Online Social Networking Paper
Name
SOC/100
Date
Instructor Name
Online Social Networking Paper
Social websites have become a large part of everyday life for many, and none looms larger than Facebook. A social network with 1.11 billion monthly users, and 655 million daily active users ("Iamwire", 2013), Facebook, at its very basic core offers the ability to communicate with others from all over the world. What is communicated, and to whom is entirely up to the user. Some choose to update friends and family on happenings in their lives, while others take a more passive approach and use the site to simply stay in touch with loved ones. Videos, pictures, and music can be shared on Facebook, and as a result has been a key promotional tool for companies looking to sell their products. Official pages have been created for films, artists, food chains, and various other services as a way to spread word of new promotions, as well as communicate directly to consumers.
Some of the team’s experiences were initially consumed by Facebook. The ability to find old friends, update others with our own happenings, and catch up with former classmates and co-workers was hard to resist. However, that rush faded and their participation went from active to passive rather quickly. One observation of the website contends with an image of astonishing happiness than to really form deep relationships. A revelation that sees little middle ground between those who share too much, and others who do not share content at all. Others found a more practical use for the site, such as taking advantage of its communication capabilities to keep in contact with his friends and family while being deployed in the military. Finally, another team member discovered Facebook as a useful tool to connect with local non-profits and other establishments working for social good.
Cultural Significance of