The Price of Social Sharing By Melody Zhang

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We share almost everything on Facebook—photos, places, thoughts, relationship status, jobs, etc.

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Photo Credit: Brian A Jackson

Why?

It’s all about

Connecting with

Friends.

But at what Price?

“But the uncertainty can sometimes be the most exciting part, and if said person-of-affection somehow manages to pass a thorough stalking, you can probably forget any of that pre-date

giddiness. Goodbye butterflies and excitement, I already know everything about you.”

-- Allison McCann, How Facebook Ruined Dating No More First Date Anticipation

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“We live in a technological universe in which we are always

communicating. And yet we have sacrificed conversation for mere connection.”

--Sherry Turkle, The Flight From Conversation

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“Millennials recognize that

giving up some of their

privacy online

can provide benefits to them.”--Jeffery I. Cole, Director, USC Annenberg Center for the Digital Future

What are the consequences?

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Advertisements Everywhere!

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Email Spams Everywhere!

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Then here comes the online stalkers

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FACEBOOK STALKING

“Facebook stalking may include excessive viewing of a

particular user’s profile and pictures, as well as repeatedly message or posting comments to another Facebook user.”

--www.techopedia.com/definition/27873/facebook-stalking

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Who are the online stalkers?

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They could be your acquaintances

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“While it may seem innocent to simply follow the exploits of a co-worker through Facebook, their blog, Twitter and other social networks, others might find it a little creepy.” --Hausman Paxton, Cyberstalking and Other Forms of Harassment in Workplace

They could be your workplace colleagues.

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They could be your overprotective parents.

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They could be your exes.

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Or worse, they are the

Cyber Bullies.

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Photo Credit: Marsmet tallahssee

“When that harassment occurs online, the victims

tend to be in the mainstream social groups – and they are often friends or former friends,

not strangers.” --From bullying to relationships: Mapping our online communications, e!Science News

Photo Credit: Nigel Cooke

Over half of adolescents and teens have been bullied online, and about the same number have engaged in cyber bullying.

Over 25 percent of adolescents and teens have been bullied repeatedly through their cell phones or the Internet.

--Cyber bullying statistic, i-Safe Foundation

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Remember Amanda Todd, the girl who committed suicide after being cyber stalked and cyber bullied ?

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It is time to

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Surly, we can demand the social media sites to change their privacy policies.

Or the government should implement cyber-bullying laws to punish the cyber bullies.

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But there is always something that

we, as individuals can do.

Let me ask you the question again—

Can we afford the price of social sharing?

It is time to protect our online privacy.

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Common Creative License

All images are licensed under the CREATIVE COMMONS NON-COMMERCIAL SHARE-ALIKE 3.0 AGREEMENT and are sourced from Flickr.

Information Sources

• http://www.buzzfeed.com/atmccann/how-facebook-ruined-dating-and-breaking-up-too

• http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/22/opinion/sunday/the-flight-from-conversation.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

• http://www.techopedia.com/definition/27873/facebook-stalking

• http://socialispolicy.com/blog/cyberstalking-and-other-forms-of-harassment-in-the-workplace/

• http://esciencenews.com/articles/2013/01/20/from.bullying.relationships.mapping.our.online.communications

• http://www.isafe.org/outreach/media/media_cyber_bullying