My thoughts on social networking sites, and user generated content

Im Afraid to say that I too have been caught up in the craze that is the social networking websites. Facebook is perhaps the biggest form of procrastination in my student life. My experience of it is good overall, the site offers me what i need, it allows me to express myself, comment on others, and often be reminded of the night before. And prompted when certain events are happening so i know what's going on. It is fair to say that it started off as a 'thing to do' and has now become an addiction where i find myself updating my status at least once a day if not 5. I have never viewed it as an online community untill i began this blog, but I still see it as a neccessity and a great form of communication and expression. I like the fact you can chat with people, and write things on their wall and even do a bit of 'lurking' on what friends and family are up to! Not that this is cool, but we all do it! We seem to now be in the post modern stage where if you don't have Facebook, you are out dated and 'uncool'. It is the norm to use such sites, due to a desire to be conneced and informed.

Due to this rapid increase in social networking, many critics have had many opinions and views on the effects they have on society and the impact on individuals. A 2008 book published by Forrester Research Inc. titled Groundswell builds on a 2006 Forrester Report about social computing and coins the term groundswell to mean "a spontaneous movement of people using online tools to connect, take charge of their own experience, and get what they need-information, support, ideas, products, and bargaining power...from each other."

I thought I would highlight the positives and negatives as I see them of Social networking sites.

Positives;
- CMC can allow relationships to develop and communication to be possible at any given time.
- Buinesses are opting to use social networking sites and layouts as it is a good way to advertise their product.
- Social networking allows us to identify and connect with friends and strangers while on the go. Such computer mediated communication also allows us to reconnect with friends from the past whom we may have lost contact with.

Negatives;
-Employees are now more likely than before to carry on inappropriate conversations at work. Communicating through such technologies creates a relaxed feeling in a professional environment. Some messages that should be relayed in person are being sent through the computer.
- People's details are exposed on the web for all to see.
- People can change their identity and be someone they are not.

I predict that social networking websites will continue to rise in popularity, as the internet becomes more available worldwide.