The Journal » Facebook: the darker side of social networking

The Journal » Facebook: the darker side of social networking

It is important that we understand social networking sites are not benign by design, rather by practice

Hollywood has spent the best part of a decade convincing us that the main danger posed by the internet comes from bank-robbing computer hackers. The tabloid press believes that paedophiles pose an exponentially greater threat than they did fifteen years ago as a result of instant messaging and email. Meanwhile entire software industries have been set up to tap into people’s collective fear of that mythical beast, the computer virus. However it is the Chinese who have the clearest understanding of the danger posed: the internet allows people to connect with others, regardless of geography, allowing them to communicate and share information in a way that is anonymous and largely free of enforceable state regulations.Barely a week goes by without the national media waxing lyrical about “social networking websites” in an attempt to bridge the largest inter-generational cultural gap since rock ‘n’ roll first appeared in the fifties. The fascination, in particular, with Facebook groups and the various political campaigns and social statements they make is repeatedly highlighted.

However, the “soft news” approach fails to tackle one of the key issues that such a phenomenon has given rise to. Social networking websites, and the ubiquitous Facebook more so than others, allow for the finding and near instantaneous assimilation of like-minded individuals into an online community.