RESEARCH ON SOCIAL EFFECTS OF SOCIAL NETOWRKING SITES FOCUSING ON FACEBOOK

Abstract

Social network sites are increasingly attracting the attention of academic and industry researchers intrigued by their affordances and reach. In this research article, we will describe features of social networking sites and give a brief discussion on the social effects of it focusing especially on facebook.

Introduction

Since their introduction, social network sites (SNSs) such as MySpace, Facebook, Cyworld, and Bebo have attracted millions of users, many of whom have integrated these sites into their daily practices. As of this writing, there are hundreds of SNSs, with various technological affordances, supporting a wide range of interests and practices. While their key technological features are fairly consistent, the cultures that emerge around SNSs are varied. Most sites support the maintenance of pre-existing social networks, but others help strangers connect based on shared interests, political views, or activities. Some sites cater to diverse audiences, while others attract people based on common language or shared racial, sexual, religious, or nationality-based identities. Sites also vary in the extent to which they incorporate new information and communication tools, such as mobile connectivity, blogging, and photo/video-sharing.

Social Network Sites: Discussion

We define social network sites as web-based services that allow individuals to construct a public or semi-public profile within a bounded system, articulate a list of other users with whom they share a connection, and view and negotiate their list of connections and those made by others within the system. The nature and classification of these connections may vary from site to site.

What makes social network sites unique is not that they allow individuals to meet strangers, but rather that they enable users to articulate and make visible their social networks. Social Networking Sites (SNSs) have implemented a wide variety of technical features, their backbone consists of visible profiles that display an articulated list of Friends who are also users of the system. Profiles are unique pages where one can "type oneself into being". After joining an SNS, an individual is asked to fill out forms containing a series of questions. The profile is generated using the answers to these questions, which typically include descriptors such as age, location, interests, and an "about me" section. Most sites also encourage users to upload a profile photo. Some sites allow users to enhance their profiles by adding multimedia content or modifying their profile's look and feel. Others, such as Facebook, allow users to add modules ("Applications") that enhance their profile. The label for these relationships differs depending on the site—popular terms include "Friends," "Contacts," and "Fans." Most SNSs require bi-directional confirmation for Friendship, but some do not. Most SNSs also provide a mechanism for users to leave messages on their Friends' profiles. This feature typically involves leaving "comments", sending applications, playing games, chatting and many other entertaining features.

Negative effects of Facebook

Facebook has quickly become one of the most popular social networking websites on the internet. These days it's not only available on our computer but through most mobile devices like cell phones and 'I-Phones'. And like all things that become so popular, it has developed some downsides. Here are just some of the negative effects of using Facebook .

Facebook is quite addictive. Once you get started you'll find yourself checking it everyday if not more. You'll be quickly hooked on reading all of your friend's updated status messages and trying to come up with interesting ones to post for yourself. Everyday Facebook will recommend 'people you may know' as possible friends to connect with as you spend hours going through the list looking for old high school friends or former sweethearts from past romances. Then there are all the pictures. You'll be uploading pictures of yourself, your family, your kids, your dog, your car, etc. almost every day. Then you have to spend time adding witty and descriptions to the pictures and tag all the faces of your friends all while deciding which picture should be your default picture for today. You'll also spend hours looking at all of your friends' pictures too, leaving fun and entertaining comments for them and others to read.

One of the most addictive things on Facebook is all of the games that are available. From bowling against your friends to starting your own mob; there are literally hundreds of game applications for your Facebook account. You'll find yourself spending hours upon hours playing games against your friends instead of doing your work or spending time with your family. To say Facebook is addictive is an understatement.

Another negative effect of Facebook is how accessible it makes you. Once you have signed up for a Facebook account you have made yourself completely exposed to the world. Anyone who wants to find out anything about you will be able to find it on Facebook . If you have exes who are trying to find you, or people in your life who want to stalk you or intimidate you, they'll have easy access to do it through Facebook . Maybe you have some old friends who you don't want to talk to anymore or someone you owe money to. Facebook helps these people find you sometimes with little effort.

Facebook can also affect you when trying to join a club or finding a new job. Many organizations and business now include social networking sites like Facebook in their background checks of potential members and employees. They'll be able to see all of your information, your age, location, whether or not you're employed somewhere else. If you're a fan of questionable type things like drugs, alcohol or pornography they might learn about it through Facebook . They'll also know if you are married or single and if you have kids or not. Plus they'll be judging you by looking at all of your pictures posted by you and friends. And if you have questionable pictures of yourself perhaps scantily dressed or involved in unprofessional things like parties and such, it could make or break you with that organization. Unfortunately most people don't realize that Facebook opens up our identity to millions of people and some of these people may use what they find against us.

The other negative effect, as with many websites online, is identity theft. Sometimes Facebook users provide too much personal information in their profiles and expert thieves can use this information to steal your identity. Listing your age, birth date, address, location, occupation, and other personal information can sometimes be all it takes for one of these deceitful people to take advantage of you. In some cases Facebook uses provide information without even realizing it. Simple things like a picture that has your car's license plate in it or posting a status message saying that you'll be on vacation for the next week; an invitation for burglars to rob your house. You need to be very careful with what the information you allow others to see on your Facebook page. If you do it right and keep these things in mind, you'll find Facebook to be a safe and fun place to stay in touch with friends.

"Words can't describe me", is how Adnan Patrawala, 16 yr old teenager from Mumbai, India had described himself on his Orkut profile. However, his kidnappers and murderers got to know a little more of him and ensnared him into a trap which ultimately led to the death of the young boy. This is perhaps an extreme example of the social impact of these social networking sites such as Orkut, Facebook, MySpace and Friendster on today's youth. But there is no denying its presence or its effects in our lives and minds today.

Often these days when we make new friends we do not ask, "What's your number?" Or "What's your email id?" Instead we ask, "What's your MySpace"? or "Are you on Orkut?" Such is the impact of these sites on our lives .The way we speak, the way we interact and the way we think is changing. Words such as scrapping, blogging, teasers which a few years back wouldn't have made any sense to anybody; but today it's being used with so much spontaneity.

As a matter of fact, Google even has links to sites, which gives the world's most popular acronyms. It is amusing but that is the way it is.

However, these sites fulfill a very basic criterion of humans. It is that of communication. People living in extreme corners of the world are seen to be getting married, friends from far-off places are able to keep in touch with each other and lovers from two parts of the world stay connected with each other's emotional needs. These help us make new friends, stay in touch with the old ones and let us know more about the persons we care... their likes, dislikes, interests and emotions.

There is an element of addictiveness in these sites and the youth are indeed getting endeared more and more into this addiction. The most appealing thing among these sites is that they provide a platform for the individuals to express their views, gives them the freedom of choice and expression... from anti-war campaigns to global warming issues, from Harry potter fan clubs to Osama bin Laden hate clubs there is everything for everyone to share and speak about.

What else could be more appealing than the thought of being heard not just by your group of friends but to the whole wide world. And that is where I feel these sites are here to stay. It just emphasizes the fact that man is a social being and shall always remain so.

References

Acquisti, A., & Gross, R. (2006). Imagined communities: Awareness, information sharing, and privacy on the Facebook. In P. Golle & G. Danezis (Eds.), Proceedings of 6th Workshop on Privacy Enhancing Technologies (pp. 36-58). Cambridge, UK: Robinson College.

Benzie, R. (2007, May 3). Facebook banned for Ontario staffers. The Star. Retrieved July 21, 2007 fromhttp://www.thestar.com/News/article/210014

Chafkin, M. (2007, June). How to kill a great idea! Inc. Magazine. Retrieved August 27, 2007 fromhttp://www.inc.com/magazine/20070601/features-how-to-kill-a-great-idea.html

Major points to remember in Media system in India

Political system: Democratic republic with bicameral multiparty parliamentary system.

Cultural system: Multi ethnic, multi lingual, multi religious, pluralistic society.

Economic system: Free market and monopoly. Movie industry:2^nd largest source of Income.

Media ownership: media houses controlled by typical family class of india.

Television: 1400 tv station, 4^th largest TV station around the world. Ramayana, Mahabharata telecasted in tv.

Radio: Initiated in 1924, 312 radio stations (AM/FM), Air Rainbow FM is one of the most earning fm in India. (It earns 2.5 - 7.5 Crores per year)

Print media: Established: 1780, 2^nd largest market in the world (on the basis of distribution 60-65 million per day), 4 major publishing groups. (3285- newspapers, including 252 in English)

Magazine- 100's of audience interest magazines, 3 dozen political magazines.

Online: 81,000,000 internet users. 11^th largest country that uses broadband.

Film Industry: Biggest film industry of world (Bollywood), 100 movies per year, 2 movies per day, multi language movies.

Advertising: Started in 1875, N.W. Ayer and son – First ad agency to get space in print media.

News agencies: 40 domestic agencies. (eg. Press Trust of India, United news of india)

Music Industry: Established 1907 – Gramophone, Film music is dominated, 4 dozen music industry.

Summary :The media in India represents a confluence of paradoxes: tradition and modernity; anarchy and order; diversity and unity; conflict and cooperation; news and views; feudalism and democracy; the free market and monopoly.

Economic realities and relationships between press, television and those who own these engines of control and change will eventually determine the future of India's communication culture. India's complex cultural mosaic, especially linguistic and communal, strengthens its diversity. The media and press continue to play a dominant role in deconstructing the diversity discourse that sometimes flares up in explosive situations.

Capitalism, the press, and public hunger for news promote a culture of media that is fast replacing the legacy of a feudal/colonial system. While corporatization and state regulations can muffle free expression, the force of public interest and the market economy strive for greater freedom and openness. Both politics and capitalism thrive on the liberties of a democratic system that continues to evolve into a functional hybrid of chaos and order.