Good Essay About Effects Of Social Media On Privacy

English

Social media are websites and applications that can help users develop and share their thoughts and contents with others, or to take part in other’s opinions during social networking. Social media depends on mobile as well as web-based technologies to develop interactive platforms for users to share their thoughts and opinions in an easy and faster way. It can have both positive as well as negative effects on its users depending on the use. This paper will explore both effects in order to highlight the principle that the users can always control to have a negative or positive social media experience.
While the goal of technological innovation is to improve the quality of life, the emergence of social media have caused some serious consequences. First, it fostered a false sense of connection. Facebook and twitter addicts allot more time in nurturing their relationships with people on the digital platform. As a result, they tend to devalue their meaningful relationships in the real world. Because of its power to make connections, facebook and twitter are highly used by by many businesses, organizations, and companies to market their services and products. Although it is true that these social media platforms make it easier to connect with clients, it also has a downside of cutting employees’ productivity. Social media are full of distraction that employees are tempted to allot some time of their 8-hour shift in browsing the photos and posts of their friends in the digital world. Some companies use web filters to block social media sites, but with the help of technology employees still find ways on how to secretly gain access.
The issue on privacy is another serious effect of social media. One of the most important problems is that social media sites have helped perpetrator in reaching the private lives of other people, thereby increasing the security issues (O'Keeffe and Kathleen 802). New users who are not conscious enough about their privacy would allow perpetrators on internet to gain access to their personal data such as confidential passwords and log in credentials. Social media has also helped and encouraged people to show more about their personal lives. The “What’s on your mind” feature in facebook even attempts to read the minds of the users and discover an utterly personal information that is their emotional state. Moreover, their posted contents such as photos and thoughts would remain in the cloud for an indefinite time, thereby increasing the chances of reaching more people. Privacy issues result to a more complicated and controversial consequence that is called cyber-bullying. Since facebook allows people to invade and explore the world of other people, it gives power to cyber-bullies to post and send inapproriate messages. This bullying can be in the form of threatening or intimidating messages and contents (O'Keeffe and Kathleen 801). Social media has made it easy for people to disturb and bully others and ultimately ruin their reputation in the public. People found no fear in disturbing others, in fact some of them enjoy the act of bullying since it is easier and faster when done in the digital platform. Kids are particularly vulnerable to cyber-bullying in which people may start terrorizing others in front of them, thereby affecting their thoughts. Cyber-bullying has a detrimental psychological impact especially to youngsters and can provoke their suicidal tendencies. Young individuals are not the only victims of cyber-bullying. Adult users can also suffer the same experience in the form of cyber-stalking. Cyber-stalking or cyber-harassment is a form of cyber-bullying that is done by adults and is faced by adults. Cyber-stalkers usually work on public forums, online information sites, and/or social media sites to threaten their victims about their employment, earnings, safety, or reputation. Cyber-stalking may also include encouragement of others to disturb and harass their victims, thereby affecting the online activity and participation of their victims. It may also consist of false claims and accusations, identity theft, data or device damage, or collection of information to harass other users.
Despite the negative consequences of social media, it is by far the greatest tool in providing a global connection at a cheaper cost. Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of facebook advocates this beneficial impact. “Facebook has been on a mission to make the world more open and connected. For us, that means the entire world — not just the richest, most developed countries.” (Zuckerberg, n.pag.) Social media defy the boundaries set by geography and make it possible for people to connect with their loved ones and friends living in other parts of the world. Before the emergence of social media, the wealthy individuals who have the resources are the only one who can connect to the other parts of the globe. The economic reality hinders the world’s poorest people to see the happenings outside their homes. Social media combats this economic reality by introducing mobile applications in low-end phones. This gives poor people the capability to connect with the world and maintain strong communication with their loved ones despite their economic status.
Social media is one of the most helpful inventions of the present generation. It serves different beneficial purposes such as providing global connection, easy access to information, platform for knowledge-sharing and a good source of entertainment. Despite the invention’s noble purpose, some people use social media to achieve their dark intentions. Thus, cyber-bullying, low productivity and privacy concerns become associated to social media. However, it is not fair to conclude that social media itself is bad and negative. The negative effects only arise through wrong and inappropriate usage. Twitter and facebook are not the culprit of low productivity among employees. While it is true that social networking sites are full of distractions, employees who love their jobs will not submit to any type of distraction. Additionally, people who are careful in managing their personal data and activities online will not experience cyber-bullying. Most importantly, they will not be vulnerable to privacy invasion and identity theft. To conclude, social media is created to deliver positive consequences, and it takes a responsible social media user to rip its benefits.

Works Cited

O'Keeffe, Gwenn Schurgin, and Kathleen Clarke-Pearson. "The Impact of Social Media on Children, Adolescents, and Families." Pediatrics 127.4 (2011): 800-04. Print.
Skoler, Michael. "Why the News Media Became Irrelevant--and How Social Media Can Help." Nieman Reports 63.3 (2009): 38. Print.
The Ultimate Guide in Protecting your Privacy and Identity Online. N.d. Wed. 6 Mar. 2015. <http://www.hotspotshield.com/protect-your-privacy-online>
Zuckerberg, Mark. Is Connectivity a Human Right? N.d Web. 6 Mar. 2015. <https://fbcdn-dragon-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/851575_228794233937224_51579300_n.pdf>