Social Networking Can Impair Communication and Identity

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In today’s society not only are we obsessed with technology, we depend and rely on it daily. Do we, as a society, depend too much on technology? In recent years a phenomena called social networking has really taken off. While there are numerous social networking sites, Facebook is by far the largest and most popular. Facebook has more than 1 billion active users and the average user has 130 friends ("Statistics"). Have Facebook, Twitter, and other social networking sites gotten out of hand? While some people may believe social networking has positive effects on humans, it in fact has negatively altered the way we communicate, our identities, and even our health. Communication is a complex process that involves seven components: the sender, encoding, the message, decoding, the receiver, noise, and feedback (Guerva). All of these are vital to communication. Social networking sites, Facebook in particular, have removed one of the most important components, feedback (Guerva). Social networking is very similar to texting or writing a letter; the sender is not able express key types of feedback. You no longer can express your mood through the tone of your voice, the time it takes you to respond, and even necessary facial reactions. Without these key forms of feedback the receiver can, and often will, interpret the message differently (Guerva). For example, image telling a good friend that you had been diagnosed with cancer. If you were to tell them in person and directly they would be able to see your sincerity and sadness; however, if you were to post it on their wall, they would likely think you were simply joking about it. By using a social networking site to share this news, you have completely altered the component... ... middle of paper ... ...ral Communications." University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls, Iowa. Oct. 2010. Lecture. Hollady, Jennifer. "Cyberbullying." Education Digest 76.5 (2011): 4-9. Academic Search Elite. EBSCO. Web. 13 Apr. 2011. "Leaving 'Friendprints': How Online Social Networks Are Redefining Privacy and Personal Security." Knowledge @ Wharton. Wharton School of the U of Pennsylvania, 10 June 2009. Web. 13 Apr. 2011. Mackey, Robert. "Is Social Networking Killing You?" New York Times. New York Times, 24 Feb. 2009. Web. 13 Apr. 2011. Richtel, Matt. "Facebook Users Who Are Under Age Raise Concerns." New York Times. New York Times, 11 Mar. 2011. Web. 13 Apr. 2011. "Statistics." Facebook.com. Facebook, 2011. Web. 13 Apr. 2011. Wintour, Patrick. "Facebook and Bebo Risk 'Infantilizing' the Human Mind." guardian.co.uk. Guardian News and Media Limited, 24 Feb. 2009. Web. 13 Apr. 2011.

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