SOCIAL NETWORKS: A GOSSIP FORUM?

The development of social networks such as Facebook, MySpace and Twitter has dramatically changed how people interact with one another. The development has opened up the room for participatory communication where audiences are no longer passive consumers of media messages but ‘pro-sumers’. The tradition role of information generation and distribution assigned to key players in journalism and mass communication guided by professional tenets such as gate keeping is no more functioning.  Instead people who have never seen the inside of journalism classroom or newsroom develop content and sometimes command extremely high responses and attention from information fanatics who give feedback to their content (Mushinge, 2008, p.112). Regulation through draconian laws and bureaucracy in newsrooms are no longer a threat to communicators.

The good thing with social networks is that  it has given people the convenience of being able to connect with others all over the world without having to step a foot out of their homes and also the rare cases that crimes are sometimes solved through the help of a social networks (Alyssa and Nick).  Some scholars see social networks as “social lubricants” in the sense that they help people who struggle with relationships— the shy, the lonely, and people with low self-esteem— connect with others in a comfortable environment. Shy people have difficulty finding topics to talk about but today facebook gives them a starting point (Forest and Wood, 2012; Baker and Oswald, 2010).

Sad Stories about Social Networks (Facebook)

I see social networks like a three year little boy playing with his daddy’s gun, one mistake a boy can end the lives of many. The idea behind this is that facebook is very dangerous when misused but very productive when well applied. Seven sad stories about social networks in general and facebook on particular are discussed here under.

1. Social networks: An Enemy to Critical Thinking

The use of networks among university students has become a quotidian activity that forms part of their daily lives. The majority connects to the networks several times a day (53%), with the most intense occurring between 19.00 and 00.00 hours (Gómez, Roses & Farias, 2012). The sad story about social network comes when the majority users are students. A study by the International Centre for Media and the Public Agenda (2010) reports that students use social networks during lectures, while walking around campus, whenever they need to coordinate with friends and listen to music while  studying. One student quoted saying;

Our cell phones have become such a large part of our lives, it is the one thing I always have with me at all times. It becomes a normal task to look at my phone every few minutes, yes minutes. I am constantly on my phone. On average I probably send a text message every minute or so. I am ashamed that I couldn’t go without my phone for 24 hours…

A question is what should we expect from such university students who are busy with such social networks to the future of our nation? As I know university is a place where a person is prepared to be critical thinker for the welfare of the society and this is developed through reading and researching. A study by Carr (2006) concludes that there is no serious reading and thinking to people addicted with social networks.  

2. Lack Ethical Concern among social network users

Online generation has no sense of privacy or shame; the children of the internet age are ready to bare their bodies and souls in a way their parents never could’ (Sunday Times, 2007).

It is a common phenomenon to find facebook users posting half naked photos on their walls unaware that such photos can have negative impact to their future lives. Some users are engaging in love affairs without knowing each other. It is common for people to talk about love affairs and when they meet they have to undergo sexual intercourse and spread HIV. It has become the forum for prostitutes. Others use the place as dictionary of dirty words.

Also players pretend to be someone else i.e. misrepresentation is a natural part of online culture (Shyles, 2010).This appears that there is little ethical concern about online lying. People in general are more apt to lie online and the majority fully expects others to lie. Users cheat their sexual status, pictures, level of education, place of work and even their ages.

The problem with posting lies and other negative stuff would cause difficulties in job seeking. For example almost one in five technology industry executives say that a candidate’s social media profile has caused them not to hire that person. What social network users fail to understand is that there is no privacy in the internet. Once you post anything nobody can delete it. Think of this message posted by one of facebook users and ask yourself what will happen if this person goes for job interview and the message is seen by his executive.

Yoyote unaetamani Nchi Iingie Vitani... we ni kengeeee!
Unayemchukia Kikwete kwa sababu ya Ukristu wako... we ni kenge!

Unayemchukia Dr. Slaa kwa sababu ya uislamu wako... WE ni kengee!

Unayeipenda/kuichukia CCM kwa sababu ya uislamu wa Kikwete... we ni kengeee!

Unayeichukia/kuipenda chadema kwa sababu ya Ukristo wa Dr. Slaa... we ni kengee!

Unayeshabikia wanaochoma makanisa... we ni kengeee!
Unayefurahia kile kitoto kukojolea Quruan tukufu... WE NI kenge!
Unaependa nchi iwe ya kislamu... we ni kenge!

Unayeota nchi iwe ya kikristu... we ni kengeeeee!

Unaeidharau imani ya mwenzako... we ni kengeee!
Unaefikiri dini yako ni bora sana kuliko ya mwenzako... we ni kenge!

Unayepost fb mambo ya kuponda imani ya wenzako... we ni kengeee!
Unayefurahia upuuzi wa mtu kwa sababu tu yeye ni muislam/mkristu... we ni kenge!

Unayetaka rais muislam/mkristu badala ya uwezo wake wa kuongoza... we ni kenge!

Unayenichukia kwa sababu ya ukweli huu... we ni kengeeee

It is a good message with poor choice of diction.

3. Social Network is time-Wasting and Socially isolating tool

It is commonly held that at best, social networking is time-wasting and socially isolating (Livingstone, 2008). Studies show that youth online time varied from five to ten hours per day, but purely for enter­tainment (Liu, 2008). Worse, these users socialize through the Internet and it takes away from the in person socialization that has been around forever (Kaitlin, 2010). It affects our social interaction by changing the way we interact face-to-face. Social networks kill socialization as Arnold, 2012, p.1) puts:

As I sat down with my husband and children at our favorite restaurant I was looking forward to finding out how everyone’s day had gone and to just have some enjoyable family banter. However, as I looked around the table, all I saw were the tops of my family’s heads, they were texting, playing games, and surfing the internet with their cell phones. My youngest daughter, who is 9, had her tablet and was playing angry birds. Not a word was exchanged. I asked them a question; everyone held a finger up to me to hold me off for a few more minutes.

What is the matter?

As the literatures anywhere in this book report that social networks among students is inevitable and it becomes odd for one to live without. The society is scared of too much use of social networks among the youth and seems to have no solution to it because controlling the matter remains beyond their ability. Much concern is on the fact that our relationship with the world of media is one of duality; we dictate what media is, what stories are told in movie theaters and on the five o’clock news, and our own world is shaped accordingly (Alyssa, and Nick, 2010). However, Public policymakers in Western world especially in Europe hope that media literacy skills developed through social networking will protect youth from the online risks associated with transgressive representations of the self and abusive contact with others (Livingstone, 2008). It is through media literacy that can build up better understanding of how the media work in the digital world for the youth to survive every sort of risks.

So, what is Media Literacy?

Media literacy is generally defined as the ability to access the media, to understand and to critically evaluate different aspects of the media and media content and to create communications in a variety of contexts (European Commission, 2007). Having a critical approach to media as regards both quality and accuracy of con­tent (for example, being able to access information, dealing with advertising on various media, using search engines intelligently); being aware of copyright issues which are essential for a ‘culture of legality’, especially for the younger generation in its double capacity of consumers and producers of content Koltay (2011). Media literacy could be a cure for this.  When you are media literate, you have clear maps to help you navigate better in the media world so that you can get to those experiences you want without becoming distracted by things that are harmful to you. You are able to build the life that you want (Alyssa and Nick 2010).

Message to Network Users

Guys don't use Facebook to tell the world your stupidity because there is no privacy out there. The reality shows that social networks especially Facebook has become the latest home breaker in town. It is wrecking relationships and causing divorce, with many victims blaming relations hatched through internet at the expense of their families. An old man, says, “I would not allow my wife to join that thing. If I ever find out she is on Facebook, I will divorce her on the spot.” The man says that he plays around with women on Facebook and knows from experience that this is not the right place for a married woman. This is another impact of facebook that the possibility of getting married while on facebook remains uncertain. You should not be surprised therefore that, a considerable number of men interviewed would not marry a woman with facebook account. The message is when you are on facebook you need to behave positively for your future survival.