Social Networking

Social networks are quickly evolving to become the most commonly used forums for interaction. It went from being casually used for recreational purposes, to the center of communication for educational and corporate purposes as well.  This is proving to be beneficial to society because of its instant connection to the world. Having the world at one's fingertips makes the person relatable and powerful. For example, Twitter can be used by a company to have a quick discussion about an issue. It would be more efficient than having to pool everyone together in a room, taking time out of their busy schedule. It would also be faster than having to set up video conferences with other people, running the risk of losing the feed during an important discussion.

Another example is having to work on a group project in school. Instead of having to wait for an email or trying to set up a conference call with peers, there's no better way than taking to Facebook. There's no limitation to input characters so you can write a whole essay if you wanted to. Then, you can quickly upload pictures or diagrams. Writing on someone's wall takes a matter of seconds and people tend to not use proper language so the message will be written faster. When you need to approve something, you simply have to "like" it instead of having to send another message. 

While proving beneficial, social networking also has its "dark side." The biggest concern is cyber bullying and humiliation. According to writer Jeffrey Young, of The Chronicle of Higher Education, "students have more ways than ever to post anonymous attacks on classmates, thanks (or rather, no thanks) to new and expanded online forums..." Social networking makes humiliating pictures and nasty remarks more accessible. It has led to many students committing suicide as a result, to not have to deal with the constant laughter and rumors behind their backs as they walk down the school hallway. Humiliating pictures can also work against a person trying to find a job because more recruiters are looking into the personal life of possible candidates.

In the future, social technology might trump phone calls between avid networkers. People may look to buy phones that have the best apps for social networking, rather than the best plans for talk usage. Instead of unlimited minutes, there will be a shift to unlimited internet and data plans and maybe 200-300 minutes per month. People wouldn't need newspapers anymore because they would go online and in a matter of seconds, have all the information they need. The evolution of social networking is quickly gaining momentum as a staple in life.