The Effects Of Social Networking

The use of social networking sites has caused people to be less sociable and has led individuals loosing social skills. Social networking sites were created to connect people to one another and to build more relationships. A Primary example of this is Facebook, one of the most popular social networking sites worldwide. Facebook is created for networking and connection, but it is have a reverse effect and leading to less sociability. The causes of this epidemic are people are more isolated, lacking in intimate relationships, withdraw themselves from real world connections. This issue actually brings up another issue which is loneliness. The lack of social aspects is resulting in individuals becoming lonely. Social networking sites are creating …show more content…
A prime example of this was from the presentation Turkle spoke of “Outside, in the hallways, the people milling around me were looking past me to virtual others. They were on their laptops and their phones, connecting to colleagues at the conference going on around them and to others around the globe” (Turkle 24). Having these social networking sites enables people to do everything through them, so there is no longer a face-to-face talk to make plans. Another aspect to look at is through technology because of technological advances a computer is not required to use social networking sites. Sites are reachable through cellular devices, tablets, laptops, etc. “With the shift to person-to-person networks, the gap between physical space and cyberspace — or for that matter, between writing and talking — is diminishing” (Wellman 126). By makes these sites so reachable we no longer use everyday tasks such as talking. “The basic argument is that community is falling apart because Internet use has led individuals to lose contact with authentic in-person relationships as they become ensnared online in weak simulacra of reality” (Wellman 118). Social networking sites are acting as a way out for people to exit uncomfortable situations. These situations are created because people are loosing necessary social skills. “Networked individuals have “ sparsely knit ”personal communities, meaning that most network members are not directly connected with one another” (Wellman 135). This is another example of the lack of real world connections because although individuals are connected they may not even know the person they are associated with online. “On the other hand, non-personalized use of Facebook—scanning your friends’ status updates and updating the world on your own activities via your wall, or what Burke calls “passive consumption” and