Setbacks of Social Networking

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Last 5 posts in View from the Crew

• Significance over Seniority - May 19th, 2010
• A Night to Remember - May 5th, 2010
• Looking Back At Allatoona - April 29th, 2010
• A Sea of Trouble - April 23rd, 2010
• Education vs. Schooling - April 23rd, 2010

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May 13, 2010 • Jordan Fox  
Filed under View from the Crew

        While the internet is no less than convenient, there are many more negative aspects than positive ones.

        What do you call bullying that leaves no physical evidence of abuse and no witnesses? One of the most commonly used forms of harassment- cyber bullying. Three quarters of the people who have admitted to being a cyber bully have never hassled anyone offline. This statistic implies that the internet has given youth a previously nonexistent courage.  By choosing the internet as their turf, a cyber bully feels detached to their victim’s feelings because there is no direct emotional response, therefore making it much easier to be malicious. Mrs. Candace Wilkes, an administrator here at Allatoona, elaborates on the thought process of an online bully by saying “It’s much easier to be mean when you’re anonymous.” Not only does the revolution of social networking sites open the door for cyber bullying, it paves the road to idleness.

        As with most habitual problems, the product isn’t the issue, the excessive use of it is. With the rapid technological advancements in America, children are encouraged to take full advantage of the equipment offered to them by not only their friends, but the media as well. The rate of overweight children in America is increasing rapidly. The childhood obesity statistics in America reveal the astonishing fact that almost 60% of children in America are obese, or overweight. With these very observable statistics, you would think that our population would be encouraged to become more physically active. “When your country leads the way in obesity, it’s time to put down the BlackBerry and pick up a basketball. I’m not advocating a Facebook boycott or a video-game bonfire. What I am calling for is a little participation in the analog world. Unplug for one day a week. Play flag football instead of Madden 10. Build houses for Habitat for Humanity instead of a barn in Farmville. Meet and befriend real people. After all, it’s not as if Facebook could give you a ride to the airport.”-Mel Layos (writer). We are doing ourselves a disfavor and producing a generation of socially inept people.

        Contrary to what you may believe, what you have on your Facebook is NOT just your business. The minute that you post it on the internet, it becomes the world’s business. According to a 2008 study, one in ten college admissions officers periodically check out college applicants’ Facebook and MySpace pages. Thirty-eight percent of them found posts and pictures that reflected poorly on those prospective students. Keep in mind that no admissions officer is going to be impressed by statuses reading “party, party, party let’s all get wasted!” Use your site as not only a place to communicate with friends, but a place to promote yourself and increase your chances of acceptance, or getting the job. Colleges and employers prefer applicants with apparent social skills. Posting pictures of vacations and appropriate photos with your friends and family is not a bad idea. By vacation, I don’t mean your annual Spring Break visit to Panama City: be sure to keep it classy. Be confident in the fact that your posts reflect upon your experiences in a positive light. Make an effort to join groups that have positive messages. Admissions officers and human resources representatives may be snooping on your Facebook, so before posting anything ask yourself if it represents you well.

        As would seem custom, I must mention the child predators that lurk on the internet. Nowadays, predators are much more straightforward with their intentions. They used to hide behind fake names and ages only to find your general information (i.e. age, name, town, activities) so that they may have a chance of tracking you down. Whereas now, all that they use as a cover is a false sense of kindness and an interest in “getting to know you”. Not every person that adds you on Facebook has a heart of gold; don’t be so naïve as to think so. The phrase “stranger danger” could never be more appropriate.