Facebook

facebook is a social is a social network service which was founded by Mark Zuckerberg in February 2004. This is the most commonly used website with over 600million active users according to the report given in January 2011. This is considered to have created a very strong network of communication with its capability to connect people across the world. The services have both negative and positive effects to the individuals, families and societies since it is accessed by all the people irrespective of the age and experience. The study below concerns the major effects and consequences of this network service to the society at large.

Effects or consequences of Facebook on the society

Humans are social beings thus there is need for them top keep connected or have a good network to socialize with each other. According to the results of the study on Compete.com done in January 2009, Facebook was ranked to be the most used social network and it has more benefits than just communicating but also provision of essential information in communication. It is the best and the most powerful tool for collaboration and interaction between people or friends. Considering from the sociological perspective Facebook sites are considered to improve social capital which is particularly essential in striking up a conversation or enabling people to access information from the internet. A study carried out in Michigan State University found that the services are beneficial especially for eth individuals with low self esteem and less self satisfaction. From the psychological perspective, the site enables the individuals to meet and share with the others with common interests hence share the experiences and get motivated or gain knowledge to handle life issues (Goldman, 2008 p. 7).

Facebook makes up a cheaper way of keeping up with friends by reinforcing the existing ones or expansion of the network by enabling the creation of new ones. Each individual member has a profile page on which he or she invites all the people to be their friends. They post ideas on their walls to be shared amongst the friends and those of their friends and also have a chance of accessing what their friends have to share thus more and diverse information and knowledge is shared. It also serves to strengthen the bonds especially between the individuals who do not have enough physical contact or have not enough time for direct interaction. This is possible by providing individual information as well as views and opinions thus the others may be able to learn more concerning the individuals.

other than the benefits these social services also have disadvantages on the society. Excess usage of these social sites is resulting to the increase in the societal crime rates especially those relating to immorality or sexual abuse. There is no age description of the individuals who are qualified to hold accounts on the Facebook thus the young children, the teenagers and the adults all share the information that is posted on the profiles. The young people access and put in practice ideas which are far much below their standards. Some of these may be pornographic materials which may abuse the young children. Excessively exposing of the information concerning people for example, their occupation is having effects on the societal crime rates for instance the robbery and carjacking because the criminals will be able to identify the individuals of their focus and monitor their movement depending on the information that they provide (Martínez, 2009 p. 73-82).

Although these networks are considered as an effective links for the distance relationships by connecting the individuals, it also has negative effects on the relationships. This is resulting to wrong decisions because the individuals may be influenced to be engaged in bad relationships. Most of the people who use these websites do not express their original characters but mostly try to show the best. Some of these relationships may not last because the parties are forced to separate when they learn the true characters of the others. The individuals also blame each other for being unfaithful through by accessing the information that they share with the others.