Thursday 19 April 2012

HOmework for 24 April

Write an  essay ~550 words
on  "The world of the social network "
You may read up for the ideas below:
http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20120411-rethinking-the-social-network

8 comments:

  1. "The world of the social network“
    Since the internet has occured in nowadays society, the world divided into – the real world and network world. This distinction has visibly emerged in the 21st century when the internet became a huge part of our life. More and more people cannot imagine a day without an internet. However, lot of people think that social network is harming our life and disordering normal communication and behaviour. Nevertheless, this can be true.
    In this essay I will seek to give advantages and disadvantages of social network, and scrutinize if the internet is so harmful, that we are not able to control it. Besides, maybe it is just what we need to appreciate more?
    One type of theses are that real relationship became so pure and week because of internet communication. Billions of internet members are boasting by having few hundred friends or even thousand. Is this can be called real friendship? According, the past research by Professor Robin Dunbar, average person has a social network of around 150 friends, ranging from very close friends to casual acquaintances. Some 90 per cent of the online friends rated as ‘close’ have been met face-to-face, with the remaining 10 per cent likely to be friends of close friends. Then how many per cent of the all number of friends can be named close friends? I made the research on my own Facebook friends. The results are stunning; from all my friends I was able to call as close friends, just 38, 4 per cent. On the other hand, should we keep a contact just with closest friends? These websites like MySpace, Facebook, Twitter, give us possibility to contact people on different purpose, which includes studies, works matters, business. It can be useful to get contacts of the person you want to meet, not necessary to communicate straight. Moreover, accounts are not binding that you must to sign up. Everyone has the right to chose.
    The other type of theories is that internet transforms you to antisocial personality. Question is: why you need to go somewhere if you can get everything and do by sitting on your couch? Is the internet more interesting than the real life and can change it? To spend a part of our day on the Internet is for many people quite normal. This is because you can find all needed information in that network. Simple examples: if you need bus, train, flight ticket you can buy it at home; via internet you can order the biggest variety goods from all over the world, so why then you need to go crowded shopping centres and meet unhappy, stressed people. An internet is not putting barriers, contrary it gives the possibility to choose the places and people you want to see and the most important it saves your time.
    All in all, everything depends on the curve you are looking from. Internet can be seen harmful if you are not able to control it. On the other hand, it is the network of possibilities you can use and get great benefit from it. The truth is that innovations are making our world different than it was before and we have to become more comprehensive.

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  2. The world of the social network

    Nowadays the computer has become a must have thing in our homes. Popularity of computers is growing every year, and now, when internet is inconceivable without computers, we can’t ever imagine our life without these things. Social media has significantly impacted on our daily lives. Social media is rapidly changing the world, consuming the lives of young adults and instilling in users new values that are unfathomable to the older generations. So, let’s discuss, how the social networking help us in daily life and what are advantages of it?
    Social networking can be using to do many different things. Social networking is a fast and effect way to communicate with people you might not have the chance to talk to otherwise. There are many different ways to use social networking like computers, mobile phones and other electronic devises. Social networking can help many people get jobs and make money. It can even help people from all over the world interact and learn new things.

    Furthermore, using computers is one of the fastest ways to communicate with people instantly without leaving your home. Websites for example, facebook has over 500 million individual users, if it were a country, it would be the third largest in the world. This displays how important social networking has become in today’s world. It help people understand and use social networking daily. By using instructions and programs like “friend finder” it is easier then ever to find just what you are looking for. Mobile devises help to communicate with people anywhere in the would without being confined to a house. Social networking is becoming easier by using portable devises , as we can see.
    One of the biggest advantages of social networking is getting jobs. It is hard to find one because of all the work it takes to meet new people and find out what jobs are in demand. With social networking it is easier then ever to find it - by clicking a button you can ease your searching job. If a job is available across the world there is no way to find out who is qualified for it, so cell phones, internet and much more it is easy to talk to employers who are looking for workers who will be best fit for the job of choice. Finding a job is much easier when the person has the whole world to explore rather then confined to there own town.

    Traveling the world and meeting new people is for anyone, experiencing new things, and learning different ways of life can be life enhancing. Before social networking the only way to do this was to visit new places, read a book, or hear a story. Social networking has spread so many new doors or opportunities, for learning new things in new ways. The computer can help people talk to others from the other side of the world, and learn many new things from just talking to a person with a different culture or background. Exploring new ways of life is important to find out the path in life you would like to take, and social networking can make that happen. Overall leaning about different ways of life in a more personal way using social networking can be very beneficial to the understanding of other’s around the world.

    In conclusion, social networking allows individuals to meet new diverse people and create relationships, it can be used as a tool to improve business and can be used as an powerful tool for social changes across the globe. Social networking has a wide range of experiences it can offer to anyone who is willing to try it. Each day there is a new way to commutate with others in a faster and more effective way. The internet and mobile phones are just the first of social networking, and it can be used for almost anything. Diversity is important in everyday life and it can help anyone understand the world outside of there own town. Networking is the best way to communicate with others, in a easy, fast, and effect way.

    Tatjana. 640 words

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  3. First we had letters, and then came e-mail, now we are at breaking point of social networks. In the future we may achieve such power that we can telepathically connect with one another… But we are in the present, so maybe we should focus on problems caused due to already, this much, advanced technology. My point is – we, the people, try to ease our lives as much as possible, make it comfortable, easy achievable and always at our rich. The evolution of social network made it possible…
    This is an important issue, which is like a double edge sword. The dull part (the back) of the sword is the positive influence, which has just “crossed” all the hardships that were caused due to lack of modern technologies. Such social networks as Skype, Facebook, Twitter and etc. make it look like we are neighbors even though we are separated by thousands of miles. One pleasant point, that surely has made its appearance, is that it has become easier to keep in touch with distant relatives, family and true friends that still take time to call you and ask how things are going…
    The razor sharp edge of the sword is the consequences and negative aspects raised from the “convenience” of social networks. The most powerful is the lack of real, direct interaction between people, who are bound by social networks. On facebook you can find information about the person you know or would like to be friends with thus your personal life becomes social, open to the media. Another aspect is having “millions” of friends on facebook. Robin Dunbar claims that having so many frieds is not impossible but also not recomended, because the relationship would be meaningless. According to his studies, it is best to have a small group of friends with whom you can be in touch. It is false to think that having many so-called „friends“ on facebook will make you more social. More than 65-70% of those „friends“ you wouldnt even recognise in person.
    Not long ago i attended a conference in ISM, where a desplay of social networks was held . There i saw a huge picture of a funaral (the scene was in the church) to which only few people attended. At the doorway some teenagers were talking about how strange it was to see so few people, because the person who died had over 1000 friends on facebook... This idea trully made me realise, that facebook and other social networks cannot really maintain true relationships that can only be created directly knowing that person, whom you call a friend.
    Almost impossible to live without social media. Thats a fact, a person should observe what is happening around him. For that, ofcorse, social networks are a great deal of help. What i want to say, is that the people should (its only my point of view) use social media, networks for information, job projects, indirect presentations, lectures from a distant countrys and use less for relationships, that are indirect, meaningful, unbeneficial and worthless.
    Finally, what i can add, is that if we want to live to see the future where we can use talepathy, we shouldnt give up on such treasures as true friendship and family, which, to my believes, are still not consumed by everyday chaos. Otherwise there wont be any people left to use telepathy, only mindless robots.

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  4. The importance of social networking for businesses.

    Possibly everybody heard about Facebook at least once in their life. Over time it has become a part of our daily life along with many other social networks. Statistically, Facebook's number of users exceeds 500 million people and over a half of users log on to their Facebook account daily.(Facebook Statistics, Stats and Facts, 2011) Facebook audience is incredibly vast, as it does not limit users by country, race or language and people are in favor of using it for personal or any other purpose they can come up with. People share their personal information such as full name, address, birthday, occupation and etc without acknowledging the privacy settings. Most information on various social networks is accecible despite the existance of privacy settings in the settings panel, because people are uninterested or simply are unaware of importance of data security. Businesses can benefit from peoples' lack of knowledge of privacy settings.

    Social networks might be the ultimate database of personal information which can be used for success of a business. Due to the fact that users do not secure their personal information nor their profiles, businesses have easy access to their costumers' profiles. Collecting customer information, analyzing valid data and later satisfying costumer needs are the basic steps a company can take towards what we call success. To be successful a company should know it's clients or potential costumers. Furthermore, for each business it is obligatory to answer several questions, for example: where do potential customers live? What is their age, income? What are they expecting? Facebook along with other social networks make it easier for companies to answer these questions.

    In addition to that, social networks make communication with customers easier. Establishing a customer service online couldn't be easier. All you have to do is create a company page on Facebook,Twitter or another social network of your preferrence and promote yourself. Never before has business been so close to it's clients or marketing more effective.

    But on the other hand, not all people are fond of their personal information being used without their permission. Why do some people do not secure their social network profile? The answer is simple, because they do not know how to do it. Some social networks do not make users edit their privacy settings upon registration, therefore people do not know that such settings exist. Privacy in Internet has become quite an issue, therefore even Facebook has implemented it's own security measures, such as it's own privacy policy or reminders of password change.

    Additionally, there are many fake profiles in social networks or profiles that contain invalid data which cannot be used for customer analyzing. Users which do not want to submit truthful information about themselves, do not know how to use security settings or just want to have fun use incorrect information as their own. Not only does this mislead businesses, but also impacts results of their customer analysis, which might have a negative effect on their future activity.

    To sum up, companies live because they have clients, the more companies know about their consumers, the better they can satisfy consumer's needs. Social networks have a positive effect on companies, because it ensures business-to-customer communication not to mention the huge amount of customer information provided by websites such as Facebook, Twitter and Google+. Despite the fact that invalid information or privacy settings might have a negative impact on companies market analysis, thanks to social networking businesses have access to easy marketing and useful user data.

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  5. Karolis
    The world of the social network

    Social network takes a big part in our lives because communication was always one of the most important thing for all people. The social network websites like Facebook, Twitter have millions of users from all around the world, the mobiles phones are the most using things in the world but does these things are always good? Haven’t they got and the bad side?
    First of all, people and especially teenagers spent too much time on social networks like Facebook or Twitter. The great example is when student get back home the first thing he do he turn on computer go to Facebook page and spent in this website most of his day. It is really shocking, because there are many similar examples in journals, newsletters, websites and magazines about teenagers who spent long time in social network websites. That is a very big problem, because people just sitting in front of computers, they have virtual friends who usually are not real friends, also they damage their health, because they sitting all day and don’t move, don’t go outside. This problem should be solved quickly or people will forget how it is funny to meet each other, go to walk, talk and do funny things together.
    Furthermore, mobile telephones are one of the most important things for all people in the entire world. The best example which can improve this importance is India which has about 900 million active accounts and China which has about billion. This is pretty same and in the other world countries. But why it is so huge numbers? Probably it is because there is no such an easiest and the fastest way to contact persons. If we look in the other hand people who are far of their family just call them and usually stop meeting a lot because it looks them that is enough to hear the voice but be serious it is much better to see family, friends, to hug them, talk live and feel the love.
    The third thing is that social network is not a very safe place, because it is easily to find all information about people. In Facebook, Twitter computer scam can quickly and easily find out your birthday date, where you live, where you are at the moment, use your pictures, your personal information so people have to be very careful. Because of those websites every year happens many house robberies, persons face are using illegally, opening new bank accounts with lots of money…
    Of course, if we look the opposite view social network websites have and good things. Firstly, you can communicate with friends, family members from all around the world and for free, also you can see his pictures how he looks at the moment where he are, how he lives and that is really great! Secondly, the famous stars has their pages in Facebook, Twitter and their fans can see what their idols are doing, how they fell, see pictures of stars and it is good for all fans. Thirdly, famous companies has their pages on these websites and it is very good commercial, because many people can look what the company are suggesting, what it is new.
    Moreover, as I was said mobile phones are one of the most useful things in the world because it helps to communicate very fast and easy. Phones are especially useful for companies because all personal have to communicate with each other all the time, companies co-operate with other companies so phone is best thing for that.
    In conclusion, social network is very important thing in our life’s because it really helps communication process get faster and easier for all people, but as all things if you used it to much it can become to harmful for all of us.

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  6. The popularity of social networking sites such as Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Classmates.com more than quadrupled from 2005 to 2009. This year Facebook will reach one billion users, which means that one out of seven people on the Earth has a Facebook account. These towering numbers indicates that people increasingly use social networks for communication with others. Social sites allow users to develop profiles of their backgrounds and interests, communicate with friends and strangers, and share thoughts, photos, Internet links, music, and more. Social networks have already made an impact on our lives. Unfortunately, not all of the changes have been positive.
    Anthropologist Robin Dunbar suggested cognitive limit to the number of people with whom one can maintain stable social relationships. These are relationships in which an individual knows who each person is, and how each person relates to every other person. Dunbar’s number lies between 100 and 230, with a commonly used value of 150. Sadly, most of us have way more friends on social sites. This shows that in social network it is faster and easier to become “friends” than in real life. 90 per cent of the online friends rated as ‘close’ have been met face-to-face, with the remaining 10 per cent likely to be friends of close friends, perceived as having many of the mutual friend’s attributes and therefore “low risk”. Furthermore, 57% of Facebook users talk more online then they do in real life. Social networking sites entice people to spend more time online and less time interacting face-to-face. The sites offer many time wasting activities that supplant more productive activities.
    On the other hand, social networking sites bring people with common interests together, offer exposure to new ideas from around the world, and lower inhibitions to overcome social anxiety. People who have a difficulty communicating in person are more comfortable interacting via the Internet.
    Social media can be a powerful tool for social change and an alternative to more traditional methods of communication. During the protests of the Iranian election in June 2009, protestors used Twitter to circumvent government control over phones and the media. Twitter was so important that the US State Department asked Twitter to delay a network upgrade that would have taken the website offline at a busy time of day in Iran. Twitter complied and rescheduled the downtime to 1:30 am Tehran time. The ability to remain anonymous helped protect people who were spreading information in real time. In addition, social media and social sites played crucial role in Obama’s campaign in 2008. Through forums and social websites such as Myspace and Facebook, Obama built relationships with his supporters, and would-be supporters.
    To sum up, social sites are making constant impact on our lives, because these sites are constantly being developed and they affect more spheres and it is hard to avoid that. Social network reduces the face to face communication, but it increases our number of friends and the ways how we can communicate

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  8. ''The world of the social network''
    Social networking has become almost a daily routine for many of us. Nowadays, it is hard to imagine one’s life without Facebook, MySpace, Twitter or other networks that allow communicate with friends, share personal information, publish daily events and get to know with congenial people or even find love. However, the possibilities to improve our social life by modern technologies caused another problem, which is relevant. The problem is security of private life. Have people ever considered their data transmission to the interested parties on social network sites? Also, have they ever wondered about the risk of interacting with unknown people?
    Obviously, the possibilities of social networking help us to deal with nowadays swing and save a lot of our time. In fact, it would be difficult to imagine even one day without the internet for many of us. On the other hand, people create their online profiles on these networks, which display their personal information such as hometown, email address, phone number, pictures, thoughts, believes, family status and even sexual orientation. Furthermore, this kind of information can be accessible not only for friends, but even for unknown people. The accessibility of personal information available on social networking websites is attracting many people who seek to exploit this information. What is more, some people can use this information to seduce unsophisticated people and do harm for them.
    There are not a few risks in social networking sites related to the security of private and personal information. First of all, the information that users are sharing can be easily obtainable by authorities, press, or just anyone who is interested. In addition, there are some few cases when employees were fired due to activities on social networking websites that did not fulfil company’s values. Even though, there are many cases of identity thefts in social networks too. Well-known people usually suffer from such situations, when somebody posts some discreditable information on Facebook with his fake profile, which can even damage one’s reputation.
    Another relevant problem of social networking is the risk of socializing with unknown people. Looking for new friends, room mates, partners by creating profiles in such websites became very popular nowadays, especially among young people. It is a matter of great concern that teenagers do not afraid to communicate with strangers and even make blind dates. As a result, we have a resonant case called “Facebook case”, where teenage boy is accused of cruel thirteen year old girl’s homicide. Due to the facts, this tragedy happened after the acquaintance on Facebook. The teens were chatting on this website for some time, until the boy invited the victim to come and meet him in Vilnius. My point is, that even if it is possible to set the highest level of the security on such sites, and choose what to make public, there are some other risks, from which people can only protect themselves by being careful about the users they communicate and meet with.
    To sum up, social networking is the part of our social life which makes it easyer in many ways and we can not disprove it. Social sites make it possible to communicate with friends and family from all over the world, to gain our time and even save money. However, social networking consist many risks and threats, so people should be careful and consider about their security, while sharing their personal information and socializing with unknown people.

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