FACEBOOK: IS IT THE BEGINNING OF THE END

Erna Amoah
0556229
TA: Rita T
November 8, 2007

Facebook: Is it the Beginning of the End?

It is so easy now, it has become second nature in our society: we can now even access people we met over 20 years ago, who we went to pre-school with, all through one major communication pool, which embodies thousands of millions of people. Facebook, which was created about 3 years ago, has taken the Western Society by storm, connecting people to their family, friends, and old acquaintances. Overall, online networking websites have become an integral part of our function as humans. But the revolution of networking, although created with a positive motive, has created some detrimental effects and has many people arguing that such social websites as Facebook will cause more damage to us than it will good.
In Lecture two, Dr. Sevigny introduced Harold Innis, and his philosophy of Communication Principle “changes in the mode of communication lie at the heart of social, cultural and economic evolution” (Sevigny-Lecture 2, Sept 14). Through the book of Minneva’s Owl, Innis states the concept that “creativity and learning attain their highest level only when society has begun to decline” (Sevigny-Lecture 2, Sept 14). In essence, only after we undergo an experience does it become of value, but by that time it is usually too late to alter any previous decisions.
When we take a look at the quick evolution of technology and how the importance of online social networking has increased at an uncontrollable pace, we are beginning to realize that the benefits of our new mode of communication has changed our social organization and influenced our society’s values and function. Facebook has provided the means for online-predators, and cyber-bullying. We hear of “Facebook stalkers,” and “racist groups” being formed everyday, with such little regulation of people’s privacy. As well, people are being screened by police and potential employers, via Facebook. As well, all data is completely accessible to third parties for “data purposes” which in actuality serve no direct purpose.
Canada prides itself as being a free, democratic country, where people have a right to express who they are, but in today’s society, you cannot really do that without thinking twice about how little privacy we have. We are losing our values, by investing time into such social networks which present themselves as good, but may be fatal to our futures, but we ignore it for now, because our ignorance only allows us to live in the moment.

Bibliography
Sevigny, Alex. Communication Studies 1A03 Lecture 2. Friday September 14, 2007