Week 2 Blog

Facebook & Myspace are extremely popular. They have become giants. Just a few short years ago, they were completely obscure and now a huge percentage of people are on one or both of them. I can almost be certain that when I meet a new person in school or work, they are on Facebook or Myspace.
They are a great way for young people to network and socialize, share music, pictures, make plans and just check up on eachother. They are also very effective for older people to stay connected with people they haven't seen for years or with their families. I live far away from my family and most of them, including my mother are on Facebook and it helps me to stay connected with them in a way that wouldn't have been possible 5 years ago....especially since I hate talking on the phone.
That being said, there are many dangers to social networking sites, some are dangers found all over the internet and some are exclusive to these sites. For example, when I eventually have children, they won't be going on FB or MS until they are older. These sites are a target for people who want to harm other people, especially children....especially sexually.
About 3 months ago, police arrested a man in a motel 5 miles from my house in Concord, Ma. He was there with a 13-year-old girl that he had met on MySpace. He flew up here from Florida to meet her. There are a lot of really sick people out there who pray on children, and there are a lot of children to pray upon on these sites. You only have to see one episode of "To Catch A Predator" to never want to allow your kids online at all. This stuff happens all the time.
I would say that overall, these sites provide a forum and a community to people all over the world, but like everything else it should be used in moderation and used carefully.

The Internet & Politics

So Barack Obama called Kanye West a jackass for the stunt he pulled at the MTV Video Music Awards on Sunday. How do I know that? Because I live in the 21st Century. I live in an age where almost no slip of the tongue by a politician or celebrity goes unnoticed. The internet makes people think twice about the things they say when there is potential for a microphone or tape-recorder somewhere near by. I suppose that this was always true, but never so much as the age we are in now.
Every time something newsworthy or controversial happens today, it is a matter of mere seconds before the entire world knows about it. I wonder how frustrating it must have been to have to huddle around an AM radio or a TV with no reception to get the facts about major news like the Kennedy assasination or things along those lines. These days information is accessible in an instant.
It only stands to reason that the internet plays a major role in politics and elections. I find it interesting that perhaps the first hip, cool and youthful President in U.S. history had a huge internet following. The internet is a priceless tool when you have a message and you want to reach people, especially young people.
Of course, the internet also has a down side. It not only broadcasts all of the things you want to get out there, but all of the things that you don't as well. But that's the age we live in.