If you are against the social media and digital communication movement, this is

Question

If you are against the social media and digital communication movement, this is your opportunity to express your viewpoint on the topic. Tasks: Discuss possible dangers or negative effects that social media or other forms of digital communication (texting, instant messaging, etc.) could have on you personally, in your career, with family members, or on society as a whole. How can these forms of communication negatively impact a person’s digital footprint? Support your ideas with information from a credible source, such as the textbook. Must be at least 500 words.

Explanation / Answer

I have always been wary and cautious regarding the use of social media. Social networking sites like Facebook or Google plus and digital communication tools like instant messaging, multi media messaging etc. holds no special attraction for me. The reason I am cautious about social media and various forms of digital communication tools are:

1. Fall in efficiency and productivity - Social networking sites can prove to be a distraction when being used for professional reasons. For example, suppose that a consumer goods company makes use of social networking sites through which employees connect with vendors, consumers and other stakeholders. Employees may spend considerable amount of time for using the social networking sites for their personal use and thus wasting their productivity.

2. Privacy issues - People are encouraged to be more open and forthcoming about their personal lives in a social networking site. A person's private information, photographs, and other details are there for scrutiny for a large number of people on the cyber space. Many malevolent people misuses the private information of other people for some personal gain.

3. A sense of detachment - Use of social networking sites and digital communication tools privide people with a false sense of connection. They get a feeling that they are connected to a large number of people and that too mostly on a real time basis. However many relationships and friendships formed on social networking sites are not genuine. Excess use of social networking sites and digital communication tools makes people devoid of human interaction and eventually a sense of detachment develops in these people.

4. Cyber bullying - As discussed earlier, many a times there are malevolent people who wish to misuse the information and details provided by you. Cyber bullying is a rising threat to a large number of people and sometimes these bullying devastates a person completely.

5. Ability to think - Excess use of social networking sites make people depended on these sites to such an extent that they rely on these sites to make a decision. For example, if a person is looking to buy a pair of jeans, the person will look for information on the social networking sites and buy a pair of jeans as per the feedbacks and information given by other users. The person will not use his/her thinking ability. Thus, people tend to stop thinking independently.

The impact of these forms of communication on a person's digital footprint - Digital footprint is the trail that a person leaves online when using the internet. When a person uploads a photograph on a social networking site then the person is willingly and deliberately sharing his/her personal data. The trail of data left by the user creates a digital footprint. The use of social networking sites and digital communication tools generates meta data. These sets of data can be used to determine a person's tastes and preferences, likes and dislikes, religious and political beliefs and many other things.

The negative impact is that the trail of data left behind can be used without your knowledge or consent. Secondly, a person will be targeted by marketers on a regular basis.

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