Social network is facet that is entangled in itself. This all depends in how on an individual would want to perceive the information. The use of social network is becoming a medium of communication in society these days. We are losing ourselves in the way we have chosen to interact with one another. However, negativity has taken over on a larger scale in comparison to the positive outlook. In a way, social networking is bringing people closer but creating distances at the same time. I agree with the statement that recently developed social network are corrosive to real community. Through some or other way we have lost the meaning towards “real” community and what it is like to be a part of. Therefore, social networking is corrosive to the society because it imprints deceptive images, which develops false sense of security for an individual, creating mind diversions in teenagers and children, and it further leads to cyber bullying that allows one to set up unachievable standards by crafting anonymous identity.
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A society by definition is to keep people secure and tied with one another along with all the facilities such as social media etc. Manuel Castells mentions that “society constructed around personal and organizational networks powered by digital networks and communicated by the Internet” (Castells, n.d.). In the constructivism of internet and technology – we forget the meaning of real community and wrap ourselves in materialistic culture. Thus why people on social media would always want to outcast the best of them, to grab the attention from all the sources. Social networks like Facebook, twitter, Instagram etc. has extraordinary features allowing one to extend to an area of horizon without any extremities. Encountering strangers in social media gives an access to view your personal information. Which is more than enough to give an appearance of false sense of security. On this note itself, social network makes us feel that we are connected through technological devices but disconnected at the some point. Sherry Turkle supports this thought very predominantly in Ted talk video titled “Connected but alone”. I am in complete agreement on this note as it is very accurate and suitable of the kind generation we are presently living. We also sacrifice our mere connections due to the depth involvement with the rise in technology (Turkle, 2010). Yet we feel as if we are apart from one another – some sort of connection lost, where individual goes to an empty state of mind (Turkle, 2010). Even the exchange of dialogues through text messages or messengers is a dilemma of what kind of tone is being used. As a result, we are reducing the means of conveying our emotional resources and empathy (Turkle, 2010).
Technology is stepping up every day with new implements for the future generations. Mind diversions are quite common for growing teenagers and youth. Tristen Harris explores the means on “how technology hijacks our psychological vulnerabilities” (Harris, 2016). It is very easy to be vulnerable irrespective of the age and the situation one is in. On a level of magnification, this is observed in teenagers who are going through rapid changes in their thoughts and actions. One of the studies claim that “68 percent of U.S. eight- to eighteen-year olds and 33 percent of children from birth to age six had a TV in their bedroom” (Donald & Foehr, 2008) . The authors further support that it also something that is in control of the parents and elders around (Donald & Foehr, 2008). They have also mentioned that overall exposure to media is just representation of exponential graph, as it has the tendency to increase rapidly with the interaction of social media (Donald & Foehr, 2008). Growing children have a very naive mindset that could possibly turned into anything because of the exposure they have in the atmosphere they are surrounded with. There is also an disclosure in relation to age factor the authors mention (Donald & Foehr, 2008). For example, “among older youths, exposure to audio media, which is generally synonymous with music exposure, is positively and linearly related to age. As children grow older, they are exposed to more audio media. A similar positive link exists for age and computer time. Conversely, video game playing is negatively related to age.”(Donald & Foehr, 2008). Negativity at the end of the day outweighs more than the positive side of the impression due to its drastic effects and its easily get diverted because of the tender age.
Cyber bullying is huge part that is setting a platform targeting many children, youth. Bullying is ubiquitous in the society. Children, teenagers or even adults who have exposed themselves to social media might have experienced bullying since, they are on internet at all the times. Surveys suggests that “28% of the students who have been a part of our most recent 10 studies have said that they have been the victim of cyberbullying at some point in their lifetime.” (Statistics Canada). One can clearly see that cyber bullying could also allow one to set up unachievable standards to hide their own identity. Also there is no age restriction on cyber bullying, as it could happen via any medium. Statistics Canada , “41% of young Internet users who experienced both cyberbullying and cyberstalking reported an emotional, psychological or mental health condition” (Statistics Canada). It is also mentioned that the culprits behind such actions are younger age groups (Statistics Canada). This has to do with their mindset at early age of development. Cyber bullying can have negative impact in life through stresses, health or mental issues.
As long as the technology is on a plane of inclination, there will be an occurrence of destructive events taking place which is not visible to everyone on large scale. We will find ourselves becoming more technology dependent due to trends in social media. A false sense of security, mind diversions, cyber bullying, fake outlook will always be a rising issue. Therefore, social media is a source of distraction. Humans have the ability to expose themselves with the emotions we are revolving around but we choose not to, due to the technology. We are putting ourselves in danger, inconclusive of the goals on exposure through media.
References
- December 19, 2016. Accessed March 23, 2018. https://www.statcan.gc.ca/daily-quotidien/161219/dq161219a-eng.htm.
- Castells, Manuel. The Impact of the Internet on Society: A Global Perspective By Manuel Castells. Accessed March 21, 2018. https://www.bbvaopenmind.com/en/article/the-impact-of-the-internet-on-society-a-global-perspective/?fullscreen=true.
- Harris, Tristen. How Technology Hijacks Peoples Minds – from a Magician and Google’s Designs Ethicist, May 19, 2016. Accessed March 22, 2018. http://www.tristanharris.com/essays/.
- Roberts, Donald F., and Ulla G. Foehr. Trends in Media Use18, no. 1 (2008). Accessed March 23, 2018. https://muse-jhu-edu.uproxy.library.dc-uoit.ca/article/238859.
- Turkle, Sherry. Sherry Turtle: Connected but Alone?, February 2012. Accessed March 22, 2018. https://www.ted.com/talks/sherry_turkle_alone_together/transcript.
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