The Arab Spring
In the spring of 2011, many countries in the Middle East had dramatic revolutions and government changes. The citizens in these countries came together in mass numbers and demanded changes. Facebook and other social networking sites played a role in the organization of these gatherings by spreading the word to as many people as possible. Unfortunately, when the governments discovered what they were doing, they took away access to Facebook or to the Internet altogether.
Occupy Wall Street
Started on September 17th, 2011, the Occupy Wall Street movement was one of the biggest movements by American citizens in recent history. Mass groups of people camped out in New York City's financial district, protesting the current state of our economy and corporations influence over the government decisions. This idea, like the Arab Spring, was spread to different cities with Facebook. Unlike the Arab Spring, the United States government was powerless to stop the spread of the movement through Facebook, and the movement lasted throughout the fall. While the Occupy movement spread information in other ways, it would not have been as successful if not for Facebook and other social networking websites.
Netflix
In a move that upset many consumers, Netflix announced they were changing their current plan for online and mail order movies. Prices went up drastically and the mail service was to be run by a different company. Thousands of loyal subscribers were suddenly very indignant about the changes, and the business received over 80,000 negative comments about the changeover on Facebook, blogs, and other social networking sites within days of having announced the news. These websites make obtaining information and contacting businesses easier than ever before.
While Netflix did not have a good experience with social networking, other websites and companies have had tremendous success by advertising on Facebook and creating Facebook pages.
Negative Aspects of Facebook
While there are some great things about Facebook, there are also huge problems that can arise from this and other websites. People with lax security settings on their profile might be unwittingly giving their information to people who would use it for identity theft or other reasons. Facebook also is giving pedophiles a way to communicate faster than ever, and "rape pages" are popping up quickly. Sex offenders are able to communicate more quickly and efficiently than ever before.
It is important to remember that while Facebook has the potential to be a great tool for friends, businesses, and movements, there are also negative aspects of Facebook that have the potential to create large problems for individuals and society in general.
Author Byline:
Scott Odom is an experienced and published writer for several online platforms and local news sites, including university research website, Degree Jungle. Scott has five years of freelance writing experience with a natural adaptability for writing on many different topics, including Social Media, Technology and Social Science
