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Social Networking PROS and CONS
         Social Networking PROS and CONS




             re you an online network socialite? Do you Tweet   Social networking sites are a part of everyday life
         Aabout your Facebook status while listening to         and they have brought revolutionary  changes in
         music on FM? Have your friends noticed that you'll     communication  between  people.  These sites  provide
         only talk to them 140 characters at a time? Then       different resources such as email and instant messages
         you've got your finger on the pulse of online social   in one place. Availability of these resources makes the
         networking.                                            communication easy and faster. When we look at the
                                                                social impact of social networking sites, we find that
         Just a few years ago, the idea of an online social     these sites have both positive and negative effects.
         network was revolutionary. While the web has always    Because of this fact,  it  is necessary to analyze both
         provided a way for people to make connections with     advantage and drawbacks of social networking sites.
         one another, social networking sites made it easier
         than ever to find old friends and make new ones.       Undoubtedly,    social   networking    sites   are
         Today, it's rare to find someone who hasn't at least   advantageous  to young  generation. With the
         heard of Facebook,  Twitter or one of a hundred        help  of  these  sites,  people  can communicate  and
         other social networks.                                 express themselves  by exchanging messages
                                                                and comments.  Social  networking  sites  help
         Social networking is the grouping of individuals into   in  establishing  connection with  people,  friends
         specific groups, like small rural communities or a     and relatives.  These social  networking  websites
         neighborhood  subdivision, if you will.   Although     help  people  in  finding  their  old  classmates  or  ex-
         social networking is possible in person, especially    colleagues at work. Infact this was the main reason
         in the workplace, universities, and high schools, it   for  establishing  one of  the  most  popular social
         is most popular online.                                networking site of these days, ‘Facebook’. The site
                                                                was developed by Mark Suckerberg and couple of
         This is because unlike most high schools, colleges,    his classmates while they were students at Harward
         or workplaces, the internet is filled with millions of   University. The membership was initially restricted
         individuals  who  are  looking  to  meet  other  people,   to his colleagues and later on expanded to students
         to  gather  and  share  first-hand  information  and   in other university. But in 2006 it was opened to
         experiences  about  cooking,  golfing,  gardening,     the public and today it has a massive user base
         developing friendships professional alliances, finding   reached above 1.3  billion  users.  These sites  can
         employment,  business-to-business  marketing  and      be accessed from any part of the globe. Therefore,
         even groups sharing information about baking cookies   a person can interact with any person  from any
         to the Thrive Movement. The topics and interests are   place. For example a student can clear his doubts
         as varied and rich as the story of our universe.       with the help of a teacher. People having different
                                                                professions can make groups like doctors, lawyers,
         When it comes to online social networking, websites    students, poets, writers, social workers etc.
         are commonly used. These websites are known as
         Social networking sites. Social networking websites    Social networking sites help in sharing of information
         function  like  an online  community  of  internet     and ideas with likeminded people or groups. In
         users.  Depending on the  website  in  question,       fact many of these days’ peoples’ movements were
         many of  these  online  community  members  share      ignited from the sparks created inside the social
         common interests in hobbies, religion, politics and    medias. So the power of social media these days is
         alternative lifestyles. Once you are granted access    unimaginable.
         to a social networking website  you can begin to
         socialize. This socialization may include reading the   Social media provides various types of communication
         profile pages of other members and possibly even       facilities. It ranges from emails to instant messaging.
         contacting them.                                       So the user doesn’t need to wait for hours or days
                                                                for a response from his peer or friends. Most of the


















          80   Scientech 2014-15                                                                  www.sifbahrain.com
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