SNS, an abbreviation for Social Networking Service, is essential in the modern society. Nowadays we see many of others sending text messages through smartphone, while uploading videos, music and pictures on their facebook and blogs. Sometimes we kill time chatting by twitter. It is certainly true that humans are living in the world of SNS!
SNS indicates all of the online system by which people are able to use as a means of communication. The main objective of this is for people to share with their ideas and life, which strengthens human relations. Scholars named Boyd and Elison defined it in 2008 as follows; a web-based service within a certain system in which people reveal their identities, offering list of other users with who they have a relationship and enabling them to look around others' connections. Although its meaning varies depending on a situation, the common functions of it include showing users' identities and interests, providing information, sharing multimedia products(video, movies, music, pictures, etc.) and networking with others.
It has been at the center of the controversy since digital era began. Many social issues, either good or bad, appeared due to its huge influence regardless of time and space. There are three chief advantages of it; 1) expanding each person's relationship, 2) sharing useful information and contents with others and 3) delivering important messages as fast as possible, especially in case of emergency. First of all, SNS helps us to get in contact with others all over the world. We attach our daily life on facebook or blogs so that not only our own nationals but foreigners can see who we are and what we are doing. Even we send messages to celebrities through twitter, keeping track of every schedule they have. Second, with different kinds of it, it is possible to offer useful information. Users give others from academic to even practical, empirical knowledge, for example how the snow is made and what to do to make more delicious brownie as well. Finally, due to its characteristics of network, with it officers both in public and private sector deliver important messages within a short time, therefore they can take actions immediately and prepare for the crisis.
However, it also has disadvantages. Mostly three things exist; 1) being addictive to it, 2) spreading groundless rumors or malicious contents, 3) losing sociability or having a hard time establishing relations in real world. First, since SNS occupies the majority of communication media, we are vulnerable to indulge in it. As a matter of fact, it is common to see people looking into their smartphone during the whole time on the subway. Some of them feel nervous when their smartphones disappear or they become unable to utilize any kind of SNS. Second, users make up stories, particularly about famous people, so that the emotional attack the victims receive is enormous. As an evidence of it, nowadays many celebrities are killing themselves or filing a suit against the perpetrators. Finally, people may have difficulty in hanging out with others, which causes even social phobia or depression. They are all big mental diseases, leading to huge social problems at the same time. Although the world in SNS looks almost the real one, actually it is not; it is definitely virtual, invented space where we can't feel interaction or contact with each other.
In my opinion, SNS ought to be used in either good or bad way depending on the situation. As I said before, there are some of advantages and disadvantages of it as well, so it is necessary to apply it in a more useful, appropriate way. It has good points in strengthening human relations and functioning as an immediate and effective means of communication. On the contrary, it is bad in that it makes people addictive to it or unsociable to get along with others, causing social problems of diffusing vicious rumors. So it would be good if we utilize it to deliver a lot of information at the same time or making friends. Regarding to the disadvantages, we should minimize them; trying to conduct educational program for curing the personal and social diseases might be a good improvement measure. A few of regulations are also needed to enhance their sense of ethics and purify the whole online culture.
I am in favor of SNS basically, but I recommend you to use it in a more clever way. First of all, check everyday how much time you spend doing SNS. It will help you not plunge in it, which enriches your life with quality information and entertains you with many friends. Second, try to abide by the rules that all users online must keep. Freedom should be accompanied by responsibility, therefore you are in charge of every action of you. If we keep the regulations not by pressures outside but by ourselves, the problems related to both personal and social phases will diminish. Third, for the government and the organizations in public or private sector, it is important to guide users to use it properly. For example, holding a campaign for making good use of it and educating people the advantages and disadvantages of it can be effective methods. It helps to solve many of the social problems that we the users can't figure out on our own but only the big-size institutions can. In short, it is absolutely true that we can't live without any of SNS, which means that it already has become one of necessities in our society. However, it has both sides; advantages and disadvantages. Therefore, we have to use it smart, maximizing the good points while minimizing the bad ones. In that way, we can enjoy SNS as our friend who relieves our stress, not the enemy who ruins our life. Furthermore, practical use of it would make us and our society develop toward a wholly different level, with high-technology and intimacy with a variety of people.
** For more information, visit this site:
http://www.ask.com/?o=16149&l=dir&qsrc=14137
If you type in 'Social Networking' in the search engine, various information comes out including mainly Q&As, blogs, news and videos. It will help you understand SNS a lot better.
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