Social Networking: A Love-Hate Relationship

2. Social Networking and Privacy 

Your task for this assignment is to record your thoughts on the prevalence of social networking. How often do you use social networking sites/tools like Facebook, Twitter, or FourSquare? How much time to do you spend texting, tweeting, or checking status updates on your phone or computer?
Do you think the cultural move toward social networking, constant access, and the loss of privacy it sometimes brings about is a positive/negative trend on the whole? What are some of the benefits and drawbacks of this entanglement between our personal lives and technology?  Have you ever "over-shared" or texted, tweeted, or posted something you have regretted? Do you ever worry about your privacy when it comes to using these tools?

Geez, I feel like my day cannot be complete without logging onto Facebook or using my phone to text. I use Facebook to connect with friends, to get distracted from the tedious work I have to do for class, etc. I sign in, skim through what has been posted previously on my feed, check if anyone has left me any comments or messages, respond to those posts, and maybe update my status. It is ridiculous how ritualistic the whole process it is. I feel somewhat lame for sitting in front of a screen for who knows how long, just socialize via the internet. But then I feel less lame about myself when I find that there are those who are even worse off. Every time I log in I feel like I know everybody’s business—my feed is swamped with status updates like, “Just ate lunch at McDonalds. I’m so ready to nap!” Seriously? Even though Facebook is a public networking site where you can post whatever you want, I feel there is a line where you are giving out too much information. I feel that people who post information as to where they are, what they are eating, etc. are seeking attention. It is just a tad creepy. It’s as if Facebook is your diary that is open for all to see. That can be potentially dangerous seeing how there are so many people who get their accounts hacked into, or scammed into trusting certain people, or pay for products because the product, from what is told them, is for a good cause, etc. I should not say anything because it is there business, but since their business is so public, well then I guess why shouldn’t I? I only have one advice to offer for people like that: Do not take Facebook so personal! People do not comment on personal posts like that for a reason…its awkward!

Texting can also be invasive as well. If something private was sent to a friend, depending on how trustworthy that friend is, he or she can easily send it to others as a means to poke fun at you or crush your image. It is really sad. When I text, I text my friends A LOT. I feel incomplete and lost without my phone. And I trust the people I text, but there is a huge possibility that they might show my text to another person in spite. It is even harder to keep something confidential when “But don’t tell anyone” is texted to the opposite person. Plus, how am I to know of the other person’s hidden intentions? It is just so hard, what with communication being so public, to be discrete and live your life. One could delete their social networking accounts and disconnect their phones, but then there is a fear that because you don’t have a Facebook, Twitter, or a phone to text, then you don’t exist. Since technology is so vital to our society, all these technological tools are now sources of self-identification. I could not see myself without these means of communications because all my friends use them, and without these tools, I would lose contact with many of my friends. So there really is no way out. You pay the price of privacy or fend for yourself.