Comm 240 Essay

Social Networking Sites (SNSs) have revolutionized how we use communication technologies today. SNSs such as Facebook, LinkedIn, and Sixdegrees allow people to stay in touch with people they are already connected to as well as make new connections. While each of these sites has their own perks to them and different ways of attracting new members, they all work in a similar fashion. According to lecture, there are three defining characteristics each SNS must have in order for it to have that label: First. it must allow members to make a semi-public or public profile; second, it must allow members to create a list of other members they know; third, it must allow them to view a list of people they know and also the indirect connections they have through those people they know. These sites have become especially important for college students trying to make a name for themselves in the professional world. They can practically use these sites as an online resume, especially the site called LinkedIn which is meant for networking professionals and pre-professionals. The textbook explains that SNSs work off of a central server where all of the members' information is stored, and the members can access the servers from remote locations such as their home computer. The book also explains that the idea for this came about when a man named Jeff Wilkins created CompuServe in 1969 trying to help his father-in-law restructure his insurance business.

These sites may be extremely easy to use, convenient, and fun, but some don't realize the effects of putting so much personal information in such an easily-accessed place. Once personal information is on a public or semi-public profile on an SNS, people can watch and observe your every move - online and offline. An article titled "Social networking site or social surveillance site?" in the Computers in Human Behavior journal discusses something called interpersonal electronic surveillance (IES). IES, as defined by the article, is "surreptitious strategies individuals use over communication technologies to gain awareness of another user's offline and/or online behaviors." Many people may browse their Facebook News Feed without even realizing they are participating in this surveillance, and also not realizing others are performing this surveillance on them in turn. This realization might cause people to feel that their privacy is invaded. According to the article, "over 60% of college students use Facebook to check up on their significant others, see what others are doing on the Internet, and check people out." Many people would be surprised by this statistic, not realizing they are on both sides of the coin. The article points out that IES can occur on anyone you have a connection with including co-workers, friends, family, and romantic partners. For this reason, people must be cautious with what they decide to put on their profile. This surveillance could be both good and bad - good for an employer who can see what a potential employee is really like, bad for the woman who accidentally updated her Facebook status saying she was pregnant before informing her friends and family in person. As an example, the article points out that "interpersonal jealousy provokes people to employ IES strategies through their partners' profiles. The time romantic couples spend on Facebook...is related to interpersonal jealousy and distrust." It is obvious that SNSs can be a gift and a curse. They can cause jealousy and tension between people in any sort of relation ship. They can give someone a first impression (good or bad). Users should set up their privacy settings to be sure the only people seeing their personal information are those close to them. Even then, they must keep their interests and those of the people close to them in mind before typing their next status update. SNSs clearly have a huge presence in communication in the online world, but they may have even more importance in real-life relationships.

Reference:
Tokunaga, R.S. (2011). Social networking site or social surveillance site? Understanding the use of interpersonal electronic surveillance in romantic relationships. Computers in Human Behavior, 27(2), 705-713. doi:10.1016/j.chb.2010.08.014