an individual was mistakenly put on a “check list”
screening at the airport their name can be in a database which can disrupt
their traveling long term. This can create serious cause for concern for the
innocent, and be used to intimidate the public and create fear.
My perspective of social
networking sites also shifted after learning that excessive use of social media
has potential damaging effects on the brain, in particular the psychological
impacts of over stimulation. I was not aware prior to my research that the use
of social networking sites significantly contributes to addiction, anxiety and
emotional pain. I began to ponder more deeply about how the use of social media
was affecting my psychological well-being, and even those of my family and
friends, as we all participate in frequent daily use of this medium. SNS
designs include simple but effective features of reward affirmation. It is easy
for users to create a social world through pictures, videos and comments. They solidify
their status through likes, approval comments, tweets or pokes. These
affirmation tools trigger bio chemicals, stimulating the part of the brain which
comprises the reward center. This can contribute to over stimulation and lead
to addiction. Professor David Linden of Neuroscience at John Hopkins University
School of Medicine expounds “these addictions activate a combination of sites
in the brain associated with pleasure known as the reward center. When
activated, dopamine levels increase and over time as the neurotransmitter
pathways are left exposed, their receptors become over-stimulated” (Linden). A
concurring Harvard research study led by Diana Tamir and her colleague Jason
Mitchell states “the act of disclosing information about oneself activates the
same part of the brain that is associated with the sensation of pleasure, the
same pleasure that we get from eating food, earning money or even having sex” (Tamir and Mitchell). The interactive
participation in the form of “tweeting” or “poking” is not what addicts become
addicted to but rather they become addicted “to the pleasure derived from those
actions” (Tamir and Mitchell). Therefore, these actions feed an insatiable
appetite and momentarily satisfy the brain’s reward center through affirmations.
The action of affirming someone’s pictures or posts or vice versa makes
individuals want to put more information out there to receive more affirmative
feedback. These chemical triggers can have serious effects on all age groups
but I have observed teenagers and young adults are especially vulnerable as
they seek to fit in and fulfill a sense of belonging through the use of social
media. My teenage nephews and nieces are a testament to this vulnerability as
they are constantly posting or tweeting and exposing themselves to addiction.
The presence of online teens who use social media reported by Pew Internet
showed “95% of all teens ages 12-17 are now online and 80% of those online
teens are users of social media sites” (Pew Internet). This increase of teen
users can negatively affect their developing perspectives of life issues. My
observations have shown me that the constant desire to want to belong in a
social group or environment ends up making people feel less connected and more
lonely. This cycle of over stimulated participation is doing harm to not just
teenage users but users in general because it overwhelms our judgment capacity
which perpetuates over sharing of personal content to the point where we can no
longer enjoy a reasonable amount of sharing. Technological devices are allowing
access to SNS at an overwhelming rate. This can put the individual at a higher
risk for becoming addicted. The convenience of having these devices allows
users to connect and stay connected almost anywhere, but at a risk of damaging
their emotional health. With the need for constant feedback through posts or
messages, affirmations create a form of pleasure that in turn becomes
addictive. The long-term effects will be felt and seen through the loss of
quality time for individuals and their families, hence making this a dangerous
addiction and struggle for some users of SNS.
Users
of social media websites are also prone to another psychological threat,
anxiety. Social media websites have enabled like-minded individuals to create
groups and be a part of an online social environment. The daily use of posting,
commenting and liking content on social media creates value for the users by
enabling them to create an identity they can relate to and be proud of. Shyam
Sundar, Professor of Communications and co-director of the Media Effects
research laboratory, conducted research into the effects of self-esteem in his
report titled ‘INTERACT 2013’. He explains “the more you get connected to
Facebook, the stronger you feel that the items you post - the pictures, for
example are part of your identity and the more likely you are going to view
these as your virtual possessions” (Sundar). Individuals who monitor
their self worth in the form of likes or affirmative feedback are putting
themselves at serious risk of psychological damage. Clinical psychologist Dr. Linda Blair conducted a
research project titled ‘The Use of Social Media Like Facebook and Twitter
Might Be Responsible for Feeding Anxiety and Feelings of Inadequacy’. Her
research shows that “people who are pre-disposed to having self esteem issues
are the ones who are more inclined to social media anxiety” (Blair). Having
24/7 access to SNS on smart devices has created an obsession, thereby
exacerbating the need for acceptance and approval by groups and its members. Unfortunately
it also brings pain from being disassociated if an individual is not accepted
or is turned away. “This leads to the issue where users behave as if technology
is in control of them, instead of the other way around” (Blair). Creating a
false self-identity is also harmful to self-esteem because comparing themselves
to others creates insecurity for their own worth and unrealistic higher
expectations are formed. An example of how this misuse of social media
can create false perceptions and self-esteem issues is seen with young women
and men. The high expectations of fitting in can be disappointing when
individuals cannot compete with others posting beautiful pictures of themselves
in the latest trends and showing what cars they are driving or fancy houses
they are living in. They are comparing themselves to what they believe is the
ideal image. With women these comparisons are often affiliated with the perfect
body image or trending fashions, and with men it can be related to sporty cars
and money. These materialistic attributes perceived by social media users are in
part feeding social media anxiety and endangers individuals’ self esteem.
I
have left my research over the past several weeks with a deeper understanding
of the impact social media use has on society. Technology has provided social
media users with an unprecedented amount of access and control. I soon realized
that the amount of control we have of this editable environment is not
naturally beneficial to human beings. The dynamic nature of human interaction
and communication is complex; humans need proactive engagement to meet our
physical, social, and practical needs. Face to face conversations play a
critical role in nurturing our psychological and emotional needs as human
beings. It was interesting to learn that this expanding medium, which we use to
communicate with family, friends and colleagues, is ironically causing us to
interact with each other much less than ever before. Social and technological
communication are not working in synergy with each other and as such people are
at risk of loosing a fundamental natural form of communication and interaction,
this being face to face interaction. Paul Booth, assistant Professor of Media
and Cinema studies at Depaul University Chicago explains, “there has been a
shift in the way we communicate; rather than face-to-face interaction, we
prefer mediated communication. We rather email than meet; we rather text than
talk on the phone” (Booth). These written communications lack the emotional complexity
of spoken conversations. Social media, and the addiction it causes, often
affects face-to-face family dynamics, especially at the dinner table.
Communicating at the dinner table with family and friends has been undermined
with the use of SNS, as such the formal “family” dinner no longer exists. This
shift in the way we have meals is also concerning especially for parents with
young children. Discussing and debating
moral dilemmas is a good way to teach kids thinking skills and to get a read on
where they stand on various issues. Of course, it’s also a perfect opportunity
to insert some parental guidance on how to deal with tough decisions. As we all
know, they’ll be faced with many of their own dilemmas in life, so it is
important for parents to prepare them to think critically, find their own
voice, and determine the reason for their action. If families cannot regain
this fundamental routine of having dinner together and talking to young
children, how will they be able to learn the valuable lessons of sound advice,
morals and life values without these basic connections? A study led by Joann Pan, current web
producer for Oprah.com, examined this trend and found “more than 29% of social
media users on social networking websites are eating or drinking while at home,
and 47% of 18-34 year olds tweet, Facebook and text during mealtimes” (Pan).
Paradoxically, though people are connecting 24/7 online, society has become
more disconnected. Clinical psychologist Sherry Turkle of M.I.T explains how
and why the rise of technology has given rise to the “goldilocks effect”. She
explains people are substituting conversation by technology for actual
conversation and “we prefer the controlled, editable, deletable world of
texting and Facebook to the messy world of actually talking to others”
(Turkle). She continues by stating “ We like the world of social technology
because we can share what we want, yet still retain ultimate control” (Turkle).
The absence of engaging our human need for face-to-face interaction has created
weak ties and broken relationships. Online interactions allow users to
manipulate the way others perceive them. The words typed and pictures posted on
a SNS tend to characterize or define an individual, which in reality can be
very different from whom they are. This can be damaging the building blocks
which stimulate strong relationships and bonds.
Essentially,
social media has expanded our social online interactions at unprecedented
rates, and users are spending less time face to face because of all this online
socialization. By constantly utilizing technological smart devices to access SNS,
the negative impact on society is that people are taking themselves away from
the fundamental aspects of interactive human communication. Engaging in
face-to-face conversations fosters deeper emotional connections, which are the
building blocks for creating meaningful thoughts and carefully considered
interactions. We see the emotional reactions to our words and ideas. Excessive
exposure to social media interrupts this fundamental flow and the negative
impact creates irrational thoughts and actions in place of better judgment.
Until users of social media are able to step back and realize the downside of
their excessive use, they will continuously experience a degraded quality of
social communication at the expense of face-to-face interaction.
My
understanding of social media and the effects it continues to have on society’s
long-term well being has impacted me profoundly, shifting my general
perspective regarding this medium. Excessive use may have long lasting effects
on user’s emotional well-being, privacy, and security. It degrades the very
nature of human communication by damaging our abilities to foster deeper
emotional interaction and engage in enlightened conversation through social
face-to-face communication. My research has taught me that there is a need to
educate the greater population regarding these very serious effects. Then we
can all become aware of these dangers and better protect ourselves against them
by proactively establishing and embracing reasonable and responsible self-regulation,
as well as pushing for protective legislation.
Works
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