The impact of Facebook on the people is immense and is still on the rise. No one will deny the benefits of being able to keep track on the latest happenings and interact with friends or family but as each coin has two faces, facebook has also got a darker side.
Facebook, the most successful social networking site in the world, has sadly become an addiction for the major portion of the society especially the youth. About 350 million people are on facebook, out of which 70% are between the ages of 13 -25.People update every minute details of their daily activities on the site. Pictures and videos are created just for the sake of uploading on facebook. Hours are spent thinking about the status to be updated and several more hours are spent updating the status and checking the “likes” and “comments” on it. Facebook commonly acronymed as FB is accessible through mobile phones and millions of users remain active on the site through their cell phones. More than 50% of these people use facebook on their computers as well as mobile phones. The obsession of these people for FB is such that they can’t stay away from it. Facebook has become a drug for many!
Another important ill effect of facebook is the negative exposure to kids. Kids lack the maturity and are vulnerable to predators on facebook who are ready to grasp and influence the young minds. Children below a certain age shouldn’t be allowed to use FB as apart from these ill effects the prolonged increased usage of Facebook hampers the overall development of the children. Children do not play outdoor games or enjoy the beauty of environment.
Phishers and spammers have also appeared on the site and are a severe threat to personal information. The amount of personal information on Facebook is a point of huge concern and thus privacy has become an enormous concern. Someone may extract your personal and professional information and use it to do harm to you.
Several instances of cyber bullying have also been recorded in many places of the world. Cyber Bullying may not be physical but it is emotional and psychological whose effects are devastating for the victim and can often lead to suicide and depression.
The term social networking to me is misleading. The people ‘believe’ that they are being social but are they? No, the contact is minimal and impersonal. People know what their friends and family are doing just by looking at the “News Feed” so why meet or call? The way of communication has been changed completely and people prefer chatting online than talking face to face.
One thing is for certain that presently the better side of FB has overshadowed the darker side but only time will tell how Facebook will be in the future.