How Does Social Networking Affect Kids Relationships?

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A- Presentation of the Issue As time passes, different ways to communicate develop and change the world. That is exactly what’s happening now. People in general, but mainly teenagers, are spending more time every day on Social Networks, or text messaging on cell phones. This is hugely changing their way to communicate and understand the human behaviour. In fact, their own behaviour is changing. This addictive way to communicate has many problems. For example, the possibility that in a near future people won’t be able to communicate face-to-face, like now is done. This is because young people don’t call each other anymore. Instead they write a message on Facebook, or send a text message via their cell phone (Stout, 2010). A big worry people have is that in some years the unable-to-communicate teenagers won’t be able to recognize feelings and emotions on other persons, and even the language they use will be different. That is why, now we are really asking ourselves, what is the real nature of these popular networks? Are they really social, or are they antisocial? On the other hand, the now called Antisocial Networks have helped some shy and introverted kids to keep up with their friends, and be able to plan week-end activities and be more social. B- The IT Background of the Issue Not so long ago, people used to use the telephone to actually call each other, and they actually met. Nowadays it is a little different. It all started by the popularization of computers. BBSes (Bulletin Board System) were the first sited where people could share data, such as files and messages. Some years later, the idea of communication expanded, and Social Networks as we now know them started to form. Some like SixDeegrees.com were not ... ... middle of paper ... ...om.com/2008/01/20/social-networks-from-the-80s-to-the-00s/ Nickson, Christopher. The History of Social Networking. Digital Trends. January 21, 2009. URL: http://www.digitaltrends.com/features/the-history-of-social-networking/ Boyd, Danah M., and Ellison, Nicole B. Social Network Sites: Definition, History, and Scholarship. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication (JCMC). October, 2007. Vol.13 Issue 1. URL: http://jcmc.indiana.edu/vol13/issue1/boyd.ellison.html Pfeiffer, Kelly. Are Social Networking Sites Unhealthy for Teens? Suite101.com. February 7, 2010. URL: http://teen-health.suite101.com/article.cfm/are-social-networking-sites-unhealthy-for-teens Gordon, Serena. Teens Divulge Risky Behaviour on Social Networking Sites. The Washington Post. January 6, 2009. URL: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/01/05/AR2009010502588.html

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