With all of the texts we have been reading, it makes me wonder more and more what is available about ourselves on the internet. I believe we are in the age of the internet. More and more people resort to the internet to find out information, rather than referring to a book, article, newspaper, or even a person as a source for information and answers. So what do we do when we want to find out information on a certain individual? We look up their Facebooks. Facebook might as well be called Creepbook. Once something is on the internet it can never be erased (contrary to what people believe).
Not many people take advantage of the privacy setting Facebook offers, and it could become detrimental to themselves in the future. If you do not take the effort to make your cellphone number private on Facebook, did you know you know anyone can find that? I did not know that until someone told me my number was on Facebook... I did not even add it to the information, it was just on there because I access my Facebook from my cellphone. If you type in a random persons name, you can look at their pictures, see what city they live in, where they go to school, and anything else they make available upon their page. You have to make a serious effort to make all of these things blocked, but many people do not take the effort and realize the danger that outs themselves into.
Not only is your information out there to complete strangers; but future employers look up potential employees as well. Looking up an applicants Facebook is just as common as looking up an applicants criminal record. If an employee looks up your Facebook and sees pictures of you drinking, using vulgar language, and posting inappropriate things... does that look professional? Is that someone you would want representing your company, teaching your children, or treating you medically?
All of this information we are putting on the internet for the world to see may be ruining our generations chances for potential jobs and putting our safety at risk? So is Facebook and networking sites detrimental?
I'm not saying I disagree with you because I definitely do not. I think that we must watch what we put on the internet and keep the information we put on it very minimal. It is scary to think that our phone numbers and other information can be looked at by anyone. But I do not think that it is to the point that it could be detrimental to us. If someone is dumb enough to not block any of their information and put it all on there for the world to see then that is their problem. But in the future of Facebook, if it does progress, or in the future of what ever new social networking we use, I feel that it could become detrimental to us if we do not watch what we put on it.
ReplyDeleteIn a way, I suppose you could say Facebook is ruining our generation, but it may not be in exactly the same way you mean. You brought up how easily employers can see your profile. I can't even tell you how many times I've read articles about someone getting fired for what they've said on Facebook or Twitter or their blog. It forces a new kind of pressure onto us than we've ever had before. Now, not only do we have to keep our noses clean professionally, we also have to watch what we do on our own time because it could affect our jobs. I'm not sure any past generation has had to deal with this, but it's now nearly a constant in our lives. So I think in part, Facebook has caused us unneeded stress and worry.
ReplyDeleteYes I think Facebok is a big distraction because we have to be on it all the time like at work, in class, in the library studying for a test or writing a 1 page paper. Facebook is a newer version of ICQ and Myspace. As I write this blog in the library there are two girls talking about who said what on there Facebook Status. Facebook is not just a distraction for just individuals but it is a distraction for individuals around them.
ReplyDeleteI think in certain terms, yeah it's gonna hurt you but it's also helpful. I have friends that are going to school across the country and it's a great relief to keep up on their lives and see their kids and families. The privacy settings are there for a reason and I definitely use them. I only add people on Facebook when I know them personally not just because. You just have to be smart in the long run and know what to put on there and what not to put on there.
ReplyDeleteI think it's making our generation more impersonal. We know about their life digitally before we speak to them and actually have face time.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Andrea. I am guilty of knowing someone through facebook, but I have never really talked to them in person. This is extremely impersonal and now that I think about it kind of creepy, although I would not mean for it to be.
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