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You know the sites, but do you really know the first social networking site or SNS? Facebook? No. Friendster? No. LiveJournal? Definitely no.
Ever heard of the Bulletin Board System or the BBS? It’s the first SNS and it’s just like Facebook. Only in BBS, you may download files and games. Oh, you can do that in Facebook now.
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| Facebook logo. |
Launched in the second month of 2004, Facebook has since dominated the cyber world and lorded over sites like Friendster (which is now only ranking 146 in the most popular sites in the world). A movie was even produced based on the true events that occurred before and after the founding of the site – The Social Network. The movie follows the story of Mark Zuckerberg and the law suits that followed after he made the site. Facebook made him the youngest billionaire in the world.
I know that light bulb above you. Better start that social network now, and fast. Facebook is adding thousands of members by the minute.
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| Past Friendster logo. |
After being labeled as the Texting Capital of the World (maybe because of the unlimited text offers of all networks), some sites are now calling the Philippines the Social Networking Capital of the World. Now, should the Pinoys look at this negatively or positively?
In one hand, this means Pinoys are sociable, computer literate (haha, eat that!), and, well, current-events updated. I don’t need to explain further on this. On the other hand, this means we waste a lot of time in front of the computer instead of doing work, and, and, forget it, I can’t see any other negative issue about it. Haha.
Here’s the good thing about SNS: they are used in legal and crime investigations. Just like how cellphones were used in crimes scenes before the SNS got popular, these sites prove to be catalysts in the process of investigations. Someone’s posts, comments and other web activities in the net may be used in favor or against them.
We may also communicate with friends overseas without going through the trouble of writing on paper and waiting weeks before it gets to their addresses. On the tail end, it takes away the post man’s job. And your stamp collection never adds up. And it’s never too personalized as your own handwriting (but if your penmanship is hieroglyphic, be happy and go crazy about it).
For first time applicants, just be careful about what you post on your Wall. The manager of the company you’re applying to may look into your accounts. Whatever they read there may affect your application. It’s your resume in the social networking media.
Another thing: Looking at it generally, we can never deny the fact that there are other big issues in the social networking media that may destroy identities and lives. There’s cyber bullying, which has few laws against it. (States like California, Florida, Texas, and Missouri in the United States of America, have addressed the problem of cyber bullying). The pictures you have been hiding all these years may quickly spread throughout the sites when it lands into some crazy guy’s hands, or your brother who always wants to see you humiliated around your friends. It’s the scandal in the social networking media. There are also few limitations as to the posting of offensive remarks in these sites. There goes the trauma. (Enter, trauma). (Laugh out loud, trauma). (Cry, girl). (Cry, boy).
Children below the age limit are also – not surprisingly – members of the sites mentioned above. Why, you ask? Because one, Children See, Children Do. Remember I mentioned about Pinoys being computer literate? That doesn’t exempt the ones under the teenage bracket. And two, the age verifications are ineffective most of the time. So when kids get frustrated on the games they’re playing at Y8 (or when they think Facebook games are cooler than playing race or dress-ups in NewGrounds) they log into those account, and poof!, see vain picture with slightly nude boys and girls. It’s the cocaine of the social networking media, those pictures. Not for me though. *wink*
It’s also sometimes making a big wall between someone’s social life and interpersonal communication. Not to mention how some teenagers seem to “not want” their parents to gain access in their accounts. It’s the diary or journal of the social networking media. The one that you just want your friends to read, only your friends. Only in SNS, some of them are not familiar to you. Just your stalkers, or your friend’s friend, or the fake accounts of your brother or mother or father or your evil sister.
Is SNS all that bad? Or good? You be the judge. I vote for good. Who doesn’t love faster access to the cool television series’ fan pages? The rock bands you’ve been stalking and praying for to visit the Philippines? Your crush/es? Your ex who’s been running in your brain? Or enjoying a chat with your professor when all you need to say is, “Please make me top in your class,” or “I liked your status, give me high grades in my class card.”? It’s the bribing in the social networking media, made faster within just a click of the mouse, or the tap in the keyboard.
This entry was posted
on Sunday, January 9, 2011
at 12:21 AM
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