Conclusion

Trevor Hughes a senior studying Civil Engineering informed me, the benefits of having a Facebook is first, being able to keep in contact with one another, second, staying up to date with friends, and third the networking and scheduling capabilities (personal communication, October 3, 2010). When asked his opinion of the connection between Information Technology and Facebook, he responded saying with the sped and user friendly settings (personal communication, October 3, 2010). While Trevor is correct to an extent about the ability of a social network to strengthen social bonds between, he like most middle school, high school, and college students did not think about Facebook’s capability to serve as a reference site for prospective employers, law enforcement agencies, and school officials of all ranks and areas. Trevor did not think about companies, individuals, and small businesses around the world using social networks’ exposure to their advantage. He did not think about the entrepreneurs publicizing themselves and their businesses, nor did he think about major companies and manufacturers such as Red Bull, using the site to market their product. No Trevor Hughes like so many other teenagers and young adults only views Facebook and other social networks as a staying in touch with friends, learning who broke up with who, and who pulled the craziest stunt and lived to tell about it. This is the reason teenagers and young adults are getting expelled from school and universities.

We must change our view on social networks; we must view social network sites, and their influences, for what they really are; positive and negative. When used correctly, social network sites are a way of establishing, preserving, and amplifying social ties, which can be beneficial in social, academic, and work settings. Social network sites have the ability to produce great exposure, job opportunities, and excellent marketing and advertising opportunities for entrepreneurs as well as corporate companies. However, we must also keep in mind negative impacts these same social networks can have on us when used incorrectly, such as expulsion, academic regression, and disqualification of employment opportunities; the necessary precautions we can take to avoid them.