Socialing online is a positive or negative development?

lisa

An increasing number of people meet and talk to their friends online instead of in person. In my opinion, this is a negative development which can lead to isolation, potentially harmful situations, and also problems later on in life.

One serious problem that can arise from people socialising online is that it can lead to isolation. Before the internet, people would frequently go out to meet friends, for example in cafes, bars or restaurants, whereas now people prefer to stay at home alone, chatting online. As a result, people are starting to spend the majority of their time at home alone in their room without meeting others. Isolation of this kind is not healthy and can sometimes lead to depression and other issues.

Another issue is that meeting people online can be risky. In other words, people can assume fake identities online as well as hide their true characteristics. This is particularly concerning for teenagers who are impressionable and can easily be led into dangerous situation. Furthermore, as this interaction is online, parents have no way of monitoring it and protecting their children.

Finally, socialising online can end in difficulties years later as conversations and shared photos that had been forgotten reappear. This situation is currently critical for many people, again especially for teenagers who do not think carefully before posting online. That is to say, information which is put online can remain there forever and while people may share intimate communications with close friends, these words can then resurface later on leading to much embarrassment.

In conclusion, although it has become more popular for people to socialise through the internet, it has brought about too many problems for this to be considered as positive trend.

mheredge

I have mixed feelings about it @lisa. I have met people who met online and subsequently married. However I prefer face to face encounters. I think it is difficult to really get to know a person just through the text messages they write.

april

I don't mind socializing online and I don't think I become depressed or feel alone because I use this way of communication.
It's better than not having communication at all, isn't it?
It's all about how you use it, I think.
There is always a danger, a positive and a negative effect in everything.
Bad people will always find a way to abuse somebody's trust, online or offline.

mheredge

I think as long as it isn't anything too serious @april, then it is as good a method as any.

april

A good guide for the youth is indeed a necessity, at school, at home.

mheredge

I would be worried about young, vulnerable people 'falling in love' over the internet and then maybe getting lured into trouble @april. I can imagine this is a risk.

april

Yes, they talk a lot about this kind of problem and understand that they have to be vigilant , but it's so easy to feel flattered by someone's nice words and thinking that "if I do it just once, it might not cause any harm" and before you know there ie no way back.
You'd be already trapped in criminal's hands.

zaiymurs

It could be both either positive or negative, but i prefer socializing by face to face, more real and more fun either having a cup of drink or a plate of food, and i don't mind to have a chit chat for more than one hour if i'm comfortable with that person.

Its like living in two different world, virtual and real one but do they greet you if encounter on the street ? I don't have high expectation for it, if so, then it's good.

mheredge

Me too @zaiymurs. My worry about socialising online (unless you already know the person), is that without that face to face contact, I think the other person can appear to be very different to what they are really like.

lisa

Especially for juveniles, they are more likely to believe in strangers although they are reluctant to admit that.

zaiymurs

I'm noot keen much of social media, i'm just leaving my Facebook account inactive for a year, but i'm ok with a shy person @mheredge , i can understand why they reluctant to greet me first or if they appear to be different in real world, but how do i know if that person is a shy one, of course not. Though it's awkward if they nice towards us on social media but ignore us in real world.

zaiymurs

i've already read the news about the crime that already happened due to over exposure on social media, and one of them get robbed and had shot on torso after showing his wealthiness in Instagram, the robber was aimed for him before that.

Have you ever watch a Catfish TV series @lisa , lots of lesson we can learn from it, and as a precaution.

lisa

I am sorry I have never heard Catfish TV series until you mentioned it.

mheredge

It is very easy to get duped online. Even websites that appear genuine can sometimes be conning you. And be especially careful when invited to download or follow any links as these can sometimes give your computer a virus.