Facebook has recently signed up its 200 millionth user. Facebook, if you hadn’t heard, is an online blogging community. It allows people to network online. Over 70% of its members are overseas, making the social network that users can build global.
But technology affects our social lives, as well. For example, private transportation such as cars affords us better mobility. We can reach outward, take jobs farther from home, and make friends in places much farther away than people could back when they traveled by horse. The air conditioner not only made life more healthy during the summer, it also allowed people to stay indoors, reducing our interaction with neighbors.
How have online communities such as Facebook or Twitter affected our culture and the social life it supports? If you would like to comment about the topic of this article, please select a discussion point below and respond:
1. How does the growing popularity of being a part of an online community affect our social skill set? What information and skills do we need to communicate with our friends on the Internet? What old social skills do we no longer need?
2. What are some of the dangers associated with online communication? How do these risks vary from dangers found in traditional community building, such as attending block parties? What precautions do you think people should take to keep from being victimized online? How do these safeguards differ from cautious conduct in face-to-face relations?
The Social Lens 