The Facebook Effect

The impact that Facebook is having on our culture is viral, meaning that it is a rapid news spreading cite that people are starting to rely on. “Today nearly one in every eight people on the planet uses Facebook” (Helft, 2012). In the current world, ironically, social medias are making people less social. Our culture is becoming so dependant on the worlds of Facebook and other forms of social media. The issue of privacy on Facebook is increasing everyday. Where is the limit?

Socially, Facebook is hindering people’s ability to interact with others. Facebook has created a world or a community, even “Zuckerburg had encourage Facebook’s users to view themselves as citizens – of Facebook” (Kirkpatrick, 2010). People use Facebook to create, not necessarily a new life, but a new side to their current life and are becoming dependant on a computer screen to hide behind. The ability to talk to someone face-to-face has become so difficult for the generations that are growing up with social medias. They aren’t aware of social cues anymore; it seems as if they are all socially awkward. People are scared to confront others face-to-face, because they can simply create a group page on Facebook to explain exactly how they feel. Once someone has created a Facebook page, they can express exactly how they feel and others will join in. Putting younger generations, and maybe my generation is at fault here too, in a social setting seems to make for an uncomfortable circumstance. Facebook, being social, is ironically making people less social in the real world.

Privacy is yet another major cultural hindrance that Facebook has created. People put their whole lives on the Facebook page. Everything about you gets put up on Facebook, if you allow it that is. But most people do allow it. They want people to know every aspect about themselves, why? It is not necessary for me to know your phone number, address, all the schools you have attended, this is just asking for trouble.

Putting up your entire life is just asking for trouble. I am about to be a senior in college, and I am looking for potential jobs when I graduate. These companies are going to search me on Facebook, and because I did not want one stupid night where I consumed too much alcohol to affect their decision, I deleted my Facebook. Maybe later in life I will actually start up a new Facebook account to serve its main purpose, to connect with friends or family. Yet another issue with privacy is the fear of predators. I am not sure how well Facebook goes about preventing this from happening, but it still does happen. Young kids are putting up their addresses, cell phone numbers and creepy adult predators are getting this information and stalking them. These are the reasons that people should reconsider putting up everything they can about themselves on the Internet, because you never know who is looking for you.

People are unaware of the side effects of Facebook. They do not realize that they are becoming victims of social awkwardness or even privacy. For these reasons alone, I am glad that I got rid of my Facebook page. I was spending so much time online looking at people’s profiles, when I should have been out meeting them in person. No one should allow Facebook or social medias like it to take control of their lives. In my opinion, Facebook is harming more people than it is helping. 

Works Cited

Curran, K., Morrison, S., & Mc Cauley, S. (2012). Google+ vs Facebook: The Comparison. Telkomnika, 10(2), 379-388.

Kirkpatrick, D. (2010). The Facebook Effect (pp. 287-333). New York: Simon & Schuster.

Helft, M., Hempel, J., & Keating, C. (2012). Inside Facebook. Fortune, 165(4), 112-122.