Category Archives: Assignment 2

holy matrimony

Posted on March 20, 2011 by gee.elle

Social media has definitely changed the world of communication and how individuals approach their real life relationships in the public sphere. Take, for example, marriage proposals.  Proposals are meant to be a show of love and affection, to prove to your significant other how important you are to them.  This no longer means popping the question in front of all your friends and family; it means alerting the entire electronic world. Can you imagine being proposed to through twitter? Living in the public sphere has obviously affected the intricacies of private relationships and the role that outsiders play in these relationships.

As Tanya explained in “We Live in Public”, when a couple is arguing, it’s more beneficial to step back, try to understand each side, and to compromise.  But when the argument occurs in public, it becomes about egos and who “wins” the fight.

A 2010 survey shows that four out of five matrimonial lawyers claim that an increasing number of cases involve the use of social networking sites to provide evidence. One case I found shocking was the story of a woman who had her husband arrested for bigamy after seeing photos of his second wedding on facebook.  The couple had been separated for a number of years, but had never officially gotten a divorce. When he deleted said wife from his friends list, he did not alter his privacy settings and she was still able to see the photos from his second wedding.  She then had him arrested for bigamy.

Clearly social media has the ability to build relationships and tear them down.  Ultimately it’s up to the user to determine how they use the interface to affect and influence their real world relationships.  But will this have permanent effects on socialization and communication in the future? Does providing an alternate source of communication allow for freer expression or does it mimic the purpose of greeting cards (allowing us to defer the responsibility of communication by saying the words we physically can’t)?

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Benefits of Facebook.

Posted on March 18, 2011 by

We are all familiar with the Facebook slogan, “Facebook is a social utility that connects people with friends and others who work, study and live around them.” As I read numerous blog posts for the class, I noticed the ongoing pattern of how social networking can affect every individuals live, negatively.However, I will  explain a situation, where Facebook was used under dangerous but a life-saving circumstance.It proved to not only myself, but others that social networking can be used in a good/bad, negative/positive manner.

As I listened to 98.7 Kiss F.M at work today, I heard a very interesting case that occurred in Atlanta, Georgia.According to AJC, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution online, due to interactions amongst Facebook, a robbery attempt was ceased with future arrest to be made.Nitesh Bhatka, along with his grandma and sister  faced a house robbery which could have been fatal.However, the teen thought of the fastest way to “connect with family, friends, and others who work,” in order to save his family. Once aware of the robbery, he made it his duty to stop the wrong doings.In other words, he found a safe and secure place in the house to get the attention of the outside world.Which we all know can be Facebook, at many times.He risked being attacked by the three suspects.However, he managed to update his status which was beneficial in the discovery of the robbery, he posted, “HELP, ROBBERS, NO PHONE.” According to the the reactions of his Facebook networks, it reminded me of “The Boy Who Cried Wolf.”He states, “A lot of People thought it was a joke,.” I’m unaware if Bhatka has characteristics similar to the boy who cried wolf, but the situation reminded me of the danger he faced and how his surroundings reacted.

He also  states, “I don’t think [Facebook] is really meant as a lifesaving tool, but it’s the only way I could think of contacting someone immediately to call for help,” he said.I agree with his logic, Facebook is not a lifesaving tool;However, his mindful thinking influenced the consequence of the robbery.In addition, the architecture of his attic helped to keep him from being seen.Lastly, the actions, of his best friend determined the outcome, which some may say its “best friend instinct.” Bhatka used Facebook to post “What is on his mind” at the present time, which frightened the three suspects, this reduced the intensity of the robbery.

This article exemplified the social interaction we have amongst our “technology family.” If a phone was present during the time of the robbery, Bhatka would have been heard by the robbers.However, Facebook interactions helped save the day.So I ask myself, does this situation, along with many others predict what the future will consist of, the ongoing usage of technology?Many of us bash social networking sites (Let me mention due to the different personas we have amongst ourselves)but after this post, do you reconsider the impact they have on our everyday lives?

Although, we are in denial, just know there is at least one individual paying close attention to the importance of our lives, on social networking sites, whether or not your aware of it.The question is: How comfortable are you knowing that attentiveness from any individual listed as your “friend,”can save your life?Are we really living in public, minus the surveillance devices?

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Snooping Around

Posted on March 16, 2011 by Gustavo

Sites such as Facebook come with the extra perk of enabling us to anonymously take a peek into other people’s affairs.  It is my personal opinion that besides satisfying our urge to communicate and socialize with dear friends, it also gives us an ample opportunity to snoop around into our friend’s lives and doings, such as for example; who are our friends’ friends?  How close or intimate are they? How fabulous and popular their lives are? Or are they just as miserable and lonely people as we suspected all along…

Contrary to what many may say I believe that social networks such as Facebook, serve for more than just to satisfy the need to “communicate” and stay in touch with friends. According to the article Looking at Friends on Facebook Increases Pleasantness“ it says that  “The researchers found that social searching — looking up a friend’s specific profile information, looking through their photos, reading messages from them — is indicative of greater use of the appetitive system.” The snooping around in my opinion has the same if not more of the incentive to visit Facebook. This added perk is hard to resist and in my opinion increases the chances to spend more and more time on line. The excessive thirst to stay on top of other people’s lives may result in situations of self-deterioration. The ease to communicate can facilitate good deeds as it can make it easier to harm others.

The quality of social interaction can impact our lives in ways that we may not even think of. For example; one of my friends, that I must make clear is not me, was not aware that his last girlfriend was sending friend request to all his friends with a photo of a young child, and many accepted without much questioning, since many times you don’t know what your friend looked like what when they were kids, and often we even do not remember their full names, so we may think we know them and say we’ll find out later.  Soon enough she had enough people to start rumors and a persisting crusade to create embarrassing situations that spread like a wild fire among friends and friends of friends and somehow I found myself as an unintended channel helping the cunning plot to destroy my friends’ possibilities for a new and healthy relationship. As it turns out, and including me, people like to believe the worst on others, maybe as a measure of our own goodness.

Soon after that ugly episode, I became very suspicious and overcautious and ended up blocking access to my profile, defriending some even if that meant limiting contact and social interaction. The price is just too high to pay, and I for one treasure my serenity and peaceful way of living.

Some may say that this does not happen frequently, and I certainly would agree with it, after all living life to the fullest involves taking chances, but  to what extend  you’ll  go  trusting  your privacy to a large pool of friends is hard to say. One thing is certain; I am no longer impressed with how popular you are, or how many hundreds of friends you have in your profile. However;  I believe that that the more people you include in your profile the more chances for risk or unwanted situations;  just keep in mind that every one of those so called “friendships” have your “ number and they can easily do a number on you.

Other people may say, I never accept friend request from anybody that is not my “real” friend then I say good for you. Others may say: that would never happen to me, my friends are the best, and they love me! When I hear that I say to myself I remember when I used to say that and to tell you the truth I honestly believed it; however; one thing is certain and that is when it hits the fan it hits everybody. I remember when I was younger and I was more involved in the friendship socializing hanging out thing, always on the lookout for fun, and when your big mouth got you in trouble, the worst that could’ve happened as nasty rumors spread was that a particular friend would come to you and say while slapping your face “I never did that with you!” and our short term memory put an end to it. Now days whatever you do and whatever anyone says about you, it’s on your permanent record for generations to come.

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Facebook Song

Posted on March 14, 2011 by laww

While browsing Youtube, I came across a video that is extremely relevant to this class. The FacebookSong is absolutely hysterical! It basically describes a large majority of facebook users, whose lives revolve around facebook. It is a quick clip and definitely worth watching.  It jokes on the fact that the two men singing are not normally very social, yet when they log on there is a whole website dedicated to them! I laughed when I heard this line,”Before the internet friendship was so tough, you actually had to be in people’s presence and stuff.”It discusses how information, whether whimsical or serious, is at the tip of their fingertips. At one point they say, “Who would have thought with a point and a click, I would know that Hope Floats is your favorite flick?”

Something else that was discussed is the fact that some people will add another person simply because they think he or she is attractive and not because they actually know them. I think everyone can say they have received friend requests from people with no idea of who they are. I have a friend who adds females all the time and tries to meet them in person, because he is somewhat socially akward, though he would never admit it. Before facebook came to be “THE” social internet website, myspace was huge and this is how my friend met his ex-girlfriend of at least a year. She lives in Texas, while he lives in New York, and they would meet up sometimes. The relationship did not last, shockingly, and he often gets mocked for his choice in meeting women. Personally, I will never understand it, but I was always taught, “If you have nothing nice to say, do not say anything at all.”

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National Unfriend Day

Posted on March 9, 2011 by Jessica Chu-A-Kong

We’ve all had this thought go through our heads: I just want to delete this person on Facebook. However, we often reluctantly keep them as a “friend”. Most Facebook users have hundreds of friends on their lists; many of these friendships just exist for the sake of being Facebook friends. In a way, Facebook dictates these social norms that once you’ve made friends on Facebook, you can expect to have made a friend for life.

In this Youtube video, Jimmy Kimmel announces November 17th as “National Unfriend Day” or “NUD”. Kimmel’s humorous approach to all the Facebook madness might actually be shedding some light on our ever-growing Friends lists.  It’s easy to confirm a friend when that person is in your math class or you met that person at last night’s party. On the other hand, when you repeat this act for a prolonged amount of time, you’re looking at your Friends list and not recognizing many of your acquaintances. According to AOL News, studies done at several well-known universities show that we can only retain 150 friends at a time. These studies also show that there is some narcisstic behavior associated with all the “friending”. Ultimately, as the number of our friends increase, we become more conscious of our Facebook appearance, leading to more of your thoughts being taken up by Facebook.

We know that all these Friends are useless, but we’re either too lazy to remove them or conscious of the possibility of the awkward repercussions. But what’s really more important – your time or your Facebook?

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Warner Bros Meets Facebook!

Posted on March 9, 2011 by melissa.colas

In reading this article, I thought it was interesting to see how big businesses are using social network sites to their advantage. The idea of logging on to facebook and being able to rent a movie is actually clever to me. Millions of people spend a number of hours on facebook each day.. why not allow them to watch movies while they do it. Warner bros is taking a unique step forward in developing more business for their company. However, the fear of piracy can be a big deal.  People will develop ways to make these movies free instead of the $3.00  rental fee or 30 credit requirement  the company will offer on the site. But whos to say that Warner bros should not take the risk. There have been a lot of movies that I’ve come across being sold by bootleggers in the street so there wouldn’t be a difference putting these movies up on facebook. Not everyone on facebook will be looking to commit piracy, they will simply want to watch it. This idea will create even bigger business for Warner Bros by allowing 500 million people to take advantage of their service. This is especially true among people who don’t have cable or simply would like to watch a movie at a much cheaper rate without leaving their house to go to a redbox or waiting for netflix to deliver their movie to their home. This idea would also be very good for college students who are on breaks at school and on their laptops with a few hours to kill in between classes. Instead of having to bring a DVD to put into your computer, it would be better for them to do what they do best.. Log onto facebook!

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Homeless man finds his fame

Posted on March 8, 2011 by sl124894

Most of the talk this semester is revolving around the question of what is the point of social networking? Why do we choose to put our information out for the public to read? For most of us we use facebook and twitter because it gives us the ability to voice our opinion and gives an even larger audience for us to talk too. But when it comes to the things that we are talking about on these social networks the question is still what is the point? Why do we want to update our twitter with a new interesting or funny quote? Why do we want to upload our cool new pictures from our spring break? Maybe its because we all just want to get noticed.

The internet is known for the vast amount of information it supplies but it is also known for rocketing the careers for the most random people in the world. Someone can get known worldwide by simply posting a hilarious video on youtube or by creating a really great twitter persona. An example of the power the internet has is shown in this article found in the New York Post on January 5th. A panhandler in Ohio was given the chance of a lifetime when a video of him begging on the roadside was posted on the internet and became a sensation. His outstanding radio voice landed him a job with the Cleveland Cavaliers and a free home. One minute this man is one the street and the next he his living out a dream, and why? Because of the internet.

So when the question is asked what is the appeal of these networks or why have they caught on so fast the answer can be simple. The internet gives people the access to the rest of the world. People are crazy and will become obsessed with anything so at this point anyone has the ability to become famous. The obsession with social networking makes sense, people want to be noticed, and the internet makes it that much easier.

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What is Social Networking?

Posted on March 4, 2011 by lusely.martinez

Just recently I came across this website called What is Social Networking?
On the homepage there’s an article defining what Social Networking is and on a tab on the side there’s a list of topics related to Social networking. These Topics range from Creating a site, to Cyber bullying, and Which sites are useful. I truly didn’t think a site like this existed. Now this isn’t a fancy site with great html and Java script. This is a pretty standard site, text, bad graphics, and suck advertisements; obviously a homemade site, but it’s surprising the kind of information you find.

I explored the site a little and found some of the articles interesting and highly relevant to our class. in Addicted to Social Sites?, the author uses terms like Internet Addiction Disorder, Net Junkie, or online-a-holic to describe people addicted to being alone. it made me think, aren’t we all Net Junkies then? we get most of HW readings online, and while online, we check our email, some of us have our e-mail connected to our phones so we are always in contact, we are also on Facebook, or twitter. Who escapes this term really? The author goes on to describe the tellnig signs of Internet Addiction Disorder: “1) Excessive computer use typically associated with loss of spatial time perception; neglect of basic human drives, proper nutrition, personal hygiene, relationships; 2) Feelings of isolation, withdrawal, depression and extreme agitation, high-anxiety if the computer is unavailable or breaks down; 3) Low tolerance levels, including an unjustifiable need for bigger, better, faster computer equipment, the latest and greatest software; and 4) Low accomplishment level, procrastination, lying, social isolation and chronic fatigue.”

I wonder, how many of us can say we show all four signs?

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the dangers of posting too much information on facebook

Posted on March 3, 2011 by nichola.smith


The dangers of posting too much info on social networks.
The above video shows the dangers of having a facebook account an other social networks. It talks about keeping your private life private,evaluating what you should and should not post on as your status update and how the information requested by social networks can be harmful to your lifestyle. the video to me therefore shows a connection knowing your audience a topic which have discussed in class.
Firstly, the updating of your status should be kept on a level where your personal life remains private.eg updating your status stating Im goin to be home alone for the night or stating the exact date and time of your whereabout for that particular day. It is extremely important not to do this in a case you do not know all of your friends personally on facebook. As Kayla Mitchell stated in the video she has over 400 friends an know them personally this is why she can share here whereabouts an personalize her status updates.
Another issue is the posting of pictures and being tagged in them. The consequencs of posting thes pictures can be extreme at times where many people have lost there jobs from the routine background checks done by employers or even denied a job by an employer because of their pictures being public. It is considered that the only way to have sum control over who see your profile is by costomizing your account to friends only.
Secondly,the information requested by these social networks such as your credit card informatiion, phone number, address should also be kept off facebook because it helps prevent identiity theft. There have been many reports of identity theft victims due to the fact that they provide these social networks with access to their personal infomation. On many times i been on facebooks and there are games such as farmville and yoville which require you to provide credit cards account to buy points to further your level in the game and to my knowledge there are people who do.
In conclusion the video provides you with knowledge of what you should be kept private and what shuld be kept public and also shows connection between our class discussion about ‘knowing your audience’ which should be highly considered while having a social network account.

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Facebook Marriage Drama

Posted on March 1, 2011 by Anna Soboleva

We’ve all seen facebook drama unfold on someones wall  and even the extreme a chilling article about a young teen who committed suicide after being abused on the internet.

What about when it comes to marriage? Most of us don’t view facebook as being the source of drama for married people, we view it as a way for them to share baby pictures with college friends and reunite with people from the past

According to the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers over 66% of divorces have been linked to Facebook. They say that while many of these affairs are not premeditated, they are still happening and the information is put on the Internet for everyone to see.

Maybe it’s time for for people to better learn their privacy settings.

Facebook causing divorce

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