Social Networking Sites Got Us!

Today, Facebook has over 400 million users worldwide. Twitter is impending to outrun it with 75 million. Friendster has gained 90 million, mostly from Southeast Asia and so on for the other social networking sites. These mere numbers are facts. However, these facts are not just plain truths. They are proof that web users around the world have given in to these social networking sites’ massive popularity. You ask why? Of course, the online phenomena didn’t just happen out of the blue.


It probably isn’t new to you that one major importance of social networking sites is communication. You can either send a message or even just a quick “hi” to anyone who may be miles away with just a single mouse click. Social networking sites truly took the bother of snail mails and expensive calls and texts away from us. Through these we can now easily keep in touch with the families on other country.


These social networking sites also feature groups and fan pages. They may either be for a cause, a school organization or a business company. Fan pages also help artists, celebrities and groups to update those who had become their fans of their latest news and whereabouts. In fact, these pages can be transformed into informal open forums by launching discussions on wall posts or notes.


Businesses can even expand on these sites. Users can turn their profiles into virtual billboards by posting their products and allowing other users to order and purchase them. And some of my friends did it and they got a bang on their individual business.


Social networking sites have also been very helpful to its users because of its capacity to search for people all over the world. However, some claim that invasion of privacy is possible since other users can delve into someone’s profile including that person’s personal information, pictures, videos and wall posts; a friend of mine was a victim. This has long been compromised by social networking sites by giving the user freedom to keep his/her profile private.


These sites have given web users a taste of convenience and efficiency. No wonder they have received tremendous acceptance from millions of people worldwide, although it’s disappointing that some of its users are too immature to use the site as means for their foolish plans. Some of them would either post scandal pictures or talk trash to a certain user on his/her profile. Some would even disregard work or study and spend more time posting nonsense and upload vanity pictures. Others keep on virtually stalking other users and even conceal on others’ identities.


True, they propose a number of disadvantages including addiction, wide-range procrastination and what else predisposed people can say. However, these obviously do not outweigh the advantages that social networking sites bring. Then again, think about it. These disadvantages are merely acts of man and not of the social networking sites.


       They do not reveal our private information nor post bad things against us. They do not waste our time. We do. We should not ignore this online revolution just because of the few flaws. As a matter of fact, I can strongly say that they not disadvantageous at all if we try to use them responsibly. What are actually disadvantages are those people who abuse them.

          Be responsible and act as a respectful person. ^_^