social networking

Our topic is mainly on socia media and the effects it has on teenagers, so we have stuck to the idea of Facebook. Facebook can be a good thing and it can also be a bad thing. Depression, sadness, and jealous takes its toll when it comes to teenagers on the Internet because they want to be certain people or they want what they can't have.

A new study suggests that nearly half of Americans believe that popular social-networking site facebook is merely a passing fad. The Associated Press and CNBC conducted a poll and found that 46% of respondents believe that Facebook will fade away as new platforms come up in the future. Still, about 43% believe the site will likely be successful for the long haul. The study was conducted among 1,000 Americans ages 18 and over, with a margin of error of 3.9%.

Despite all of the latest technological advances, people are beginning to think about the negative effects of relying on the internet. Sites like Google can sometimes impair a person’s need to think or remember a certain fact because they can simply search it, attaining results in a very short amount of time. Does this cause us to not utilize our brains to greatest extent? Perhaps, but when the world of information is on our finger tips it seems much more convenient to search the information rather than dispute it in one’s head. The article similarly says that Twitter is also taking over, limiting users to 140 words per posts that discuss ordinary aspects of everyday life. When a user has a very exciting life, then maybe it is worth reading, but to what extent is knowing where a person is every second of the day advantageous for yourself? If people spent the same time that they do reading Tweets, reading books or going to museums, or having conversations with people rather than the computer screen then perhaps it would be better off for them overall.

About four months ago I signed up for the social networking site Twitter. I looked at the site, didn't post anything, clicked the x in the right corner of the screen and didn't return for months. I signed up for the social network site to see the status updates of a favorite music artist of mine, Ben Kweller. Soon I thought back about how pointless the site was. Apperently I am not the only teen who thinks Twitter is a waste of time, but many other teens as well. I read a New York Times article that stated

"Twitter’s unparalleled explosion in popularity has been driven by a decidedly older group."

  While teens started following the whole social networking trend with Myspace, Friendster, and Facebook  Twitter just wasn't of interest to most teens aged 12-18. Older groups of people seem to be using Twitter for sale pitches, broadcasting ideas, questions and answers.

Kristin
B.S.G.E Tech 10