Facebook. Everyone has one. If you’re like me, you probably check it everyday, which is a gross understatement. Our generation is one where we cannot have a second of doing nothing. If we have nothing to do, it makes us extremely uncomfortable, nervous and anxious (maybe it's just me). We immediately whip out our Smartphone and twiddle with our technological toys. We skim over the news, go on Twitter, check our texts again, for the sole purpose of being perceived as ‘busy’ or occupied. Facebook plays an indispensable role in influencing the social atmosphere of our generation.
"So what can you do on Facebook... the list is virtually endless"
In today's internet age, everyone is on social media— it's some of the most efficient ways to communicate with other people. So what can you do on Facebook? Add people, update statuses, check into places, like pictures, and write on people’s walls. You can upload videos, mark you are safe in a disaster, or chat with other friends. The list is virtually endless. Facebook seems to bring people closer together; it seems to connect people, over shared interests, thoughts, and experiences; yet does it really? How many times would you ‘like’ someone’s picture yet had merely one conversation with them? Does seeing pictures of your friends on a beach in Cancun bond you guys or does it make you envious that they’re having fun, while you sit home in front of a computer. You can chat with friends, yet how much more powerful is the art of physical conversation? I am not saying that Facebook does not bring people closer nor am I saying that it does not act as an efficient means of communication.
"... yet how much more powerful is the art of physical conversation?"
Facebook is the world's most popular social networking site and Facebook serves as an ideal method to communicate to people who you seldom see, whether it's your grandparents, friends from high school or friends who are abroad. It allows people who are physically separated from each other, to keep track of their loved ones. Yet, it plays the opposite role for people you actually are not physically separated from. Facebook encourages you to type messages to your friends down the hall, instead of actually walking those few measly steps and speaking with them. It advocates a sense of ‘community’ without actual interaction. And I think people are starting to realize how numbing the effects of Facebook can be on their relationships. People are perceived to be more social, without actually having to be social at all. All it takes is some picture uploads and status updates. With these updates, you are essentially controlling how people perceive you while deciding how you want to be perceived by others. In my opinion, this is a power we are not ready for yet.
Personally, my primary concern is privacy and the divulgence of my personal information. Just how much information about yourself is evident from Facebook? I mean, I'm okay with sharing information to my friends, but I'd simply rather not share that much information with acquaintances and strangers. But then again, that's just my preference. Other people are different— the more friends, the merrier; it's just a matter of taste and there's nothing wrong with that.
On a slightly broader scale, just how information does your Internet history, in general, have? This issue was recently brought back to our attention when The US House of Representative voted to undo legislation that keeps Internet providers from selling your personal information. At the end of March 2017, a bill was passed, that allows companies to sell your browsing history, shopping habits, location and other online information/activity, in my opinion, wildly violating consumer privacy rights. These events, in the global context of hackings, cyber attacks, data searches and screenings should be unsettling. The fact that our privacy is increasingly being infringed by our government is disturbing to me and we need to keep fighting for our freedom and individual rights in the Age of the Internet.
And this makes me think carefully about my presence on social media and the disclosure of personal information on the web (yes, I am a rather cautious person, haha). Don't get me wrong, I'm all for all the different social media outlets— I love meeting new people and reconnecting with old friends. I love being kept up-to-date in the lives of my friends. I love socializing. Yet, at the same time, I'm all for safety and we all need to keep an eye out for ourselves as social media allows easier identity theft, false identities, and cyber attacks.
"... once it is out there, there is no turning back."
So, the next time, think about how much you spend on Facebook, stalking your friends and ex’s (you know you do it), clicking through picture after picture. Each post you publish, each picture you upload, each status you like is saying something about you and once it is out there, there is no turning back.
