When society connects to the Internet there tends to be very little thought process to it. Either you log on to check emails, find out the latest news or maybe to just browse websites, but generally we all tend to connect without thinking about what we are doing.
Personally, when I wake up or come back to my flat, the first thing I do is switch on my laptop and connect to the Internet, it almost becomes addictive and we feel like we are missing out if we have had a day or two without being connected.
Facebook has been running for 5 years now and has 175 million users and 15 million users update their statuses at least once a day (http://www.facebook.com/press/info.php?statistics, accessed 15/02/09). This proves how important social networking sites have become to many people and enforces the point that so many people do not think twice about going on Facebook to chat, share photos etc. Until this module I too thought nothing of uploading photos, changing my status and writing on friends 'walls' however I now think about how people may perceive me if they come across my page. Do I look like a friendly person? Or do I show a side of me which perhaps I shouldn't?
Because Facebook is so popular it becomes very easy to trust it. You are able to make your page accessible to all or to make it private, encouraging people to give out more information than perhaps necessary. Does this make Facebook dangerous?
When considering Facebook as a "community" it is easy to see how people feel they 'belong', even if you do not have many friends on the site you are still able to connect to groups etc. Facebook has become a virtual communication world, there is so much available, why would we need to step outside of this social networking site when all our friends are here in one place?
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Pleased to see you posting regularly Hannah and responding too to your study group's blogs - good for you! A lot of what you are blogging is reflexive (i.e you are considering your own habits and practices) and that is fine, it gives you an insight into how all the theory works 'in real life'. But remember to bring in to your discussions of the seminar topics plenty of ideas from unit materials so I can see how well you are taking on board the unit ideas. Remember that you can cross-refer form one week to the next and across readings /lectures - this all helps to add ooomph to your blogs.
ReplyDeleteHave you experienced that, since having Facebook, you have stopped phoning or meeting up with old friends, and instead leave them a comment or email? I definitely think I have. Rather than calling a friend, I will often leave them a Facebook message asking them how they are and what they've been up to. Do you think this is happening more and more?
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