Do we spend far to much time chatting and playing games with people we call friends but have never actually met? Is this taking away our ability to meet normal people face to face?
Has social networking taken over from the art of making real, strong, structured, networks of friends?
Facebook, Yearbook and My space are just part of the social networking groups that are available to us on line. Do we spend too much time and effort in these groups? Or are they just a way of promoting who and what we are?
Are we spending too much time sitting at our computers when we should be out having fun and forming new relationships in person?
There are good and bad sides to these social networking groups and as with every thing else the negative side always makes the bigger news story.
For the single parent or older person who can’t get out to socialize, they are a way of staying in contact with the world around them. They may have friends or family living on the other side of the world. With the social networks you don’t even have to pay for a phone call to stay in touch.
Joining groups within the social networks can be fun and highly rewarding. There are games on Facebook where you earn points that are converted into money for charities. Of course the admin take a cut of the revenue produced but most of the people playing probably wouldn’t have even thought about giving money to charity, so it can’t all be a bad thing. A lot of charities use the social networking sites to promote their cause.
Like anywhere else on the Internet you have people that are not truly honest and you must learn to be a good judge of character and not disclose any personal information about yourself. Address and phone numbers should be totally kept to yourself. There are normally emails attached to these sites anyway so if they want to get in touch with you they can leave a message there.
Some of the people that use these sites are looking for an extramarital relationships or just sex and will message others asking them to meet on MSN, where they will have a web cam or video built into their computer to use for watching the other person do sex acts or show themselves doing sex acts. My advice here is not to trust them as I am sure there are plenty of women and men, who have found the video’s floating around the Internet after these such sessions.
There was a man that actually murdered his wife when he found out she had posted herself as single on one of these sights. So always think long and hard about what you are doing.
To summarise the whole social networking culture, cherish the people you know and always add caution to the mixture when you are dealing with people you have never met and therefore can only take on face value. Keep your clothes fully on and you can’t go wrong.
Image by Ivan Walsh via Flickr
Image via Wikipedia
Image via Wikipedia
September 22nd, 2009 at 10:32 am
Hey Miss L…Some great advice. It is so easy to become too “familiar” with someone when you think you are protected by the anonymity of the internet…a trap that many of us easily fall into not fully cognizant of the repercussions and fallout. It takes time to establish trust and friendships through some of these social networks. Personally, I am leery of them and that is why I am not onMy Space, My Face, Facebook, Spacebook, Twitter, Tweeter, Sitter, Sweeter…whatever they all go by!!! Thanks for the post and the advice…hope people heed it.
September 22nd, 2009 at 1:43 pm
Triond is my only online social network. I’m all about publishing, reading and commenting. Anything beyond that is a waste of my time.
September 22nd, 2009 at 4:47 pm
I only use FB to look up and keep in touch with friends, both old and new. It’s a great way to locate those you have lost touch with. I am very wary of the other uses and the habit of just touting for friends, and would never do such a thing looking for a relationship/one night stand! Triond is fairly safe in my opinion, but it has become more of a social utility in recent times.
September 23rd, 2009 at 3:25 am
well I like the social side, after being ill and not being able to get out the social networks were the only door to the outside world! and I can rabbit on for England!
September 23rd, 2009 at 8:46 am
I like your article. practical and real.
September 23rd, 2009 at 2:41 pm
I think it’s O.K. if we wash our hands often.
September 23rd, 2009 at 4:34 pm
I really liked your article you explored many aspects of sharing and being involved on networks. Whilst it’s good to network one must be wise in the security.
September 24th, 2009 at 3:32 am
well, social networking and such stuffs are not harmful at all until we get addicted to it and start forgetting other priorities in life.
October 19th, 2009 at 3:07 pm
Very well thought! I agree with writing4angels. It would be fine if we could meet all our friends here for real! Some are so far away…
Thank you and best wishes to all.