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Social Networking Sites
Social networking sites are websites or applications that are developed for users to communicate with each other in various ways, such as video, messages, images, and more. Facebook, one of the most popular social networking services, has 1.4 Billion users, 175 Million of whom log on every single day. Social networking sites are, overall, a positive phenomenon. They allow you to express yourself, keep in touch ith people and news, and they can be a great way to find yourself. It is a lot harder to feel embarrassment over the internet rather than in person. Most people find it easier to share their feelings over social networks, be it their favorite song, pictures of their new stuff, or to rant about a certain topic.
Socials networks encourage people to be no one but themselves. With the billions of people using social networking sites, it’s a given that different people will be into different things. If you’re passionate about something that no one cares for in your physical community, you can easily log onto a social site and find numerous potential friends who share your interests, therefore creating a virtual community. For the friends and relatives who live in a different country, social networking sites are perhaps the best way to keep in touch. They are superior to using the phone, as you can only listen to the people’s voices. Social networks are far more advanced, as there are a number of ways to keep in contact with your long-distance friends and family. You can add them up on whichever social site you use, and message them in your spare time. This is better than using the phone because you can do other stuff while in a conversation with them, therefore using your time efficiently.
You can also view pictures of them, to see how much they’ve grown or if they’ve changed since you’ve last seen them. Sites such as Skype allows you to video chat with your relatives, so not only do you hear from them, but you can see them too. The public may argue that there are many predators on social networking sites; however, it is a simple problem which can easily be prevented. Most social networking sites have privacy/security and filtering options. The privacy and security option limits the number of people who have access to your account. For example, by enabling your twitter privacy, your tweets are protected from any users who aren’t following you. Filtering (or blacklisting) is an option on most blogging platforms such as Tumblr. You list the various topics you’d much rather not see (ex. cockroaches, gore) and poof, it’s gone from your dashboard for as long as you like. All social networking ites also have the blocking option, which comes in different ways for various websites.
As soon as a user is feeding you predatory vibes, use a couple of clicks to block said user and never hear from him again. Perception plays a big part in this issue. Users must have the ability to notice and call out when a member is acting on something that can potentially harm another. When a friendly conversation turns into something you feel uncomfortable with, let that person know. If that user continues the same behaviour, a block is in order. Social networking sites have done their part in trying to give the people as much privacy as possible; it’s just a matter of users using their common sense. Life can be rough at times, especially for teenagers. It’s a time where you’re getting in touch with yourself and who you really are. It can be a joyful experience for some, smooth sailing for others, but for the more unique teens, it can be absolutely dreadful. More introverted students could find speaking to someone about their problems petrifying, not to mention how cruel people could be without realising. Each time someone casually spouts a slur can feel like a tiny paper cut, even if it isn’t necessarily directed at you.
On its own, it’s enough to sting, but not Scar. The question is; how much of the little paper cuts are you willing to endure until you burst? This is where social networks come in. Whereas the people you talk with may be close minded and blunt unconsciously, social networks welcome you with open arms into their community. They will guide you through your insecurities, ranging from sexuality to home life, and anything in between. They might even open your eyes to things you might not have realized you identified with until now. In social networks, you can find people who are going through the same things you are, and realize you aren’t alone. Social networks are a delight, and they bring pleasure to all who use them. They supply people with many different things, be it information, or stories, or simply the comfort of spilling your secrets to a potential buddy. For every con to the social networking world, there are two more pros right beside it.