By: Olivia Gavriel
Posted In: Opinion
Photo credit: facebook.com
Facebook is one of the most popular social networking sites available to computer users all over the world. Many people think of it as a great way to keep in touch with friends, and as an endless source of entertainment in the form of games and applications, but Facebook is also being used more and more often as a medium through which clubs, organizations, businesses and even schools keep users informed of major events taking place. Gone are the days when phone calls, letters, fliers and other more personal forms of communication were the central methods of staying informed. Almost every club on Salve’s campus, even, has a Facebook page where they urge members to join so they can stay informed of meeting dates and times and events the club might be hosting or taking part in..
For all of these reasons, Facebook is a useful tool that can be beneficial to users at times, but along with the internet as a whole, is Facebook changing the way we as human beings interact with the world around us? Do we put too much stock in what the internet says? Just recently, there was a brief period of time when Facebook was not working, and suddenly Twitter blew up with people “tweeting” about the strange event. Should it be considered a good thing that so many people felt the effects of Facebook’s absence that they needed to make sure everyone still knew exactly what was going on in their lives at that moment? The internet is one of the most pervasive forms of mass media in existence. It is an integral part of the daily lives of so many people, but are we losing touch with more personal relationships because of it? Digital media in general has taken over more traditional means of communication. Letter writing has given way to email. Phone calls have given way to texting. Despite the conveniences of modern online communication tools and the instant gratification they offer, users must still be cautious about the ways they interact online. Family, friends and even future employers can find information about almost anyone online through Facebook. Social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter are filled with potential and are easy to use, but they may not always be the best thing for us.
