It’s becoming a small, small world.
It seems, with the Internet, places that seemed so far away really
aren’t anymore. People you never thought you’d communicate with
are a button away. Social media is a concept that has grown in leaps
and bounds over the past few years. Many companies and people now see
Facebook and Twitter as a valid method of raising their profile. The Internet affords an instant connection to a global audience which is
now being used to its full potential by these companies.
There are great examples of social
media. One of them relates to my employment. The company I work for
sells kitchen appliance online. Maybe not the most interesting of
things. But that’s the beauty of social media. We can make it
interesting. Through a representative who is considered the ‘face’
of our business, we gained interest on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.
Facebook has almost 50,000 people interested in what we are doing.
Twitter has almost 5,000 follows. We have created a community that
shares information and gets involved. When news gets out, it’s
shared almost immediately.
The Bad
But is this always a good thing? Like
human nature, social networking can become pretty disappointing at
times. Like all technology, it can be abused, twisted and turned
into something negative. Remember the riots last year? The planning
of that was done in part via certain social networks. The
instantaneous communication that resulted from social networking mean
that people were informed about police locations and actions before
the police had chance to maintain an effective presence.
Basically, it was like the flash mob
from hell.
And the Ugly...
The negative sides to people can really
come out in new ways thanks to the Internet. For example, bullying
can take on a whole new level that transcends the physical. Tales in
the news of cyber bullying are constant. This isn’t focused solely
on school children or work colleagues. More recognisable faces are in
fact more likely to be targeted in this way. Matt Lucas (of Little
Britain Fame) for example, felt he had to leave Twitter because of
derogatory comments made about his partner, who recently passed away.
The argument could also be made that
whilst it makes communication between people much simpler, are we
damaging the personal relationships of those closest to us? People
are now ‘addicted’ to networking sites, which can have an adverse
effect on their personal as well as professional life.
A decline in productivity has been seen
in companies that allow access to Facebook and Twitter. And remember,
often your personal information contained on these sites can create a
‘life brand’ potential employer might check to see if you are
suitable candidates.
Those ‘harmless’ comments, photos
and posts you and your friends might have found amusing may actually
work against you in the long run. Think about when you meet someone
new. They seem to really like you, until they see your Facebook and
Twitter posts that make disparaging remarks. These days, no one is
anonymous.
Social media and social networking
takes a certain amount of responsibility. When used right, it can be
a powerful tool. When used wrong, then lives can be affected in the
real world.
About the Author-
Halit Bozdogan is a writer for
Appliances
Online. He likes Japanese culture, has lived in
Japan, loves playing squash and is going to be a father in July.
It’s a boy, so the only real question is which will be his
favourite; Batman or Spider-man! You can follow Halit on Twitter
@TheBozDog
Disclaimer:
The opinions expressed in this article and the picture used are those of the author, and
they are in no way related to the Dispassionate Observer.
