The Effects of Social Networking Essay Example for Free

The Effects of Social Networking Essay A social network is a theoretical construct useful in the social sciences to study relationships between individuals, groups, organizations, or even entire societies (social units, see differentiation). The term is used to describe a social structure determined by such interactions. The ties through which any given social unit connects represent the convergence of the various social contacts of that unit. This theoretical approach is, necessarily, relational†¦(Wikipedia, pars.3). In the late 1800s, both Émile Durkheim and Ferdinand Tà ¶nnies foreshadow the idea of social networks in their theories and research of social groups. Tà ¶nnies argued that social groups can exist as personal and direct social ties that either link individuals who share values and belief (Gemeinschaft, German, commonly translated as community) or impersonal, formal, and instrumental social links (Gesellschaft, German, commonly translated as society)( Wikipedia, pars.4). Major developments in the field can be seen in the 1930s by several groups in psychology, anthropology, and mathematics working independently (Wikipedia, pars.5). Communication Studies are often considered a part of both the social sciences and the humanities, drawing heavily on fields such as sociology, psychology, anthropology, information science,biology, political science, and economics as well as rhetoric, literary studies, and semiotics. Many communications concepts describe the transfer of information from one source to another, and can thus be conceived of in terms of a network (Wikipedia, pars.26). Social Networking is the practice of expanding one’s social contacts by making connections through individuals. Social media has changed the way people interact (Frazier, pars.1). Although it is possible in person, it is most popular online, with the use of the internet. The internet is filled of billions of individuals who are looking to meet new people, to gather or  share informations, they even use it in their businesses. Social Networking isn’t new at all, But, it keeps on expanding. From Friendster, one of the first Social Networking website in the World Wide Web, to Facebook, which is still popular now. Twitter, Google, Tumblr, Youtube are in Social Networking and everyone will keep finding more ways to use it. â€Å"In general, here’s how it works: you join one of the sites and invite people you know to join as well. Social networks are everywhere. Friends, colleagues, neighbours[sic] and family make up most people’s network of social contacts, and they have a powerful effect on our behaviour[sic] (COIN PIRC) . Those people invite their contacts to join, who in turn to invite their contacts to join, and the process repeats for each person. In theory, any individual can make contact through anyone they have a connection to, to any of the people that person has a connection to, and so on.† Social networking sites now reach 82 percent of the world’s online population, representing 1.2 billion users around the world. The social networking adoption trend largely mirrored the global Internet adoption curve, and grew proportionately, showing that as people began to get connected, they immediately began connecting with one another(). We are aware of the use of Social Networking. We use it as a tool of communication nowadays. It can be very useful to get in touch with people who you know in person. With Social Networking, we can express ourselves in ways we never dreamed of doing face to face. We don’t have to leave the house to purchase products. We don’t need to buy books because there’s a lot of source material in the Internet. We can make friends with people in different countries. We have a lot to do with it. If we’re aware of its uses, we should be aware of the dangers and harm associated with Social Networking. It includes online predators or what they call â€Å"posers†, theft and viruses. We should be aware of its effects on ourselves especially in our habits, routine and in our behavior. In how we manage our time spending in Social Networking because sometimes we’re abusing it. We have limitation, you must know it. Because we never know, it already destroyed you. We are the product of our environment. In Social Networking, many will influence you. In addition, Our own behavior, actions  and habits are likely to be more largely influenced and impacted by Social Networking. â€Å"Social Networking is one of the most active web-based activities in the Philippines†. Filipinos we’re declared as the most active users of the web-based social network sites. The Philippines has been marked as â€Å"The Social Networking Capital of the world†. Filipinos are very expressive with their thoughts or opinions. Sometimes, they’re abusing the use of Social Networking. Because of that, there are some laws or acts that the Philippines implemented. The Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012, which is officially recorded as Republic Act No. 10175, it aims to address legal issues concerning online interactions and the internet in the Philippines. Cybercrime offenses include Cyber squatting, Cybersex, child pornography, identity theft, illegal access to data and libel. The Senate Bill No. 1798 by Senator Compaà ±era Pia S. Cayetano, which is an act stating the prohibition of Computer Shops from accepting students in their shops during school hours. There’s also a legal bases regarding the distance of Internet Cafà © from school in the City of Manila. It is the Ordinance No. 8168 provided for 25 to 200 meters distance between a school gate to the nearest gaming i-Cafà ©. While, the non-gaming Cafà ©s are allowed any distance from school gate or even inside the school. As a Computer Science student, we are engaged in computer, especially in Social Networking. We’re glad with what Social Networking’s uses. It gives us a lot of benefits. We get updated. But, we observe some changes in some individual. We didn’t like the fact that Social Networking has effect in other individual’s behavior. We want to solve the Why and How questions` in our heads. What are the factors causing these problems? This thesis will explore and find out if Social Networking has an effect on the behavior of some Computer Science freshmen students in PUP Mabini Campus. This aims to know the activities, sites that are affecting the behavior and how Social Networking changed their behavior. The statement of the Problem The aim of this research is to find out the effects of social networking on the behavior of BSCS freshmen in PUP Mabini Campus S.Y. 2012-2013. Further, it answers the following specific questions. 1. Does Social Networking have an effect on the behavior of BSCS freshmen of PUP? 2. What Social networking site/s do the respondents frequently use? 3. What activities in Social Network do the respondents usually engage themselves in? 4. What activities on Social Networking change the behavior of the respondents? 5. How has social networking changed the behavior of the respondents? 6. What behavioral changes do the respondents experience in their social networking? Scope and Limitation This study is about the effects of Social Networking on the behavior only in Bachelor of Science in Computer Science Freshmen in College of Computer Management and Information Technology at Polytechnic University of the Philippines Mabini Campus School year 2012-2013. The study didnt covered other related issues to the effects of Social Networking like class standing of a student or effects of it on the physical health and etc. Its only conducted on Bachelor of Science in Computer Science Freshmen not on higher years, other colleges and before and after the School year 2012-2013 Definition of terms Social Networking The development of social and professional contacts;the sharing of information and services among people with a common interest.(Dictionary.com) Cybercrime Any use of a computer as an instrument to further illegal ends, such as committing fraud, trafficking in child pornography and intellectual property, stealing identities, or violating privacy. Cybercrime, especially through the Internet, has grown in importance as the computer has become  central to commerce, entertainment, and government. (Webster) Cybersex Cybersex, also called computer sex, Internet sex, netsex, mudsex, TinySex and, colloquially, cybering or conversex is a virtual sex encounter in which two or more persons connected remotely via computer network send each other sexually explicit messages describing a sexual experience. In one form, this fantasy sex is accomplished by the participants describing their actions and responding to their chat partners in a mostly written form designed to stimulate their own sexual feelings and fantasies.(Wikipedia) Facebook-is a social networking service launched in February 2004, owned and operated by Facebook, Inc. As of September 2012, Facebook has over one billion active users,more than half of them using Facebook on a mobile device.(Wikipedia) Twitter- Twitter is an online social networking service and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based messages of up to 140 characters, known as tweets. It was created in March 2006 by jack Dorsey and launched that July.(wikipedia) Friendster- is a social gaming site that is based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. It was previously known as a social networking website. Before the site was redesigned, the service allowed users to contact other members, maintain those contacts, and share online content and media with those contacts. Research Methodology Research Design The descriptive method of research was used for this study. To define the descriptive type of research, Creswell (1994) stated that the descriptive method of research is to gather information about the present existing condition. This study were the activities of respondents in Social Networking and the effects of these activities. Respondents The target population consisting of 30 students in Computer Science freshmen. There are 5 section in Computer Science 1st year; hence the respondents will be 6 students per section. Research Instrument The survey questionnaire was used as the main data-gathering instrument for this study. It is an interview, where in the researchers prepared a list of questions to be answered by the BSCS freshmen students. Other data was based on the researchers observation. Data-Gathering procedure The information was gathered from the 6 freshmen students per section of Computer Science department of PUP Mabini Campus who were surveyed by the researchers. The researchers conducted a survey on separate date and time of interview and it is recorded individually.