Participatory Culture

Social networking is the grouping of individuals into specific groups, like small rural communities or a neighbourhood subdivision. (What is Social Networking?) Socializing with peers can be done in person however we live in a digital world where the internet is an extension of our body. Facebook is an example where people join to meet new people, keep contact with friends, and spark relationships.

I am a Facebook user however I’m not that frequent on the site. I do feel as though people have taken on a second identity in the digital world, where a person in real life would act different infront of a screen. People join groups, events and play games while making friends also. However sites like Facebook raise a privacy issue of what information you put out is shared. On your profile it includes information regarding your birthdate, occupation, network and pictures of yourself but who can see it? Fortunately you have privacy settings where you can set who you want to view your profile and who to block off. New users should be aware of privacy agreements before joining any sites because Facebook had recently gone through scrutiny for sharing your information with third parties. What’s beneficial is that the privacy agreement is accessible to users however users should read it because information is shared when it is reasonably necessary to offer the service, legally required or permitted by you. (Facebook) Although Facebook is fun and a good way of wasting time, it is also crucial for everyone to read what they agree because it may affect you later on.

Facebook 22 Nov 2009 .

What is Social Networking? 22 Nov 2009 .