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What Are the Pros and Cons of Social Networking?

The pros and cons of social networking and social media are varied and often
connected to each other. While social networking sites provide networking opportunities,
ways to quickly transmit information, as well as ways for old friends and family members to
stay in touch, they have their drawbacks. Opportunities for legitimate networking can be
exploited by scammers and hackers, gossip and rumors can spread just as quickly as actual
news, and stalkers can use social networks to further exploit and harass their victims.


Social media sites are perhaps best known for their abilities to connect people who
have similar interests but who may not have ever had the opportunity to meet because of
geographical, social, or time limitations. Perhaps chief among the "pros" of social networking
is the ability of "average" people to learn about others with whom they may share crucial
information and develop business and personal friendships. Social networking has proved a
boon for people with specialized hobbies and interests, but it also enables people to get
acquainted at a safe distance. Unfortunately, some individuals use social media as a way of
cheating a gullible public, either through outright scams, such as an appeal for money for a
non-existent hospital bill, or by using the social network to spread computer viruses or to
gather personal information to be used in identity theft.

Many people use networking sites to share news and information with their friends
and family. Many social media platforms make it very easy for users to share links to
Internet-based stories, articles, photographs, and blog posts. The pros and cons of social
networking information are once again deeply connected: While it is easy for someone to
share and spread an important news story, such as one about a natural disaster or a
significant health concern, it can be difficult to contain the spread of a story that includes
misinformation. Many experts in school bullying also recognize this problem, as students can
easily use these sites as a way of spreading viscous rumors about schoolmates.

It's also possible to misuse social networking information for the purposes
of harassment or violence. For many people, these sites are a wonderful way of staying in
touch with family and friends, particularly those who live far away. Users often share a great
deal of personal information about themselves on these sites and may even use them to
record their day-to-day activities. While this can be a great way of maintaining relationships,
stalkers and other people with bad intentions may use this information to harass and even
injure site users. Social media participants should take advantage of privacy protections
offered by their sites and restrict what information strangers can learn about them from their
profiles.

From http://www.wisegeek.com/what-are-the-pros-and-cons-of-social-networking.htm

The Advantages and Disadvantages of Social
Networking

Social networking is a recent invention that
has the Internet still at the edge of its seat
due to its popularity with people. This is
mostly because it really is for the people.
Bringing every kind of social group together
in one place and letting them interact is
really a big thing indeed. Everything about
it lies on the advantages and disadvantages
of social networking, and what it can do for
you.
Here are the advantages that can be more than enough for you to want to join in.

Low Costs
Definitely, it's cheaper to use online social networking
for both personal and business use because most of it is usually free.
While personal use is rather simple for anyone, the business functions are underestimated by
many. In a social networking site, you can scout out potential customers and target markets
with just a few clicks and keystrokes, adding a boost to your usual advertisements and
promotional strategies. It lets you learn about their likes and dislikes, which is tremendous.
If you want to fine tune your business, then this is the way to go, whether on a budget or not.

Builds Credibility
You definitely can gain the customers' confidence if you can connect to them on both a
personal and professional level. Despite having to do a bit of work, it definitely pays off as
you can be tapped for an offer if someone catches wind of your products or services. As long
as you don't pursue them too aggressively, you will do well here.
Connections
You are friends with people who have other friends, and so on. There is potential in such a
common situation. By using a social networking site, you can do what you can and get
connected with these people to form a web of connections that can give you leverage if you
play your cards right. As long as you give as well as you recieve, then they will most likely
stick with you. These connections are definitely valuable in the long run.
That definitely sounds enticing. However, what about the disadvantages though?
Lack of Anonymity
You are putting out information about your name, location, age, gender, and many other
types of information that you may not want to let others know. Most people would say be
careful, but no one can be certain at any given time. As long as people can know who you
exactly are, then some can find ways to do you in.
Scams and Harassment
There is a potential for failure of security in both personal and business context. While many
sites apply certain measures to keep any of these cases of harassment, cyber-stalking, online
scams, and identity theft to an absolute minimum, you still may never know.
Time Consuming
If this is not your kind of thing, that it would just be a waste of time for you. The key to social
networking is that it is supposed to be fun, whether you are just doing it for kicks or clicking
around for business purposes. That should be reasonable enough for anyone, but there are
those people who don't see the point. For them, it can be a disadvantage.
Now there is something to really think about. Nothing is without a blemish, but those of this
type of networking shouldn't really be that much of a concern regarding your safety. As long
as you go along without making big mistakes, then it is all good. You can take advantage of
the Internet phenomenon that continues up to this day.
Once you understand the advantages and disadvantages of social networking, then you can
cruise through without fail.
From : http://www.everyday-wisdom.com/social-networking.html













STUDENT REPORTS

8 April 2013 Last updated at 15:50
The positives and negatives of using social networking sites

Social networking can be useful but some people worry about the potential risks.
Social networking is a topic that divides opinion - some people think it's an
amazing tool but others are worried about the impact it has on people's lives.
From students to journalists, One Direction to the Prime Minister - lots of people use
social media sites for both work and pleasure.
School Reporters from across the UK have reported on staying safe online and the
perils of Twitter 'addiction' in the last few months.
Students from The Crest Girls' Academy in London are also interested in the topic and
recently polled parents, carers and teachers at their school to get their views on social
networking.
The survey found that 37% of those questioned had been left sleep-deprived as a result
of social networking and 75% didn't like the idea of phones being kept close by while
they slept. Other School Reporters have also looked into the issue of technology and
its effect on teenagers' sleeping habits.
The students decided to explore the issue further and have been taking a closer look at
the benefits - and potential risks - of using social networks. Here are some of their
conclusions as to the main benefits and drawbacks of social media.
Negatives
Not everyone in the 21st century thinks about the negative effects of having social
networking accounts - but simple things like not setting your privacy settings properly or
liking someone's photo can have bad results.
Cyberbullying can be a problem as people can take advantage of the fact that there is no
one who can effectively stop the bullying when it happens, due to everything being
performed behind a screen. The only way for a bully to be stopped is if they are reported
and victims may be too intimidated to do it.
Social networking can also ruin relationships as people may get jealous if they find out
their boyfriend or girlfriend is exchanging messages with other people.
It can also be a waste of time as people can visit a site to check on thing and end up
spending the whole day 'behind the screen' and as a result, not doing anything useful
with their lives.
Positives
Social networking has lots of good points
You can express yourself, showing off your favourite song lyrics or posting pictures of
your new outfit. It is a lot harder to feel embarrassment over the internet than in person,
so people find it easier to vent their feelings on sites like Facebook.
In fact, it has become so much a part of people's lives that you can learn someone's life
story just by checking their page. Their friends, likes and dislikes, relationship status,
phone number, addresseverything.
You can share your feelings and your mental stresses - and it is a great way to entertain
yourself after a busy daily routine.
It also makes it a lot easier to keep in touch with family and friends, especially if they live
far away. But you can also make new friends by connecting with friends of friends that
you might not know.
From : http://www.bbc.co.uk/schoolreport/22065333




Originally Published: 9/4/2012
The pros and cons of social media
By Mike Urban
The Pros And Cons Of Social Media
Dr. Carrie Fitzpatrick is frequently amazed at the private details she sees people share
on Facebook, Twitter and other social networking sites.
"Im shocked almost on a daily basis by what people put out there," said Fitzpatrick, an
Alvernia University assistant professor of communications and English.
But while that oversharing can be risky, Fitzpatrick believes that if such sites were used
more carefully, their benefits would outweigh the drawbacks.
"They are where everybody congregates now, so I reluctantly embrace them," she said.
Dr. Timothy OBoyle hardly uses the sites, but sees how they benefit students at
Kutztown University, where he is an associate professor of sociology.
"A lot of people feel the sites are replacing face-to-face interaction, but theyre just an
addition. And for some, theyre a wonderful addition," he said.
Others see more cons than pros. Thats especially true for teens, who might not
understand the dangers of sharing personal details so publicly, said Dr. Avidan
Milevsky, a KU associate professor of psychology.
Some arguments for and against the sites:
Pros
They allow those who are shy or have trouble making friends to socialize more
easily. Thats also true for those with disabilities.
They provide another option for those looking to date but are unable to find the
right person.
They allow those with similar interests to connect and converse.
They allow professionals to network more easily.
They allow businesses and public entities to share information with customers
and clients, and to market themselves inexpensively.
They allow people to reacquaint with old friends or those who live far away.
They allow for grass-roots causes to organize, recruit new members and spread
their messages.
Cons
They give hackers an opportunity to steal and misuse personal information,
especially if users dont correctly install privacy filters. And even with those
safeguards, posted information is never fully secure.
Online interaction can become a substitute for actual meetings, which can hurt
social development and isolate users.
They destroy marriages by providing covert connections with others that lead to
infidelity.
They waste time, especially for those who compulsively check or update them.
For employers that means lost productivity.
They let bullies spread destructive information, photos or lies about others.
They allow unscrupulous people to misrepresent themselves, take advantage of
others or spread false news.
They can be costly to those who post regrettable information or photos that are
discovered by colleagues or prospective employers. Once information goes
online, it never goes away.
They bring out the nastiest conversation, because participants feel anonymous,
or at least have some distance from those they are insulting.
They cause users to spend less time outdoors and to be less active.
Sources: Fitzpatrick; OBoyle; Milevsky; Dana German, Albright College chief
technology officer.
Contact Mike Urban: 610-371-5023 or murban@readingeagle.com.


From : http://www2.readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=412755










Social Networking
Are Social Networking Sites Good for Our Society?


47% of American adults used social networking sites like Facebook,
MySpace, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Classmates.com in 2011, up from
26% in 2008. [26] On social media sites like these, users may develop
biographical profiles, communicate with friends and strangers, do
research, and share thoughts, photos, music, links, and more.
Proponents of social networking sites say that the online communities
promote increased interaction with friends and family; offer teachers,
librarians, and students valuable access to educational support and
materials; facilitate social and political change; and disseminate
useful information rapidly.
Opponents of social networking say that the sites prevent face-to-
face communication; waste time on frivolous activity; alter childrens
brains and behavior making them more prone to ADHD; expose
users to predators like pedophiles and burglars; and spread false and
potentially dangerous information








Pro & Con Arguments: "Are Social Networking Sites Good for Our Society?"
PRO Social Networking Sites
1. Social networking sites spread
information faster than any other
media. Over 50% of people learn about
breaking news on social media. [1] 65% of
traditional media reporters and editors use
sites like Facebook and LinkedIn for story
research, and 52% use Twitter. [2] Social
networking sites are the top news source
for 27.8% of Americans, ranking close to
newspapers (28.8%) and above radio
(18.8%) and other print publications
(6%). [1] Twitter and YouTube users
reported the July 20, 2012 Aurora, CO
theater shooting before news crews could
arrive on the scene [3], and the Red Cross
urged witnesses to tell family members
they were safe via social media outlets. [4]

2. Law enforcement uses social
networking sites to catch and
prosecute criminals. 67% of federal,
state, and local law enforcement
professionals surveyed think "social media
helps solve crimes more quickly." [5] In
2011 the NYPD added a Twitter tracking
unit and has used social networking to
arrest criminals who have bragged of their
crimes online. [6] When the Vancouver
Canucks lost the 2011 Stanley Cup in
Vancouver, the city erupted into riots.
Social media was used to catch vandals
and rioters as social networking site users
tagged the people they knew in over 2,000
photos posted to the sites. [7] [8]

3. Social networking sites help students
do better at school. 59% of students with
access to the Internet report that they use
CON Social Networking Sites
1. Social media enables the spread of
unreliable and false
information. 49.1% of people have
heard false news via social media. [1] On
Sep. 5, 2012 false rumors of fires,
shootouts, and caravans of gunmen in a
Mexico City suburb spread via Twitter
and Facebook caused panic, flooded the
local police department with over 3,000
phone calls, and temporarily closed
schools. [79] Shashank Tripathi, tweeting
as @ComfortablySmug, spread false
information in the aftermath of Hurricane
Sandy by posting on Twitter that the New
York Stock Exchange was flooding and
that the power company would cut off
electricity to all of Manhattan; the bogus
information was picked up by national
news outlets including CNN and the
Weather Channel. [80]

2. Social networking sites lack privacy
and expose users to government and
corporate intrusions. 13 million users
said they had not set or did not know
about Facebook's privacy settings and
28% shared all or nearly all of their posts
publicly. [81] The US Justice Department
intercepted 1,661 pieces of information
from social networking sites and e-mails
in 2011. [82] The 2009 IRS training
manual teaches agents to scan
Facebook pages for information that
might "assist in resolving a taxpayer
case." 4.7 million Facebook users have
"liked" a health condition or medical
treatment page, information that is
sometimes used by insurance
companies to raise rates. [81] [83]
social networking sites to discuss
educational topics and 50% use the sites
to talk about school assignments. [9] After
George Middle School in Portland, OR
introduced a social media program to
engage students, grades went up by 50%,
chronic absenteeism went down by 33%,
and 20% of students school-wide
voluntarily completed extra-credit
assignments. [10] [11]

4. Social networking sites allow people to
improve their relationships and make
new friends. 70% of adult social
networking users visit the sites to connect
with friends and family [12], and increased
online communication strengthens
relationships. [13] 52% of teens using
social media report that using the sites has
helped their relationships with friends, 88%
report that social media helps them stay in
touch with friends they cannot see
regularly, 69% report getting to know
students at their school better, and 57%
make new friends. [14]

5. Social media helps empower business
women. Being able to connect on social
networking sites gives business women a
support group not readily found offline
where female CEOs of Fortune 500
companies are outnumbered by male
CEOs 15 to 485.[15] Many social media
sites are dominated by women: 72% of
Pinterest users are women, 58% of
Facebook users, 62% of MySpace users,
60% of Yelp users, and 53% of Instagram
users. [16] Business women useTwitter
chats to support each other, give and
receive peer knowledge, and have guest
"speakers" share expert
knowledge. [17] One.org helps African

3. Students who are heavy social media
users tend to have lower
grades. Students who use social media
had an average GPA of 3.06 while non-
users had an average GPA of 3.82 and
students who used social networking
sites while studying scored 20% lower on
tests. [84] College students grades
dropped 0.12 points for every 93 minutes
above the average 106 minutes spent on
Facebook per day. [85] Two-thirds of
teachers believe that social media does
more to distract students than to help
academically. [86]

4. Social networking sites can lead to
stress and offline relationship
problems. A University of Edinburgh
Business School study found the more
Facebook friends a person has, the more
stressful the person finds Facebook to
use. [87] According to a Feb. 9, 2012
Pew Internet report, 15% of adult social
network users had an experience on a
social networking site that caused a
friendship to end, 12% of adult users had
an experience online that resulted in a
face-to-face argument, and 3% of adults
reported a physical confrontation as the
result of an experience on a social
networking site. [88]

5. Social networking sites entice people
to waste time. 40% of 8 to 18 year olds
spend 54 minutes a day on social media
sites. [89] 36% of people surveyed listed
social networking as the "biggest waste
of time," above fantasy sports (25%),
watching TV (23%), and shopping
(9%). [90] When alerted to a new social
women entrepreneurs connect on social
media to grow their businesses. [18]

6. Social media sites help employers find
employees and job-seekers find
work. 64% of companies are on two or
more social networks for
recruiting [19] because of the wider pool of
applicants and more efficient searching
capabilities. 89% of job recruiters have
hired employees through LinkedIn, 26%
through Facebook, and 15% through
Twitter. [20] One in six job-seekers credit
social media for helping find their current
job. 52% of job-seekers use Facebook for
the job search, 38% use LinkedIn, and
34% use Twitter. [21]

7. Being a part of a social networking site
can increase a person's quality of life
and reduce the risk of health
problems. Social media can help improve
life satisfaction, stroke recovery, memory
retention, and overall well-being by
providing users with a large social group.
Additionally, friends on social media can
have a "contagion" effect, promoting and
helping with exercise, dieting, and smoking
cessation goals. [22]

8. Social networking sites facilitate face-
to-face interaction. People use social
media to network at in-person events and
get to know people before personal,
business, and other meetings. [23] Pew
Research Center's Internet and American
Life Project found that messaging on social
media leads to face-to-face interactions
when plans are made via the sites and
social media users messaged close friends
an average of 39 days each year while
networking site activity, like a new tweet
or Facebook message, users take 20 to
25 minutes on average to return to the
original task. In 30% of cases, it took two
hours to fully return attention to the
original task. [91] 42% of American
Internet users play games like Farmville
or Mafia Wars on social networking
sites. [92]

6. Using social media can harm job
stability and employment
prospects. Job recruiters reported
negative reactions to finding profanity
(61%), poor spelling or grammar (54%),
illegal drugs (78%), sexual content
(66%), pictures of or with alcohol (47%),
and religious content (26%) on potential
employees social media
pages. [21] Anthony Weiner, former US
Representative, was forced to resign
after a Twitter sexting scandal in
2011. [93] Several athletes were banned
from the 2012 Olympics because of their
racist social media posts. [94]

7. The use of social networking sites is
correlated with personality and brain
disorders, such as the inability to
have in-person conversations, a need
for instant gratification, ADHD, and
self-centered personalities, as well as
addictive behaviors. [81] Pathological
Internet Use (caused or exacerbated by
social networking use) is associated with
feelings of loneliness, depression,
anxiety and general distress. [95] The
2013 Diagnostic and Statistical Manual
of Mental Disorders (DSM) is evaluating
"Internet Addiction Disorder," for
inclusion. A 2008 UCLA study revealed
web users had fundamentally altered
seeing close friends in person 210 days
each year. [24]
9. Social networking sites increase voter
participation. Facebook users reported
they are more likely to vote if they see on
social networking sites that their friends
did. [25] During the Nov. 2010 elections,
Facebook users who visit the site more
than once a day were 2.5 times more likely
to attend a political rally or meeting, 57%
more likely to persuade someone about a
vote, and 43% more likely to say they will
vote. [26]During the 2012 presidential
election, 22% of registered voters posted
about how they voted on Facebook or
Twitter, 30% were encouraged to vote by
posts on social media, and 20%
encouraged others to vote via social
networking sites. [27]

10. Social media facilitates political
change.Social networking sites give social
movements a quick, no-cost method to
organize, disseminate information, and
mobilize people. [28] The 2011 Egyptian
uprising (part of the Arab Spring),
organized largely via social media,
motivated tens of thousands of protestors
for eighteen days of demonstrations and,
ultimately led to the resignation of Egyptian
President Mubarak on Feb. 11,
2011. [29] A July 4, 2011 tweet from
@Adbusters with the hashtag
#occupywallstreet started the American
Occupy movement, which gained traction
in Sep. 2011 when protesters gathered at
New York City's Zuccotti Park and
remained there until Nov. 15, 2011. [30]

11. Social networking is good for the
economy.Social media sites have created
prefrontal cortexes [96] due, in part, to
the fast pace of social networking sites
rewiring the brain with repeated
exposure. [97]

8. Social media causes people to spend
less time interacting face-to-face. A
Jan. 2012 Center for the Digital Future at
the USC Annenberg School study found
that the percentage of people reporting
less face-to-face time with family in their
homes rose from 8% in 2000 to 34% in
2011. [98] 32% of those surveyed were
on social media or texting during meals
(47% of 18-34 year olds) [99] instead of
talking with family or friends. 10% of
people younger than 25 years old
respond to social media and text
messages during sex. [100] [173]

9. Criminals use social media to commit
and promote crimes. Gangs use the
sites to recruit younger members,
coordinate violent crimes, and threaten
other gangs. [101] Offline crime, like
home robberies, may result from posting
personal information such as vacation
plans [102] or stalkers gaining
information about a victims whereabouts
from posts, photos, or location tagging
services. [103]

10. Social media can endanger the
military and journalists. The US Army
notes that checking in with location
based services on social networking
sites like Foursquare or Facebook could
expose sensitive whereabouts and
endanger military personnel and
operations. [104] In 2011 a Mexican
journalist was murdered by the Zetas
a new industry and thousands of jobs in
addition to providing new income and
sales. [31] A McKinsey Global Institute
study projects that the communication and
collaboration from social media could add
$900 billion to $1.3 trillion to the economy
through added productivity and improved
customer service. [32] Facebook posted
$1.26 billion for third quarter 2012
revenue, up from $954 million for third
quarter 2011 earnings. [33] Twitter, a
private company, earned an estimated
$350 million in 2012 revenue. [34]

12. Social media sites empower individuals
to make social change and do social
good on a community level. Social
media shares popularized nine-year old
Scottish student, Martha Payne, and her
blog, "Never Seconds," which exposed the
state of her schools lunch program
prompting international attention that
resulted in changes to her school and the
formation of "Friends of Never Seconds"
charity to feed children globally. [35]
[141] Jeannette Van Houten uses social
media to find owners of photographs and
mementos strewn from houses by
Hurricane Sandy.[36] Hillsborough, CA
freshman varsity soccer goalie Daniel Cui
was blamed for and bullied about a losing
season until over 100 of his teammates
and classmates changed their Facebook
profile photos to one of Cui making a save,
silencing the bullies and building Cui's
confidence. [37] [38]

13. Social networking sites help senior
citizens feel more connected to
society. [39] [40]According to a 2010 Pew
Internet & American Life Project study, the
74-year old and older age group is the
drug cartel because she used Twitter to
report on cartel crime. [105] A blogger
was found murdered by a Mexican cartel
in 2011 with the note "this happened to
me for not understanding that I shouldnt
report things on the social
networks." [106] [140]

11. Social networking sites harm
employees' productivity. 51% of
people aged 25-34 accessed social
media while at work. [147] Two-thirds of
US workers with Facebook accounts
access the site during work
hours [107] Even spending just 30
minutes a day on social media while at
work would cost a 50-person company
6,500 hours of productivity a
year. [108] 51% of American workers
think work productivity suffers because
of social media. [109]

12. Social networking sites facilitate
cyberbullying. 49.5% of students
reported being the victims of bullying
online and 33.7% reported committing
bullying behavior online. [110] 800,000
minors were harassed or cyberbullied on
Facebook according to a June
2012 Consumer
Reports survey. [81] Middle school
children who were victims of
cyberbullying were almost twice as likely
to attempt suicide. [46] Adults can also
be victims of cyberbullying, from social,
familial, or workplace aggression being
displayed on social media sites. [111]


13. Social networking sites enable
"sexting," which can lead to criminal
fastest growing demographic on social
media sites with the percentage
quadrupling from 2008 to 2010, from 4% to
16%. [41] Seniors report feeling happier
due to online contact with family and
access to information like church bulletins
that have moved online and out of
print. [39]

14. Social networking sites help people
who are socially isolated or shy
connect with other people. [42] More
than 25% of teens report that social
networking makes them feel less shy, 28%
report feeling more outgoing, and 20%
report feeling more confident (53% of
teens identified as somewhat shy or "a lot"
shy in general). [14] Youth who are "less
socially adept" report that social networks
give them a place to make friends [43] and
typically quiet students can feel more
comfortable being vocal through a social
media platform used in class. [44] Shy
adults also cite social media as a
comfortable place to interact with
others. [45]

15. Social media allows for quick, easy
dissemination of public health and
safety information from reputable
sources. The US military and Department
of Veterans Affairs use social networking
to help prevent suicide. [46] The World
Health Organization (WHO) uses social
media to "disseminate health information
and counter rumours," which was
especially helpful after the Mar. 2011
Japanese earthquake and nuclear disaster
when false information spread about
ingesting salt to combat radiation. [47] The
Boston Health Commission used social
media to get information to its 4,500
charges and the unexpected
proliferation of personal images. Once
restricted to cell phone texts, "sexting"
has moved to social media with teens
posting, or sending via messaging,
risqu photos of themselves or others. In
2008 and 2009, US law enforcement
agencies saw 3,477 cases of youth-
produced sexual images with 2,291
agencies seeing at least one
case. [112] As a result, teens and adults
are being charged with possessing and
distributing child pornography, even if the
teen took and distributed a photo of
him/herself. [113] 88% of private self-
produced sexual images posted to social
media are stolen by pornography
websites and disseminated to the public,
often without the subject's
knowledge. [114]

14. People who use social networking
sites are prone to social
isolation. Social networking can
exacerbate feelings of disconnect
(especially for youth with disabilities),
and put children at higher risk for
depression, low self-esteem, and eating
disorders. [42]The "passive
consumption" of social media (scanning
posts without commenting) is related to
loneliness. [115]

15. Social networking sites encourage
amateur advice and self-diagnosis for
health problems which can lead to
harmful or life-threatening
results. One in five Americans uses
social media for health care
information. [116] AnAmerican Journal of
Public Health study revealed that, "Social
media may also pose a hazard to
Twitter followers about clinic locations and
wait times for vaccines during the H1N1
outbreak. [48]

16. Social media can help disarm social
stigmas. The Sticks and Stones campaign
uses Twitter to reduce stigmas
surrounding mental health and learning
disabilities. [49] The Stigma Project uses
Facebook to "lower the HIV infection rate
and neutralize stigma through education
via social media and advertising." [50] Gay
people speaking openly on social
networking sites, like Facebook site Wipe
Out Homophobia, help achieve a greater
social acceptance of homosexuality. [51]
[52] Jenny Lawson, author of the blog "The
Bloggess" and New York
Times bestseller Lets Pretend This Never
Happened, has made public her struggles
with OCD, depression, and anxiety
disorders, which has lessened the stigma
of the diseases for others. [53]
17. "Crowdsourcing" and "crowdfunding"
on social media allows people to
collectively accomplish a goal. A mother
was able to find a kidney donor for her sick
child by posting a video on her Facebook
page. [54] Planethunters.org, a science
social media site, discovered a planet on
Oct. 16, 2012 via
crowdsourcing. [55] Crowdwise, a social
network devoted to crowdsourcing
volunteers and crowdfunding charity
projects, raised $845,989 (as of Nov. 20,
2012) for Hurricane Sandy victims. [56]
[57] Followers of Pencils of Promise on
social media have helped the non-profit
build 74 schools (with 26 more in progress
and 7 more planned as of Nov. 19, 2012)
and educate 4,500 children. [58]
vulnerable people through the formation
and influence of extreme communities'
online groups that promote and provide
support for beliefs and behaviors
normally unacceptable by the social
mainstream such as anorexia, suicide,
and deliberate amputation." [46] A North
Carolina blogger was criminally charged
with "practicing dietetics or nutrition
without a license" for offering potentially
dangerous nutritional advice about the
Paleo diet while posing as an
expert. [117] Jeffrey Benabio, MD,
searched for "eczema" on Twitter and
found, in the first 100 results, 84 were
spam and several others gave harmful
and sometimes bizarre advice like using
toothless fish to eat eczema affected
skin. [118]

16. Social media aids the spread of hate
groups. A Summer 2012 Baylor
University study examined Facebook
hate groups focused on President
Barack Obama and found a resurgence
of racial slurs and stereotypes not seen
in mainstream media in decades like
blackface images and comparisons of
President Obama to apes. [119] Social
networking sites allow hate groups to
recruit youth and to redistribute their
propaganda. [120] According to the
Southern Poverty Law Center the
Christian Identity religion, a splinter
faction of the white supremacist group
Aryan Nations, uses social media to
recruit members. [121]

17. Children may endanger themselves
by not understanding the public and
viral nature of social networking
sites. The 2012 film Project X, about an

18. Social networking provides academic
research to a wider audience, allowing
many people access to previously
unavailable educational
resources.Information previously
restricted to academia's "ivory tower" can
now be shared with the public who do not
have access to restricted journals or costly
databases. Researchers from a wide
variety of fields are sharing photos,
providing status updates, collaborating
with distant colleagues, and finding a wider
variety of subjects via social media,
making the research process and results
more transparent and accessible to a
larger public. [59] [139]

19. Corporations and small businesses use
social media to benefit themselves and
consumers. Small businesses benefit
greatly from the free platforms to connect
with customers and increase visibility of
their products or services. [60]Almost 90%
of big companies using social media have
reported "at least one measurable
business benefit." For example, large
chain restaurants are using social media to
quickly disseminate information to
managers, train employees, and receive
immediate customer feedback on new
items, allowing for quick revision if
needed. [61]80% of companies are
expected to have customer service on
social media by the end of 2012. [62]

20. Social networking sites offer teachers a
platform for collaboration with other
teachers and communication with
students outside the classroom. [63]
[64] [65] More than 80% of US college and
out of control high school house party
due to social media promotion, prompted
copycat parties across the US resulting
in arrests for vandalism, criminal
trespassing, and other
offenses. [122] Up to 600 Dutch riot
police had to be called in to break up a
teen's birthday party to which about
30,000 people were accidentally invited
after a Facebook post thought to be
private went viral (quickly moving on to
Twitter and YouTube as well). As a
result, at least three people were hurt
and 20 people were arrested for
vandalism, looting, setting cars on fire,
and damaging lampposts. [123] In 2012,
a similar incident happened in Los
Angeles and resulted in the teen host
beaten and hospitalized. [124]

18. Social networking enables cheating
on school assignments. Students in
California, New York City, and Houston
posted photos of standardized tests to
social media sites, allowing students who
had not yet taken the tests to see the
questions (and potentially find answers)
ahead of time. [82] The SAT has had
similar problems with students posting
parts of the exam to social media. [125]
[126]

19. Social networking sites' advertising
practices may constitute an invasion
of privacy. An ExactTarget marketing
strategy report tells companies, "When a
user clicks on a [Facebook] like button
belonging to your brand, youre
immediately granted access to additional
information about this customer, from
school affiliation and workplace
information to their birthdate and other
university faculty use social media; more
than 50% use it for teaching; and 30% for
communicating with
students. [66] Educators from around the
world interact with each other and bring
guest teachers, librarians, authors, and
experts into class via social networks like
Twitter and social networking tools like
Skype. [67] [68] Edmodo, an education-
specific social networking site designed for
contact between students, teachers, and
parents, reached over ten million users on
Sep. 11, 2012. [69]

21. Social networking sites offer a way for
musicians and artists to build
audiences even if they dont have a
corporate contract. [70] 64% of
teenagers listen to music on YouTube,
making it the "hit-maker" for songs rather
than radio (56%) or CDs (50%). [71]
[72] For example, pop star Justin Bieber
was discovered on YouTube when he was
12 years old, and, in 2012 at 18 years old,
Biebers net worth was estimated at $80
million. [73] [74] The National Endowment
for the Arts found that people who interact
with the arts online through social media
and other means are almost three times
more likely to attend a live event. [75]

22. Colleges and universities use social
media to recruit and retain
students. 87% of colleges and universities
use Facebook to recruit students, 76% use
Twitter, and 73% use
YouTube. [76] Colleges and universities
use Facebook apps and other social media
tools to increase student
retention. [77] Social networking sites are
also being used to give students a support
system at community colleges that tend to
things they like [M]arketers can access
and leverage data in ways that will truly
alarm customers." [127] From social
media sites, simple algorithms can
determine where you live, sexual
orientation, personality traits, signs of
depression, and alma maters among
other information, even if users put none
of that data on their social networking
profiles.[128]

20. Social media can facilitate
inappropriate student-teacher
relationships. The Texas Education
Agency opened 156 cases about
"inappropriate relationships" between
educators and students in the 2011-2012
school year; 86 cases were reported in
2007-2008 and education experts blame
the rise of social media for the increase
in cases. [129] Social media allows for
unsupervised interactions between
students and teachers, which can easily
escalate into sexual or otherwise
inappropriate relationships. [130]

21. Unauthorized sharing on social
networking sites exposes artists to
copyright infringement, loss of
intellectual property, and loss of
income. Social media sites have
copyright regulations but they can be
difficult to enforce.[131] Pinterest relies
upon the re-publication of images from
the web and, if users do not use the site
conscientiously, artists content can be
posted without license, attribution, or
payment. [132] Vogue Spain was
accused of stealing New York street
photographer Sion Fullana's Instagram
photos and posting them to their own
Instagram feed without acknowledging
be commuter based and can leave
students with no in-person social
network. [78]
the source. [133]

22. Using social media can harm
students' chances for college
admissions. College administrators
scan Facebook profiles for evidence of
illegal behavior by students. [134]
[135] A 2012 Kaplan Test Prep survey
found that 35% of college admissions
officers discovered information like essay
plagiarism, vulgarities, or illegal activities
on social media that "negatively
impacted prospective students'
admission chances" (up from 12% in
2011). [76]

23. Social media posts cannot be
completely deleted and all information
posted can have unintended
consequences. The Library of Congress
has been archiving all public tweets from
Twitter's Mar. 2006 inception
forward. [136] Information about an affair
posted on Facebook, for example, can
lead to and be used against someone in
divorce proceedings because the
information, once posted, can never be
completely deleted. Facebook was
named as a source of information in one-
third of all divorces filed in 2011. [137]

24. Social networking site users are
vulnerable to security attacks such as
hacking, identity theft, and
viruses. Social networks do not scan
messages for viruses or phishing scams,
leading to large-scale problems like the
2012 virus Steckt.Evl spread from
Facebook's chat window. [138] 68% of
social media users share their birth date
publicly, 63% share their high school
name, 18% share their phone number,
12% share a pet's name; each of those
pieces of information is frequently used
for account security verification and can
be used for identity theft. [103]
http://socialnetworking.procon.org/#Background






Pros and Cons of Social Networking Sites

Pros and Cons of Sosial Networking Sites
December 14, 2012
Social Networking sites: The most popular feature of Internet can be a boon or a
curse depending on how you use it and for what purpose you use it. A social
networking site will allow you to connect with friends and families thus
establishing important social relationships.
Among these social networking sites, Facebook is at the top list, the site is so
popular that almost everyone who surf the web are its members. Just recently
Facebook has announced that its members have reached billion, making it the
top and mostly active social networking sites ever.
Beside Facebook, there are other social networking sites like Pinterest, MySpace,
twitter, bebo and Friendster that are also popular among internet surfers. Each of
these social networking sites have its own unique features but there major
objective is the same that is to help people connect with their friends and family
members.

Social Networking Sites

Social Networking Sites: Pros
These social networking sites are free of cost and everyone that has met the age
limitation will be able to sign up and become a member.
One can easily connect to his friends and family members and even reconnect
with old friends or people he knew.
It will help you establish important social relationships like creating real life
friendship through similar interests and groups.
You can share your thoughts and interests with those with similar interests by
joining the groups and forums.
It will also help you establish business contacts and sometimes helps the
members to get a job.
You will need to create a profile page in most of these sites which will help you
express your designing skills and let others know more about your personality.
These sites often let you share your favorite music, video clips and movies with
others. This will help others to know more about you.
Statistics show that social networking sites are among the top 5 news sources.
Meaning the members can easily know the latest news and even that local news
that is not covered by the radio or newspaper.
This might be surprising but its a fact. Law enforcement finds social networking
sites useful tools to capture and prosecute criminals.
Students can share their views and ideas together with their classmates. They
can help each other solve a problem or discuss about the topics they find hard
with their teachers resulting good marks in their exams.
Since most of these social networking sites have live chat rooms and forums,
anyone can talk with people without any hesitation especially those who are
socially isolated or shy. This will help them improve their relationships and make
new friends.
Studies show that social networking sites help reduces health problems. Since
you wont have time to worry about unnecessary things, the site prevents
depressions and mental tensions.
Social networking sites play a crucial role in a political change or a community
work. Since anyone can share their views and discuss in a topic, it helps to
encourage and mobilize people to attend a political rally and meeting.
Social bookmarking sites play an important role in these hard economic crises;
they are good for the economy. There are thousands of people currently working
under these sites; these sites are a great revenue source for the country.
Artists can easily build their audiences and can easily connect to their fans. Fans
can get info about their next releases, live events and their interests through
social networking sites.

Social Networking Sites: Cons
These sites can be quite addictive so people will spend more time online wasting
efforts and activities that could have brought some productive results.
Not everyone would know about the privacy settings and cyber crimes. The
pictures, videos and comments they share could be visible to the public.
Sometimes thefts and criminal minded people will use this personal information
to blackmail or threaten others.
Cyber bullying has increased in these past few years and the main reason is due
to the popularity of these social networking sites. Cyber bullying can result
suicide, mental tensions, depression and decreased self esteem.
Studies show that most of the employees use social networking sites during their
office hours resulting in great economic loss to the industry and the government.
Social bookmarking sites are easier and safe tools for people with criminal
intensions, they can easily hack someones profile to get personal information,
spread viruses and spywares over the internet.
Not every information you will hear in these sites will be real because there are
no boundaries to post ones view. So these sites can be an unreliable and false
information source sometimes.
Most of the teenagers who are addicted to these sites have decreased grades
and even decreased personality.
Since face to face socializing is impossible in these sites, one could feel socially
isolated or shy when talking to a person.
Studies show that those who frequently use the social networking sites are prone
to mental tensions and other diseases because of lack of exercises and
unhealthy time schedule.
It can have negative impact on your offline relationship due to lack of face to face
argument and physical confrontation.
The information posted in the profile page does not necessarily mean that they
are all real unless you know the person. Teenagers often get tricked by this false
information and become a victim of cyber bullying.

Bottom Line
Pros and Cons are like two sides of the coin; they always come hand in hand.
The rule applies in here as well. There are pros as well as cons of the social
networking sites but this all depends on how you use it. If you are well aware of
the consequences and know what you should do and what you must not then a
social networking site can be a boon for you. However if you do not care and are
reckless then the same boon can be a curse that will hunt you forever. So be
careful, stay safe and enjoy what the technology has to offer.
From : http://ultratechtalk.com/










Pros And Cons Of Social Networking
Sites

Social networking sites provoke extreme reactions. You either like it or hate it.
There are no in between. The rise of social networking sites have been
phenomenal partly due to the immense freedom it affords. While the internet
made the world a global village, the social networking sites brought the world
within the four walls. You can make friends, interact with them, get to know the
various cultures and places through them and more while sitting at the same
desk. These sites facilitates you to spread information and also to advertise and
with the minimum cost. Due to such sites, you wont find yourself lost among the
billions of websites. No wonder it is one of the fastest growing communication
tool in the internet. From finding long lost friends to meeting likeminded people,
these sites offer everything to facilitate your online life. However, under the
mountain of advantages there are also a lot of disadvantages. Knowing them will
hold you in good stead as you cannot know when this accessible-by-all tool
becomes your worst nightmare. To know more read the article below on the pros
and cons of social networking sites.







Advantages & Disadvantages Of Social Networking Sites

The Pros Of Social Networking Sites
The best advantage of social networking sites is that these sites allow you to
keep in touch with your friends, classmates, and relatives. It is also the most
cost effective way to keep in touch with your people. Here geographical
locations are no barrier to stay in touch.
These sites allow you to send and receive messages, upload photos, and
videos. As such, they are very interactive as you can get to see what your
friends and relatives are up to.
With social networking sites, you are not bound by any geographical and
cultural differences. You get to meet and know a variety of people whose
interests are similar to your own. These sites are a window to different cultures
and places.
You can build a network of contacts and interact with a lot of people at the
same time. As such, you can spread your thoughts and interests to a large
number of people.
The social networking sites also facilitate you to procure information on any
subjects from anywhere. These sites also make it easier and faster to collect
the information.
Social networking sites can also be a tool to promote your business, services,
products, or websites. Due to the huge number of people who regularly use
networking sites it has found huge favors among advertisers.





The Cons Of Social Networking Sites
The most glaring disadvantage of social networking sites is the risk of identity
theft and fraud. The personal information of users can be used by dubious
people for illegal activities. Information like the e-mail address, name, location,
and age can be used to commit online crimes.
Also, many people pretend to be someone else and prepare their online
profiles with false information, so as to dupe unsuspecting users. So, if you do
not know the person face to face then it will be very hard for you to find the
real identity.
Another cause of concern is cases of online harassment and stalking. Since
the social networking sites, are very poorly regulated so it can be a very fertile
ground for people trying to get even with you. They can spread malicious
humor among your friends and also download and morph your photos.

From : http://lifestyle.iloveindia.com/lounge/pros-and-cons-of-social-networking-sites-
9204.html