Social Networking Meets A Second Life

The Second Life

2009-09-29T17:14:00.000-07:00

Okay so Second life, the MMO that is dwarfed by the others like World of Warcraft (WOW).
It is a form of social networking, just like playing video games through Xbox live, and the PS3 network. It has a good idea on it for those who are challenged mentally, or for those who are just plain shy. It also has a good use for education values but the one difference I see is;
Online, many people can and do things they just wouldn't do in real life because they are to intimidated. Hence, which is why MMOs were probably created.
I mean, i don't really have much to say about this one, it's a solid and good idea. It keeps people occupied. But, once the wrong people start using things like this to their advantage, it will become the same problem people had in Chatrooms with "stalkers" through AIM and stalkers and through other networking sites.
It connects with Frontlines idea of a virtual life, and private because a lot of kids make friends with people they don't know threw these virtual games, and play them for days and days. And it connects with the way Obama is using social networking because in a way, it is helping connecting everyone, and tearing down the social barrier between races, and others that people don't feel comfortable about. Like the 9 people who have cerebral palsy, but they play the game and talk with people normally, unlike they would on a daily basis if they passed that same person everyday.

It will end up with it's disadvantages, but all together I think its a solid way to teach and help people break out of their shells. But it probably won't work with everyone. In my opinion it most likely won't work with everyone. Also it could help with advertising and gathering donations, or petitions, and other forms of things going and keeping people informed and connected.
But also, It may turn out to be another form of entertainment, that was combined with social networking. But over the internet it's easy to act like someone else. When it comes to face to face contact, shaking hands, etc, things become a bit more complicated....

Social Networking...Obama's style

2009-09-29T16:56:00.000-07:00

Okay see, this is showing some of the positive uses of social networking. He used social networking in the way most of the people in the older crowd, not old as in being 50 years old, older as in 16 and up tend to use it now a days. Most of the people i know that use the internet for social networking uses sites like Facebook.com and twitter to stay up to date with everyone they know. From family that may live 1200 miles away from them to friends who like 2 blocks down.

Social networking is making contact between people a lot easier now. Texting, IMs, and Emails are all ways that we usually contact each other. Phone calls, probably at night or in the day for a favor. Like, with cuny alert we can get texts and emails telling us whether classes for the day happen to be canceled. If the professors have a small class they can use their PDA devices, if they have one to send out a mass text/email. It is all similar to Obama's campaign in which he used all his new resources from Social networking to his advantage. He used it to keep everyone up to date, inform those who didn't know about his campaign. It helped lead him to his victory.

Its kind of like, getting a friend request from a really close friend who you didn't see in two years. Then the next thing you know, you guys are talking like no one every went their separate ways. Social networking gets rid of the whole losing someone close idea because if they have the internet, and have that you can still contact one and other.
They are free, unlike a cell phone's unlimited text and data plan service. Not trying to be cheap, i do have a cell phone with an unlimited data plan. It's a weird comparison but it is somewhat true.

Social networking also helps people set up their own little small business, or sell things through craigslist, amazon and Ebay because it allows for free advertising from the person because they can simply post a bulletin on the social networking site they are on. It sends out the mass message to everyone on their friendslist.

It has it's advantages, and disadvantages i guess, just like everything else in the world. Nothing is 100% foolproof. It's as good as you make it, vice-versa

Social Networking

2009-09-29T16:30:00.000-07:00

Okay so I read a lot of posts on Frontline and I agree with some of the things that were stated, and I disagree with some of the things they are saying. The things I do agree with is that I do find it weird how over the years myspace.com, and facebook.com have become such a big part in people’s lives, as well as twitter. I know people who are addicted to the sites and can't last not going on one of the three sites for a week.
I am one person who started using the internet since I was around 9 years old. But back then I either used it to play games or do homework. Now, I do so much more on it, but I am not addicted to it like I see some of the newer generations.
I see allot of my younger cousins spending hours and hours in front of the computer just to play games, look up videos and do whatever they want. I saw some of my youngest cousins, ages 8 and 9 making a facebook, or a MySpace and I make them delete it.
I understand that, networking sites are cool for keeping in contact with people, but in my own personal opinion a child around the ages 9 and 10, even up to the age 13 shouldn't be living on the computer like that.
When I was their age I went out, road my bike, played sports. Now, I barely see any of that with allot of kids. They don't have hobbies. There are so many things they can get into now days, one things they could do is get into learning about cars, architecture, building models, or like allot of other kids, sports. But not everyone is athletic, yeah I also know that.
But not networking has expanded passed the internet; to video games that you play threw the computer to connect you around the world. Games like halo that connect you with hundreds of thousands of strangers across the world. Sometimes I see 6-7 years old playing against me, and I even see some of my own younger cousins playing.
I think to myself, did I ever live on games like that. But I don’t remember that. I remember crashing into the floor trying to do wheelies white my bike, playing football and baseball, and falling playing basketball.
Don’t get me wrong, I understand a lot of kids also know what to do on the internet, what not to watch and what to watch, who to talk to and who not to talk to. But the thing is, like some of the kids in the posts on frontline, we don’t know who they are talking too. It’s a point of privacy and a whole different world.
We all have it, now it’s just about, teaching the younger generations what to do and who to talk to on the internet. As well as somehow trying to make it a bit more secure for them. The thing is there are ways to secure it with parental controls, but parents won’t acknowledge it and put it to use. Not that they shouldn’t trust their kids, but there are certain things that no one should see.
Like a man getting decapitated online.
I have mixed feelings about social networking because facebook helped me contact a lot of my god and close friends from junior high school and elementary school that I lost contact with. I guess it’s just a simple, making a bonding open relationship with your kids, or limit them on the computer. Find ways to break that barrier down and safer.