Social networking Websites...the two sides of a coin..

POSITIVE ASPECTS OF SOCIAL NETWORKING:

There are numerous advantages of social networking, even though most parents see it as another way that kids waste time. Social networking has opened up a new way to communicate, so while a child's posts may not be essential today, he is still learning skills that could be very valuable tomorrow. Some of the positive aspects of social networking are as following:

·         The social websites have turned the whole into a global village, removing distances and bringing people closer.

·         You can use social networking to form relationships with other people from your company, or people in other companies in an industry and build an online reputation.

·         Social networking provides a great way for you to stay in touch with people who may have moved away because it is a regularly used medium of communication.

·         One can use social networking to get feedback on ideas immediately, or to ask questions and get answers quickly.

·         Social networking helps you learn about diversity and get exposure to multiple points of view. Ultimately, this exposure can help you to learn to look at things from different angles, and be more tolerant of other people's opinions.

·         One may come to know new people by the virtue of social networking websites. This really helps minimize, if not remove, the barriers between people and ultimately helps in integration of the society. 

·         Social networking helps individuals to overcome their timidity.

·         People may use the platform of social websites to promote business free of cost.

·         Many people have availed job opportunities with the help of such websites, so they are a source of earning for them.

·         Many student organizations have specific social networks designed to help students connect. This provides educational assistance.

·         Individuals are also able to learn use of technology via social networking.

·         Additionally, youngsters are now able to establish a virtual personal identity for themselves and learn valuable life skills such as decision-making, critical thinking skills and communication strategies.

·         These sites are also sometimes used to find people.

NEGATIVE ASPECTS OF SOCIAL NETWORKING:

·         Most of the people are not taking the right advantage of social networking and waste their time on such websites, just for fun sake.

·         There is an element of addictiveness in these sites and the youth are indeed getting endeared more and more into this addiction.

·         Phishing or scamming is common on social networks, where scammers may try to steal or use your personal information. It that can be used for potential crime such as identity theft or fraud, which could do irreparable damage to your online reputation.

·         Social websites could be sharing your private information with third party companies who could be able to access your private information.

·         Certain activities should not be disclosed to all, which youngsters love to brag about. This often leads to dispute or issues with great risks in their personal and professional lives or educational institutes.

·         Social media sites could leave a company vulnerable to hackers and hecklers because they provide information on what a company is doing and offer a platform to generate spiteful negative comments that could hurt the reputation of a business.

·         Students are getting involved in wrong activities and ruining their future after such sites.

·         Sometimes online comments on others or some inappropriate actions may cause a legal action against the users.

·         Internet ghouls can use false identities to commit serious crimes and many escape from being caught too. They are also known as “frandshippers” in the web terms.

·         Hacking of the social websites is a common practice on internet, resulting in loss of important data or its approach in the wrong hands.

·         It is possible that a person can hunt you down physically and stalk you with the data from your personal profile page. Moreover, while using applications on such sites, it's not only your own data at risk, but it's your friend's data too.

·          Most systems do not allow children under the age of 13 to join these sites, but it is easy to fool such systems. Children may mingle up with strangers and put themselves into great trouble like child pornography, kidnaps and immoral activities.

·         Spending too much time on the computers and surfing excessively through internet causes major health problems including damage to eyes, bones and body posture and brain cells. It also acts as a cause of obesity, sleeplessness, mind laziness and lack of productivity.

·         Hate groups and polls against others spread negative energy in the society, creating restlessness and frustrations.  Such groups actually possess the capability to bring about a new world of e-extremism and terrorism. The group posted links to extreme ideologies written by jailed authors.