By: Cole Buergi, VP of Business Development, Leonard & Finco Public Relations
With this week marking the 10th anniversary of
the launch of Facebook, it seems appropriate to reflect, from my perspective, on
how the icon of social media has changed how we interact and communicate.
Many of the changes have been positive. I can stay in close
contact with family and friends no matter where they live. This prevents me
from having to do the sometimes arduous and, often times put off, task of
writing a lengthy letter to update a family member or friend about the
happenings in my life. It also removed the sometimes costly expense associated
with making long distance calls. I can now simply go online to learn what’s
happening with my family and friends and they can do the same to learn what I’ve
been up to.
Another benefit is I can provide insight on products that I’ve
used, letting people know if I like them or not. These small tips may help
others who may be considering purchasing or using something I’ve already tried.
Facebook is also great for learning more about things of
interest. Most of the places I have an interest in have a Facebook page. I go
to these sites to see what others are saying about the location, the
accommodations, what’s fun and what’s not. To some extent, what I read on
Facebook may influence where I decide to travel.
From a work perspective, Facebook has allowed me to
successfully help my clients highlight their business.
The downside of Facebook, as I view it, is that it’s opened
Pandora’s Box to several negative activities. Bullying has gone from the school
play yard to cyberspace, preventing victims from having an escape from its
harmful effects. It’s also removed some of the barriers of privacy we once had,
albeit it’s each individual Facebook user’s choice to determine how much of our
lives we chose to share.
Perhaps the greatest downside is not from Facebook alone but,
from social media in general, is that we as a society are losing our ability to
live in the moment.
Look around the next time you’re out shopping, dining or simply
spending time with friends. I’m sure you’ll quickly notice that many of the
people you observe are doing something with their phones, either texting
someone, searching the Internet or using a social media tool, instead of
actually socializing with the people they are with. I often think to myself what
is truly so important that people have to interrupt what they are doing with
friends.
Overall, I think Facebook is a great social media tool for
many different reasons, both for personal use and for work.
What do you think?
I’m curious to know what others think about how Facebook has changed how
we communicate.
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