Page 236 - SpringBoard_ELA_Grade6_Flipbook

aCTIvITy 3.8
continued
PRO Social Networking Sites
CON Social Networking Sites
my Notes
6. Social media helps low-income kids become more familiar with computers and related technology. One study showed that nearly three quarters of children from poor households have profiles on MySpace or Facebook. By using these websites, they have learned how to edit and upload photos and videos, and have become experienced in using html code to personalize their profile pages. [3]
7. Studies have shown that being part of a social network has
a positive impact, including increased quality of life and a reduction in the risk of health problems. They help improve stroke recovery, memory retention, and overall well-being.
8. Social media can be a powerful tool for social change and an alternative to more traditional methods of communication. During the protests of the Iranian election in June 2009, protestors used Twitter to circumvent government control over phones and the media. Twitter was so important that the US State Department asked Twitter to delay a network upgrade that would have taken the website offline at a busy time of day in Iran. Twitter complied
6.
and self-centered personalities. The fast pace of the sites may rewire
the brain with repeated exposure because parts of the brain used for traditional, offline activities become underused.
The hours per day of face-to-face socializing have declined as the use of social media has increased. People who use these sites frequently are prone to social isolation. Parents spend less time with their children and couples spend less time together even when they live in the same house, because they are using the Internet instead of interacting with each other.
A 2007 study found that workers using Facebook in the office were costing Australian businesses up to $4.5 billion (US) per year. [12] A Feb. 2009 report stated that social networking sites were costing UK businesses an estimated $12.5 billion (US) annually. [13] Numbers for
lost revenue from lower worker productivity when employees use social networking sites in the US are not available, but one study found that two-thirds of US workers with Facebook accounts access that site during work hours.
A false sense of security may
leave social networking site users vulnerable to security attacks
such as hacking, leaking sensitive information, and sending viruses. People trust messages sent through social networking sites. However, social networks do not scan messages for
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8.
Unit 3 • Changing Perspectives 209
circumvent: avoid, by getting around
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