Social Networking

Social networking has become a very effective and widespread technology, with networking sites having billion-dollar valuations and hundreds of millions of users. Since the beginning, social networking sites have enabled millions to connect with one another in ways unheard of in previous decades. Whether it be in long lost friends, neighbors, or even new people, the possibility to connect has always been its greatest benefit. For companies small and large, it allows a direct connection to customers and their networks as well, generating increased attention. Lastly, for consumers, social networks allow for more power in checking shady business practices or poor service that normally would be unknown.

However, this increased accessibility does have it's drawbacks. One thing I notice with people is how they don't realize how accessible their data is. Despite things, such as privacy filters, websites like facebook are privately owned and have the potential to use our data how they see fit. In addition, these privacy rules get confusing and can lead to closely-held pictures or posts out and about in public. Ironically, this was the case with Mark Zuckerberg's sister Randi and her holiday photos which ended up being shared through various channels. Not only that but also other malicious acts can be done with this info. Simple info can be used by scammers, such as ones on facebook marketplace, portraying themselves as neighbors in the area and misusing that trust for profit.

In the future, I hope that social networking tech and websites could be more secure and simpler in telling what can and can't be shared. I hope that the data can't be misused as easily as it can today. Lastly, I also hope that the people using them be more proactive in their privacy rights and thankfully in a study from ten years ago, 18-19 year-olds then were engaged with these settings.

Readings cited:
https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2012/12/facebook-privacy-so-confusing-even-zuckerberg-family-photo-isnt-private/320164/
https://www.nbc-2.com/story/38062070/nbc2-investigators-multi-million-dollar-scam-being-used-on-facebook
https://www.chronicle.com/blogs/wiredcampus/who-cares-about-facebook-privacy-students-do/25877