The Disciplined
Social NetworkingSocial Networks have become very popular in the last decade due to the vast growth of online groups and P2P applications. Web based Social Networking Sites allow individuals to interact with other in cyberspace. Examples of Social Networks would be Myspace, Limewire, Classmates, Scour, etc. These networks are open networks meaning they are open for new users. Closed Networks are tighter and are not introduced with new ideas like their open counterparts. Therefore, individuals are responsible for the culture and structure of the networks they are a part of. Ebay now has groups serving as the social networks for the online auction network. This feature allows users with the same interest to come together in individual auctioning networks. This aspect makes the ebay experience more personalized and associates you with others that bid on like items.
Social Networks have recently become popular for reasons such as finding jobs, romance, and friends. Hot jobs is a website where companies and business owners post jobs and look for possible employees. Individuals seeking employment may e-mail recruiters as well as post a resume. Yahoo personals and match.com allow individuals to search for matches. These sites use inputed information on individuals to match them with others having similiar criteria. Facebook allows users to create a profile displaying items about yourself and interest. Users may instant message others or post comments on their cyber friends profiles. Newcomers can search new areas and request to be your friend before they can post comments on your profile. Lurk before you leap principles should be enacted and are appreciated respectively.
Benefits of Social Networking
The benefits of social networking are endless because they appear in so many forms and structures. Different international cultures are experiencing great success with these networks. Ebay is taking huge steps to expand its global market and has seen wonderful success in doing so. It is amazing what the internet has done with social networks. Before the internet social networks were much tighter and adhered more to individuals cultural perspectives. The internet has made Social Networks open and international. The Chinese are experiencing great things with Social Networks and seem to respond well with the idea.
In Finland around three quarters of social network users are reported to interact every day. Himelstein, a lecturer for a UC Berkeley’s business administration course, states, “Globalization is increasing in our world. As a business that takes on one project after another, we like to outsource our employees from project to project. We often employ workers from different countries, as their labor could be more efficient. However, it would be very costly to fly there back and forth to these different countries to negotiate terms, so we provide each and every one of our partners, no matter what country or how many people, with the Internet. Though this method is costly as well, it saved us a ton of money in the long rum. Through this method, we are easily able to keep in contact with our partners.”(Himelstein)
Drawbacks of Social Networking
Social Networking has also become a major outlet for internet predators. Social Networks are abused by these predators because they can remain anonymous. The Mannerheim League for Child Welfare surveys over 11,000 adolescents that use Social Networking sites on the internet. Almost Fifty percent of people surveyed believe Social Network users are too young. Social Networking is a great thing and if used responsibly users can have fantastic results. However, there are always going to be users that are going to abuse the networks. Workers for a safer internet promote cautionary awareness a long with publish articles dealing with the topic.
"...man cannot live without attachment to some object which transcends and survives him...he is too little...we have no other object than ourselves we cannot avoid the thought that our efforts will finally end in nothingness, since we ourselves disappear" (Durkheim 210). - Emile Durkheim "Social Isolation, loneliness, and depression are all interrelated. Studies have shown that the more time spent on the Internet leads to social isolation and loneliness, which in turn leads to depression. Even though online communities and instant messaging allows a person to stay connected with their friends and family as well as expanding their social network, the more time spent socializing online is time spent away socializing in the real world."