One of the positive effects of Facebook would be that it benefits businesses. According to Marketing Jive it’s a great way to promote business since so many people use Facebook and news travels very fast. By having a Facebook page, a business can also gain so many customers. People can find business or companies through their friends pages as well. If someone likes a businesses page or posts about a business all of their friends have access to that post and will therefore be aware of the company. They can find this company on Facebook and learn more about it. Costumers can learn about promotions and sales or deals also. Businesses can use Facebook to view feedback from their costumers and see what demographic their business is most appealing to.
Another positive effect of Facebook, according to Longwood University, is that it’s a good way for students to connect with each other. After all, that’s what Facebook was originally designed for. Students can talk to each other over Facebook and also promote school events. Sororities and fraternities always host charity events or mixers and Facebook is an easy and effective way to spread the word about these things to other students. School clubs can also utilize Facebook to gain members and promote themselves.
A negative effect of Facebook on society would be that it can actually make people feel bad about themselves. According to a TIME magazine article titled “Why Facebook Makes You Feel Bad About Yourself”, going on Facebook can trigger feelings of jealousy and loneliness. Scrolling through pictures and statuses and seeing people having more fun than you or seeing people on vacation gets other people literally upset. Girls and women tend to feel worse about their appearance as well. If you look on Facebook and see that all of your friends went out without you can also cause people to feel bad about themselves.
Another negative effect of Facebook is that it can be very distracting. People feel the need to update their Facebook status multiple times a day instead of do schoolwork or other important things. Sometimes people just go on Facebook because they are bored in class or at work. Half of the students who bring laptops to school are going on Facebook during class. This isn’t just a problem with teenagers, it is happening with adults as well. They go on Facebook at work and during meetings or are too distracted with it to help their kids with homework.
Overall I don’t think the negatives outweigh the positives. If people are getting that upset about what they see on Facebook they can simply deactivate it. If you are too attached to it to delete it you are way too invested in it for your own good. If it’s too much of a distraction for you, you can take the app off of your phone or try to have some self control. People try to blame Facebook for their problems instead of taking responsibility. Facebook is a good way to promote business, music, clubs, etc., and enable communication. If someone doesn’t like it they don’t need to get a Facebook.
http://www.marketing-jive.com/2007/09/11-business-benefits-of-using-facebook.html
http://www.longwood.edu/health/14875.htm
http://healthland.time.com/2013/01/24/why-facebook-makes-you-feel-bad-about-yourself/
http://www.homebiz.bukiki.com/positive-negative-effects-facebook-our-society/#axzz2uxaAWU2N
Courtney, I understand that you believe that the positives outweigh the negatives for using Facebook. However, in regard to the business argument, sometimes too much information is a negative for the consumer. While it’s true that businesses use Facebook to advertise their products and sales, movie companies sometimes do a disservice to the viewer by giving away spoilers about the film before it even hits theaters. Sometimes, I avoid seeing a certain film as a result of so much prior information on the internet. As for students connecting, that’s not always such a good thing either. Some students might get bullied, pressured or embarrassed on the site. Then again, people don’t always feel bad from interactions on Facebook. They might actually get comfort and support from the comments they receive. I don’t think Facebook is as distracting as you make it out to be either. I have a facebook account; and I only check it like once or twice a day; three at the most.
ReplyDeleteHello Courtney,
ReplyDeleteI agree that if people are getting so upset they can unfriend that individual, deleting there account seems a little extreme more of the world’s population use Facebook to stay connected and keep in touch so deleting there account would isolate them from what’s going on with their social circle. Now as for the self-control aspect I feel that self-control needs to be pounded into our heads from birth Americans over indulge in everything Food, social media, booze etc. People need something to blame it’s the way they are because a few out there believe that they are never to wrong and can’t be at fault. Facebook is the way of the world it’s the big thing right now so until something else something better comes along everyone will use it and people will complain about it.
Hi Courtney, great post. I agree with your two negatives and two positives but in regards to your conclusion saying overall there is more positive than negative I have to disagree. I believe that people almost become fake on Facebook and try way to hard to impress people. Getting caught up in everyone else's business when they should be minding their own. Almost becoming stalkers of whoever they wish. I think you are right when you say people can simply just click deactivate but people become to addicted that they don't know what they would do without it, how are they going to go on without knowing what all these people are doing?
ReplyDelete