The dangers of social networking
As far as we are really safe using social networks to publicize our private lives. What should be avoided to do we not run the risk of life.
Social media has become a powerful tool of communication - it’s amazing how quickly we are ablle to express, inform, persuade - it’s scary but very effective. Like everything in life has its pros and cons, these tools can also be dangerous.
With this communication boom there is an increased number of mental disorders linked to the use of digital technology. New diseases have emerged that had not been officially recognised by the medical community. There are two separate disorders that are dangerous but have nothing to do with disease.
The Google Effect: People are lazy to learn more because they know that it is easier to find the answers on the internet, therefore the human brain retains less information.
Facebook Depression: There are people connected almost 24 hours a day into this social network. People tend to just post the good news about themselves: vacation, promotions, pictures of parties, etc. It’s easy to fall into the false belief that all are living much happier lives and successful than others.
Violence is also something real within these social networks. Every day people fall for scams or find themselves close to the danger depending on the setting. The opportunists have used this mechanism in their favour and very fictitious sites were created. Sites where victims end up filling out forms with all their data only to find they have been robbed of all their information or have made purchases online depositing money to someone who has never seen before.
These scam artists can be hidden anywhere. It can be in false employment opportunities, emails, offering apartments with low values, a false identity on the social network etc. Everyone has free access to use the Internet, including criminal, hackers, pedophiles etc.
Many terrorists post incredibly cruel videos for all to view and be shocked by. The French federal police after being concerned about the “challenge of motherhood” on Facebook, publish a post alerting parents to stop posting public photos of their children.
The message of the French police read: “You can all be mothers and fathers proud of their wonderful children, but be careful. We remind you to publish photos of your children on Facebook is not free of danger!”
This statement is right because many pedophiles and kidnappers are connected to the internet. Many parents publish photos of their children with school uniforms in what is clearly an innocent act but many criminals are seeing an opportunity to make mischief. Social networking sites are also concerned about the crimes that can be committed and are already studying the possibility of including a more rigorous system against public distribution of photos of minors. In the future the guardian of the minor will be alerted before an image is published suggesting a privacy filter to limited access.
We are not saved from all dangers and accidents that occur in this world but we can use defense mechanisms to avoid the worst. I warn everyone to have a healthier life instead of being prisoners of the internet, manage your time better and pay more attention to what you do and post on any social media outlet you choose to use.
