With so many social media sites now online, one has to ask the question, Which one is best for me? Well it is no mistake Facebook is leading the charge when it comes to social media activity, with MySpace somewhere out there these days. But what is really happening with us all these days? We all seem to be jumping online every spare moment we have to check for updates or who has written on our wall.
I am raising the issue of social media websites because where once upon a time most families would have family time, these days you visit someone and when you ask the question ‘where are the kids?’, the reply is commonly, ‘oh they are around, probably on Facebook’. What is happening to family time when most kids, and even adults, are tuning into Facebook or some type of social media channel?
Sure it maybe social whilst online, but are our children (and are we) loosing real life social skills by being online every spare second we have? I know my oldest daughter will text me or send me a Facebook message when she wants to communicate with me. WHY? I would much rather she pick up the phone and call me – she has an unlimited cap.
I do believe that the growing use of the Internet is making people of all ages, particularly Gen Y, unsocial in real life. However; there are many points that need to be factored in before jumping to final conclusions.
Let’s consider these points first:
First most people would partly agree that using too much of the Internet is making people of all ages unsocial to some extent. I have hardly seen anybody not using some type of social media channel while in the work place (if it’s not blocked). I assume that people feel more comfortable while exchanging info over chat or mail. But at times it becomes mandatory to talk either in person or over phone to clarify things and to avoid misunderstanding and miscommunication.
Hours are lost or stolen by employees sitting on social media websites during work hours. I know I monitor activity within our office and I had to restrict Facebook activity to before work, during lunch and after hours unless it was business related. So are bosses being ripped off ? Social-networking sites might be fun and beneficial — until your employer catches you bad-mouthing the boss. And employees need to be cautious when pulling sick days especially extended weekends because bosses will check your social media sites for activity on the day you were meant to be sick. Many human resource departments in big companies now dedicate a specialist to monitor this.
Most of social media users believe that these sites help them manage to keep in touch with their friends, and staying in touch with friends who are geographically apart, make new friends, find old friends and for business networking as well. I do feel networking online gives people, and teenagers in particular, a safe environment to interact. You have the choice of limiting access to your life to a selected few. Companies make use of social networking to market their products, mind you social media was never originally designed to be a big business marketing tool. Now companies have jumped in on the van wagon and are cluttering the information super highway with their litter.
People can get job opportunities via these sites. Some users believe that social networking not only provides friends both old and new, but provides you with communities to share similar interest fostering a strong sense of belonging. They also provide a space which gives you the freedom to voice personal opinions on various issues.
In summary:
Either you agree or disagree from the topic. I believe that online social networking, like most things, has its good points and its bad. Moderation is the key and in moderation social media will not be turning people unsocial in real life, rather it can help to widen the business and social network of people across the world – enabling people who are geographically far apart to communicate easily. However I do believe that all social media should be limited in the work place around employees and limited around children. We need to keep good work and family ethics as a priority.