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Disadvantages Associated with Social Networking

Despite numerous advantages that social network has brought, it has also presented some challenges. Because of the magnitude of the disadvantages, some sources argue that the shortcomings of social networking far outweigh its advantages. One of the issues of concern raised regarding the social network is the face-to-face situation. Since it is an online interaction, people who employ the use of social sites for networking rarely get the chance to meet. This leaves room for discrepancies and for untrue information to be exchanged between the operators. For instance, it would not be strange to find a girl posing as a boy or vice versa and making people believe so. This is because the operators never get the chance to meet face to face. Instead, they rely on the information provided by the other party.

Some people use social networking sites to find spouses. In other cases, this has happened without being instigated. Most of these relationships never see the light of day. In most instances, since the information provided by both parties is untrue, the relationships end before they even begin. Social networking sites also have a negative impact on already existing relationships. Many relationships have ended up going down the drain because of a harmless post on these sites. In some cases, divorce has been the result.

Social networking sites also provide an avenue by which bullies can operate. Bullying has taken on a new look and these days it can even be done online. Demeaning words and insults are directed at other parties through these social networking sites. These bullies take advantage of the fact that they can not easily be discovered. Even if they get discovered it would be difficult to trace them. Some users of these social networking sites are, therefore, subjected to mistreatment and insult simply because their attackers feel safer undertaking their actions online.

Works Cited

Abraham, Ajith. Computational social network analysis: trends, tools and research advances. London [u.a.: Springer, 2010. Print.

Aimeur, Esma, Sebastien Gambs, and Ai Ho. "Towards a privacy-enhanced social networking site." Availability, Reliability, and Security, 2010. ARES'10 International Conference on. IEEE, 2010.

Livingstone, Sonia. "Taking risky opportunities in youthful content creation: teenagers' use of social networking sites for intimacy, privacy and self-expression." New media & society 10.3 (2008): 393-411.