Social Networking

The creation of social media has changed the way in which we communicate. Before we used to communicate through letters, then phone calls, and now we are using social networking sites to communicate at a faster and efficient pace. Since the creation of social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter, there has been a debate about their benefits and detriments.

Social networking sites offer a medium for people to keep in touch with their acquaintances and maintain constant contact with their friends and family. This increased connectivity has opened new paths for relationships to be built and bonds to be strengthened. Sites such as Facebook and Twitter allow people o find out more about their friends' interests, as well as their personal lives which can lead to more worthwhile discussions. LinkedIn has allowed students to portray or "market" their skills to many more companies when applying for jobs. According to the article "Social Networking Technology Boosts Job Recruiting", many more professional recruiters are hunting for job candidates through social media sites.

On the other hand, social networking sites deprive us of face-to-face interaction, which is detrimental to developing social skills. It also creates privacy issues and online threats. Hackers and scammers use information on social media sites to make victims fall prey on their own by posting personal information about themselves. As stated in the article "Leaving 'Friendprints': How Online Social Networks are Redefining Privacy and Personal Security", few users realize that the information they post, when combined with new technologies for gathering and compiling data, can create a fingerprint-like pattern of behavior.

References:

•  Langfitt, Frank. "Social Networking Technology Boosts Job Recruiting." NPR. NPR, 22 Nov. 2006. Web. 9 Mar. 2015. 
•  "Leaving 'Friendprints': How Online Social Networks Are Redefining Privacy and Personal Security." Knowledge@Wharton, 10 June 2009. Web. 9 Mar. 2015.