In this article, John Harris argues that Facebook diminishes the barrier between our public and private lives. He begins by giving a general summary as to how Facebook began, and then goes into the negatives of the platform. In the article, Harris firmly states that Facebook “has its insatiable appetite for personal data.” As a result of all the recent controversy around Facebook, the author emphasizes his point that our private lives are becoming more public.

Throughout the article, Harris gives the readers concrete facts to support his view of Facebook, stating “a third of women admitted to dishonesty… Nearly 30% of women lied about doing something when they were really home alone, and 20% were not truthful about their holiday activities or their jobs.” Giving these percentages reinforces his argument that Facebook does not divide our public and private lives.

Social media has both positively and negatively affected my life. It puts a huge amount of pressure to be “perfect” for followers so I tend to stress out a lot about that. However, it has been SO AMAZING in terms of meeting incredible new friends. Instagram is not only a platform to showcase the “best parts” of your life, it is also a way for me to talk to the many friends I’ve made online. I started all social media when I was a freshman in high school. While presentations of myself may not be an exact replication of who I am, I try to make it as similar as possible, while maintaining an aesthetic of course. 🙂