The Social Web Essay

The Social Web: Amazing or Horrifying
Madelynn Rios
Computer Literacy INF103
Instructor Carolyn Hughes
February 15, 2012

The Social Web: Amazing or Horrifying

There are many great things about the social web. It is great for people who live far away from family and old friends to keep up with them and their lives. It is also great for musicians, and business people who use it for networking and promotions. However, have you ever wondered if there was a downfall to all the hype of the social web? Well, there is a greater downfall than most people ever realize unless you really study it. It is hard to really see a downside to something that seems so harmless on the cover, but there are many troublesome facts about the social web, and the people and companies that own these sites. It has also altered the way we communicate and interact with one another. From tweeting, to posting on someone’s wall, to texting and email, nothing seems personal anymore. Instead of calling someone or writing a letter, we just post a quick message full of acronyms onto their Facebook or Twitter.
There are a lot of pros to the social web, one of them being keeping in contact with family and friends that do not live around you, and that you otherwise would not be able to keep in contact with. Keeping in touch with family and friends can be hard when you are not in the same area as one another. This is one of the main reasons people are so drawn to social networks. I myself use Facebook for this very reason. My husband is in the Army so we no longer live close to our family and friends, and I find this is a great way to keep in contact with them. “A decade ago, when a friend moves to another country, it means losing touch with them. These days, social networking sites are keeping family and friends updated with each other's lives on a daily basis no matter how far apart. People are able to look up long lost childhood friends or make new friends through social networking...