The way people communicate has been significantly changed by technology, eliminating the need for physical presence. In the past, certain tasks required face-to-face interactions, but now a laptop and web cam are enough. Facebook and Twitter have played a major role in making cyber communication popular. While these platforms enable global connections, they also have negative effects on many users.
The use of social networking sites presents dangers to individuals’ privacy, academic performance, offline social interactions, and mental well-being. Privacy violations are often dismissed but have significant consequences. Online leakage and exploitation of personal information is easily possible. In an article titled “Teenagers, Parents and Teachers Unaware of Social Networking Risks,” author Victoria discusses a report by Dr. Henderson that highlights various potential issues like privacy infringement, trust breach, disclosure, defamation, intellectual property rights violation, copyright infringement, and criminal laws related to harassment and offensive content distribution. The report proposes integrating education on legal risks associated with social media into school curricula. Many people ignore or underestimate these risks when signing up for social networking sites which exposes their personal information to anyone.
In her report “Negative Impact of Social Networking Sites,” Karen Frazier reveals that privacy settings on social networking sites can be bypassed, despite users’ belief in the security of their personal data due to strict security settings. Research conducted by Northeastern University and Max Planck Institute for Software Systems in 2010 discovered that an algorithm can analyze a user’s friend list to determine their personal attributes, even when all other privacy settings are enabled.
By implementing the algorithm, it was possible for researchers to deduce numerous personal characteristics solely from friend lists on social media platforms such as educational background, alma mater, place of origin, and other confidential data (Frazier). The findings of this investigation demonstrate that despite utilizing all available privacy settings, individuals can still discover personal details. These insights can be misused for various inappropriate purposes like tracking someone’s residential address, workplace, educational institution, and more.
The limitless dangers of personal information being revealed on the internet are accompanied by a prevalent issue concerning students’ academic performance. Even younger individuals are now attracted to social networking sites, including Facebook and Twitter, which cause distractions across different grade levels. Instead of devoting time to studying or finishing assignments, students become sidetracked by their computers and can waste hours on these platforms. Consequently, Facebook’s impact can be disruptive and negatively affect learning.
According to a study, students in middle school, high school, and college who checked Facebook at least once during a 15-minute study period obtained lower grades. This distraction affects not only younger students but also catches the attention of professors when the quality of college students’ work diminishes. Marlee Shaulis conducted interviews on the impact of Facebook on college students and quotes Professor Swarndeep Gill from the CalU earth science department in an article for CalTimes. Professor Gill states that Facebook can be highly distracting.
According to Gill, many of his students’ grades reflect their tendency to get distracted by Facebook and spend excessive time on their computers. This raises concerns as they should be dedicating more attention to their homework, considering the challenges of college. Gill emphasizes that good grades require intense focus and Facebook serves as a hindrance in achieving this goal (Shaulis). In fact, when students become too engrossed in social networking, it negatively impacts their commitment to other essential tasks.
Students who believe they can engage in both website browsing and work simultaneously might argue against this notion. However, according to Jolie O’Dell’s article on “Mashable,” multitasking between Facebook and studying has been found to cause a 20% drop in grades compared to students who concentrate solely on their assignments (O’Dell). This implies that although it is feasible to juggle social networking and homework, it is highly probable that it will result in decreased effort and subsequently lower grades. Once individuals become immersed in the online realm, it becomes increasingly difficult to shift that mindset.
In his article “Social Networking Sites’ Effect on Relationships Among Students,” Joe Thomas discusses how social networking sites can impact communication and emotions. According to McMillan, individuals who are afraid of these sites may experience social isolation and struggle with developing social skills. The use of these sites can also lead to increased power dynamics between genders, and individuals who are already antisocial offline may become even more introverted when using the Internet. Young adults in particular may feel overwhelmed and consumed by the online world (McMillan et).
Al (2006) states that individuals in this group have negative relationships with others both online and offline. These negative interactions on social media platforms can greatly affect their self-esteem, especially if they receive unfavorable reactions on their profile.
Thomas states that negative emotions arising from online experiences can affect a person’s social life and lead to misunderstandings with people who are unaware of the online situation. Furthermore, using social networking sites such as Facebook can impede one’s ability to communicate effectively in face-to-face interactions. Meghan Gavin, a junior interviewed by Marlee Shaulis, recognizes that these platforms impact students’ ability to communicate in person and often result in neglecting proper interpersonal skills (Shaulis).
Sophomore Katie Mitcheson points out that Facebook not only removes emotions and personal connections from communication, but also replaces face-to-face meetings with virtual chats on the platform’s instant messenger or comment section. This applies to interactions with friends, family members, and even employers (Shaulis). Such reliance on these platforms eliminates the incentive and necessity for in-person meetings, resulting in a decline in social skills developed during childhood. Consequently, this can pose difficulties during school interviews, job interviews, or any other significant face-to-face interactions.
Larry D. Rosen, PhD, a psychology professor at California State University, conducted a study called “Poke Me: How Social Networks Can Both Help and Harm Our Kids.” In this study, it was discovered that excessive use of social networking can negatively impact an individual’s psychological well-being (Rosen). Specifically, teenagers who constantly use Facebook may develop narcissistic tendencies, while young adults may exhibit signs of various psychological disorders. Additionally, frequent usage of social media platforms can contribute to feelings of depression.
Jolie O’Dell suggests that college students may encounter negative consequences like lower grades, financial difficulties, and increased feelings of depression or loneliness. Many college students feel more unhappy than their friends on Facebook, with approximately 25% expressing signs of severe depression in their status updates. These emotions can be linked to various online sources and can worsen if they result from cyberbullying. Reynol Junco examines instances of cyberbullying in his article “The Need for Student Social Media Policies,” which emphasizes the concerning use of social media by students. The tragic case of Tyler Clementi serves as an extreme illustration of cyberbullying, where Tyler’s roommate allegedly live-streamed a video depicting him kissing another man and then posted about it on Twitter, ultimately leading to Tyler’s suicide. Cyberbullying entails purposefully humiliating, harassing, or tormenting someone through digital media.
While cyberbullying may not be as extreme on college/university campuses as it was in the tragic Clementi case, it is still a prevalent and serious issue. According to the Pew Internet & American Life Project, 32 percent of teenagers who use the Internet have encountered cyberbullying, including the sharing of private content and pictures, spreading rumors, and making threats online (Junco).
The impact of cyberbullying on a person’s mental well-being can be significant, leading to heightened anger or depression. This form of bullying is predominantly observed on social networking sites. In summary, social networking platforms present various concerns. While they may seem harmless for communication and entertainment, the detrimental effects they have on users’ lives are considerable. Additionally, these networks jeopardize individuals’ privacy as anyone conducting a search can easily access their personal information.
Having a negative impact on students’ grades, distractions during study time, altering offline socialization skills and relying on screens, and potentially causing psychological issues like narcissism and depression due to cyberbullying.
Works Cited
The sources used for this text include:
– Dunn, Jeff. “Edudemic. ” The 10 Best and Worse Ways Social Media Impacts Education. 2011. Web.
– Frazier, Karen. “LovetoKnow Social Networking. ” Negative Impact of Social Networking Sites. Web.
– Junco, Reynol. “Educause Review. The Need For Student Social Media Policies. 2011. Print.
– O’Dell, Jolie. “Mashable. ” For Students, What is the “Facebook Effect” on Grades? 2011. Print.
– “OneIndia News. ” Facebook May Cause Psychological Disorders: Study. 2011. Print.
– Shaulis, Marlee. “CalTimes. ” Facebook has Negative Effects on College Students. Pennsylvania. 2012. Print.
– Thomas, Joe. “Yahoo! Contributor Network.” Social Networking Sites’ Effect on Relationships Among Students. 2007. Web.
– Victoria. “ScienceDaily.” Teenagers, Parents and Teachers Unaware of Social Networking Risks. 2011. Print.
