Social Networking SitesAre social networking sites a positive or negative influence (on communication, human interaction, etc.)?
Issue Background
Social networking sites offer online communities for users to connect and communicate through. Their popularity and cultural impact skyrocketed in the mid-2000s with the launch of Myspace, Facebook and LinkedIn. Although these sites have already become ingrained in our society, there is a recurring debate over the merits and flaws that result from our new reliance on web-based communication.
Key Arguments
» Yes
- They allow people to reconnect with old friends/family, meet new friends, and network professionally.
- They are a powerful new medium from which charitable causes can raise funds, support, and public awareness.
- For people with severe social anxiety, social networking sites can offer a comfortable outlet for interaction.
» No
- Over-reliance on web-based relationships has and will continue to degrade peoples' ability to interact in person.
- Lack of true privacy can carry heavy costs.
- They can be dangerous. There is no way to ensure that a new friend is who they say they are until you physically meet them, at which point it may be too late.
