This image depicts the problem that many people have come to realize. Companies are viewing these profiles and so are colleges. These people have signs telling what they did to become unemployed. Every person in this picture represents people in society. They are accepting all the money they can get, because they have done something on their social media site that has caused them to be looked down upon.

Works Cited

1. “Lenhart, Amanda. "Social Networking Websites and Teens | Pew Research Center's Internet & American Life Project." Pew Research Center's Internet & American Life Project. 19 Nov. 2006. Web. 05 Apr. 2011. .”

2. "Social Networking In Schools: Educators Debate The Merits Of Technology In Classrooms." Huffington Post 27 March 2011.http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/03/27/social-networking-schools_n_840911.html"

3. "YouTube - Broadcast Yourself." YouTube - Broadcast Yourself. Web. 07 Apr. 2011. .

4. “Driscoll, Emily. "Attention College Applicants: Admissions Can See Your Facebook Page - FoxBusiness.com." Home - FoxBusiness.com. 23 Mar. 2011. Web. 30 Mar. 2011. .”

5. “Press, Associated. "Anti-social Networking? Pa. College Blacks out Twitter, Facebook, Other Media for a Week - FoxNews.com." FoxNews.com - Breaking News | Latest News | Current News. 16 Sept. 2010. Web. 30 Mar. 2011. .”

6. “The Associated Press, . "Docs Warn About Facebook Use And Teen Depression." NPR. NPR, 28 3 2011. Web. 28 Mar 2011”.

7. “Cuesta, Christina. "Students Love Social-Networking Sites � and So Do Employers Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,208175,00.html#ixzz1Hw1hd9Ti." Fox News. News Corporation, 31 8 2011. Web. 28 Mar 2011. .”

8. "Social Networking In Schools: Educators Debate The Merits Of Technology In Classrooms." Huffington Post 27 March 2011.http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/03/27/social-networking-schools_n_840911.html"

9. "Internet Addiction." Cronlock.com. Web. 22 Mar. 2011. .

10. “Blogspot.com. Web. 23 Mar. 2011. .”

11. “The Associated Press, . "Docs Warn About Facebook Use And Teen Depression." NPR. NPR, 28 3 2011. Web. 28 Mar 2011”.” .

12. “Cuesta, Christina. "Students Love Social-Networking Sites � and So Do Employers Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,208175,00.html#ixzz1Hw1hd9Ti." Fox News. News Corporation, 31 8 2011. Web. 28 Mar 2011. .”

13. "Social Networking In Schools: Educators Debate The Merits Of Technology In Classrooms." Huffington Post 27 March 2011.http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/03/27/social-networking-schools_n_840911.html"

14.Fernandes, Ryan. Oh the Woes of Social Networking. The Joy of Tech, 7 Apr. 2011. Web. 12 May 2011. .

Reflection on Sources

Finding credible sources was very difficult for this topic. Many of the sources I found were very opinionated. The most useful site that I found was Fox news because it was credible and very up to date. Fox news was also very useful because it only used statistics from trusted companies , which made all of my statistics correct and up to date. The only con of Fox news was that it was very biased, with all the information I found on this site they were all for the banning of social networking sites. This site was very trustworthy because it is a national news broadcaster. Fox also had many good statistics and covered stories about the banning of social networking at different colleges. This site also answered many of my questions that I had proposed perfectly. This was the most credible site that I found and many other sources I found were blogs and could not be use. These sites that I found allowed me to give correct information to all of the people that viewed my blog, and this allowed me to be successful at answering my questions.

Reflection on Process

This process of doing my blog for English class has made me a harder worker. Doing this blog has also caused me to be more organized with my work. The most difficult part of this blog was finding credible sources. This part was hard because there are so many websites that are invalid, but yet they seem so legit. I enjoyed the whole blog project, but the part that I enjoyed the most was being able to personalize the site however I wanted to. I enjoyed this part of the blog because it allowed me to be creative. If I did this project again; I would keep up with my sources better than I did this time. This would help me make sure that the sites are credible and do my works cited with more ease. The part of the blog that I disliked the most was doing the finding paragraphs. This part of the blog was more challenging than any other because I had to use the sources that I had already cited, and that made the opportunity for information more difficult. I really enjoyed doing learning more about my topic while doing this blog and would do it all over again.

Wordle #2

Reflection on Findings

I really enjoyed researching this topic and found some really interesting facts. All of the facts that I found from my research were very important, but the most important fact that I found was that it is legal for colleges and companies to view applicant’s profiles. This was very important to my research because the main argument of social networking being blocked for students is that colleges and employers can view their profiles. The most surprising thing that I found through my research was the statistics of how many people use these social networking sites every day. Facebook has become so populated to be the 3rd largest country within the few years of their operation. I answered most of my questions, but I still have one question; should there be some type law or policy for these evaluations? This question is important because without any regulations on these evaluations they could allow discriminatory acts to become more prone. My research has brought me to the conclusion that social networking sites should be allowed. I have come to this conclusion because it is a student’s responsibility to act correctly and post appropriate items.

Finding Paragraph #3

If we continue to use these sites, what techniques can we use to be more secure with our information? For college students trying to be admitted to colleges, there are many ways they can avoid bad effects of these sites. By “friending” colleges you will look more open and less suspicious. (Fox Business) If these colleges view your profiles then they will be able to evaluate these sites, and you can prove your responsibility a lot easier than usual.To avoid sexual predators we can only add people that we know personally and get along with well. (Huffington Post) You can also avoid bad effects of these sites by communicating with the colleges or companies you are interested in. If you can keep your statuses appropriate, then adding colleges and employers as a friend will impress these colleges and businesses. Communicating with these colleges about business or education related topics can make you look more prepared and responsible. (The Post Chronicle News)I think that the best way to avoid being a victim is by communicating with colleges and businesses you are interested in. When you communicate with these colleges and businesses, you will prove that you are responsible and have nothing to hide. If you set your privacy settings so that businesses and colleges cannot view your information, they may become suspicious and wonder what you have to hide.

1. Driscoll, Emily. "Attention College Applicants: Admissions Can See Your Facebook Page - FoxBusiness.com." Home - FoxBusiness.com. 23 Mar. 2011. Web. 30 Mar. 2011. .

2. "Social Networking In Schools: Educators Debate The Merits Of Technology In Classrooms." Huffington Post 27 March 2011.http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/03/27/social-networking-schools_n_840911.html"

3. Wagenaar, Dawn. "2011: Social Networking Etiquette." The Post Chronicle - News, Information, Insight. 16 Aug. 2010. Web. 05 Apr. 2011. .

Finding Paragraph #2

Do these social networking sites cause more harm than good? We use these sites and never think twice about the harm that these sites may cause, but do these sites cause us more harm than good? These sites can actually cause depression for many people. (Associated Press) These sites have caused some people to commit suicide and caused others to become depressed. These social networking sites have also become a target for college recruiting offices and evaluation tools for employers. (Fox Business) Therefore many people have not been admitted to the college of their choice or fired, partially because of their social networking pages. Anybody can view what you post on your profile pages. This means that the use of these sites as an evaluation tool is legal. Even though people use social networking sites to evaluate you, there are ways to avoid these effects and still enjoy these sites. Social networking sites are privileges for responsible people, so when using these sites we have to think consciously about what we share with others.(Fox News) These sites may cause more efficiency and other good benefits, but the use of these sites also should come with the use of personal responsibility to avoid bad effects.

1. The Associated Press, "Docs Warn About Facebook Use And Teen Depression." NPR. NPR, 28 3 2011. Web. 28 Mar 2011.

2. Driscoll, Emily. "Attention College Applicants: Admissions Can See Your Facebook Page - FoxBusiness.com." Home - FoxBusiness.com. 23 Mar. 2011. Web. 30 Mar. 2011. .

3. Cuesta, Christina. "Students Love Social-Networking Sites � and So Do Employers Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,208175,00.html#ixzz1Hw1hd9Ti." Fox News. News Corporation, 31 8 2011. Web. 28 Mar 2011. .

Finding Paragraph #1

How has social networking sites affected our society? We may not see the effects of social networking every day, but social networking is on every corner of our society. We use these social networking sites every day and don’t even realize how much more efficient these sites make our society. We often feel obligated to visit these sites daily and if we do not we don’t get assignments completed as efficiently. (Associated Press) Social networking has also changed the way we make plans with other friends. 72% of all social networking teens use the sites to make plans with friends. (Pew Internet Project) Before these social networking sites became so popular we used word of mouth or phones to make plans. Social networking has also effected student engagement in the classroom. (Huffington Post) The use of social networking as a tool in the classroom helps to keep students engaged better than previous techniques, such as lectures and videos. The use of these sites are a tool that we have learned to use to make our society more efficient, but we also cannot allow social media to become an addiction.

1. Press, Associated. "Anti-social Networking? Pa. College Blacks out Twitter, Facebook, Other Media for a Week - FoxNews.com." FoxNews.com - Breaking News | Latest News | Current News. 16 Sept. 2010. Web. 30 Mar. 2011. .

2. Lenhart, Amanda. "Social Networking Websites and Teens | Pew Research Center's Internet & American Life Project." Pew Research Center's Internet & American Life Project. 19 Nov. 2006. Web. 05 Apr. 2011. .

3. "Social Networking In Schools: Educators Debate The Merits Of Technology In Classrooms." Huffington Post 27 March 2011.http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/03/27/social-networking-schools_n_840911.html"

Quote Summary #5

“According to a Kaplan survey of college admissions officers, more than 80% of colleges use Facebook to connect with and recruit potential students. The same study shows an increase of friend requests from applicants and that students are open to the idea of communicating through social media. While schools may not base a decision on social media content, students should maintain profiles that shed a positive light on them.”

This quote mentions a survey that Kaplan did on how many college admission offices use Facebook to evaluate students. More than 80% of college admission offices use Facebook as a means of evaluating incoming students. This means that high school and college students need to use caution when using these sites. Many students use these sites to network with family and friends. This study suggests that using these sites can be dangerous to students applying for colleges. These sites allow anybody including employers and admission officers to view what many think are private sites. These students may not be denied admission because of their social networking profiles, but they still should use caution to make sure that colleges reviewing their pages see a positive outlook on them as students. Many experts say to use social networking to help be recognized by colleges by “friending” different universities. This site also mentions many different ways to avoid falling victim to criticism by college admission officers.

Fox Business is a very credible site because they get information straight from the source or either use other credible sources. This article had many statistics and quotes from reliable sources that Fox has used. Fox is a very biased news broadcaster though and you can tell some of the bias in this article. Even with the bias Fox Business is a very credible site that helped me find great information.

Driscoll, Emily. "Attention College Applicants: Admissions Can See Your Facebook Page - FoxBusiness.com." Home - FoxBusiness.com. 23 Mar. 2011. Web. 30 Mar. 2011. .

Quote Summary #4

“Though Facebook has been blocked in some workplaces as a time-waster, it is a crucial tool for college students to coordinate social schedules, organize events, plan study sessions and collaborate on assignments. You really can't disconnect people from it in the long run without creating some real inefficiencies and backlash."

This quote talks about the social networking ban that a Pennsylvania college put in place for a week. The editor and chief of Mashable.com said that if people were disconnected from these sites for a long period of time, then people would become less efficient. This quote shows how people are dependent on these social networking sites and how they make everyday life more efficient. Therefore if students were banned from these sites they would be less efficient and more likely to fail their classes. This quote shows how social networking has become more of a resource than a recreational site. This quote suggests that these social networking sites are a necessity for successful people and students in today’s society. The ban at this college allowed students to focus more on their school work without interruptions, but still caused less efficiency than the campus with social networking sites. This proves that our communication is dependent upon social networking sites.

Fox news is a very credible source that supplies information to all parts of the world. The writers that publish on this site are very trustworthy yet biased as well. This site helped me get information for my topic and had other articles i was able to use as well. This was the most helpful site on my blog research.

Press, Associated. "Anti-social Networking? Pa. College Blacks out Twitter, Facebook, Other Media for a Week - FoxNews.com." FoxNews.com - Breaking News | Latest News | Current News. 16 Sept. 2010. Web. 30 Mar. 2011. .

Map

This map shows that Facebook is the size of the third largest country. If Facebook were a country it would be bigger than the United States. This relates to how big social networking has really become. Facebook has nearly 400 million users worldwide and seven other countries have less people included in their population. Social networking is a huge community of people, is this a bad thing?

Quote Summary #3

Add "Facebook depression" to potential harms linked with social media, an influential doctors' group warns, referring to a condition it says may affect troubled teens who obsess over the online site. The guidelines urge pediatricians to encourage parents to talk with their kids about online use and to be aware of Facebook depression, cyber bullying, and other online risks. They were published online Monday in Pediatrics. The academy guidelines note that online harassment "can cause profound psychosocial outcomes," including suicide. The widely publicized suicide of a 15-year-old Massachusetts girl last year occurred after she'd been bullied and harassed, in person and on Facebook. But there are unique aspects of Facebook that can make it a particularly tough social landscape to navigate for kids already dealing with poor self-esteem, said Dr. Gwenn O'Keeffe, a Boston-area pediatrician and lead author of new American Academy of Pediatrics social media guidelines.

This article from NPR mentions studies that show that depression is associated with social networking sites. The study suggests that troubled teens may obsess over these sites because they cannot read facial emotions. This article also mentions the effects of cyber bullying which is a common occurrence with these sites. Teens are more apt to bully peers with the use of these sites because they are not face to face with their victim. These many different factors have caused doctors to be wonder if these sites cause depression. The article also mentions the use of these sites and how they can positively affect teen’s communication problems. These sites allow troubled teens to express their emotion but not without ridicule. This article warns teens as well as parents to be aware of these possible hazards these sites may cause. The article mentions the recent suicide of a 15 year old teen after being bullied on Facebook and in person. These experts compare social networking sites to a big popularity contest.

The Associated Press is very trustworthy. They are one of the biggest sources of news in the world. They supply other news broadcasters with news reports and articles. They are not biased on this article and had really good information. I really liked using the Associated Press to find some information that was trustworthy and credible.

The Associated Press, . "Docs Warn About Facebook Use And Teen Depression." NPR. NPR, 28 3 2011. Web. 28 Mar 2011. .

Quote Summary #2

It's not surprising that social-networking Web sites such as Facebook.com and MySpace.com are all the rage among today's college students — but those same hard-partying young people might want to watch what they post about themselves if they want to become tomorrow's buttoned-down corporate employees.
She feels that social-networking sites may show a side of a person that may or may not reflect his ability to perform well on the job, and that employers should "keep in mind that personal Web profiles are best considered in context."

This article tells about the use of social networking sites by college students. This article also tells about the use of these sites to evaluate future employees. These students post personal information about their private lives. The article mentions some college student’s opinions of these sites and the evaluations by some companies. These college students feel that their personal privacy is being invaded by these companies. They also feel that these profiles do not exhibit their ability to perform in certain careers. This article mentions briefly the popularity of these social networking sites between college students. Some of the sites mentioned allow students to rate their professors. These sites cause interaction issues between professor and student relationships. These companies can view pictures that are inappropriate and postings that “buttoned down corporate employees” would not want their employers viewing. The main point of this article is the irresponsibility of the use that college students exhibit with these social networking sites.

I have found many articles for my blog that were credible from Fox news. This article is one of the many credible and biased articles I have found from their website. Fox news was very helpful on my articles for this blog and I will continue to use the articles I find from Fox.

Cuesta, Christina. "Students Love Social-Networking Sites � and So Do Employers Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,208175,00.html#ixzz1Hw1hd9Ti." Fox News. News Corporation, 31 8 2011. Web. 28 Mar 2011. .

Quote Summary

“Another study, which analyzed how students performed when asked to use twitter to do assignments, found that students who were asked to "contribute to class discussions and complete assignments using Twitter increased their engagement over a semester more than twice as much as a control group."
Use of social networking not only benefits students, but also provides new opportunities for communication amongst teachers and administrators.”


This article is about how some studies show that social networking in class increases the engagement of students in a semester’s time. This article mentions the effects of social networking on communication between administrators and teachers. These are some of the good effects of social networking in schools. This article also mentions the threat of sexual predators on these social networking sites. This article mentions the educational benefits of these social networking sites, but also mentions the cons of these sites and how they can be a danger to students. Some of the cons mentioned in this article are privacy issues, cyber bullying, and exposure to inappropriate material. This article uses statistics from studies conducted by different universities that show improvement in grades and concentration as well as dedication. The author also mentions the way the social networking sites are trying to make their sites safer and more improved for students.

Huffington Post is an online newspaper that is very credible and has trustworthy sources. They deliver credible non biased information for the world every day and this article was one of the up to date articles that I found. Huffington Post only had one article that helped me on my topic but it was very informative and a great resource.

"Social Networking In Schools: Educators Debate The Merits Of Technology In Classrooms." Huffington Post 27 March 2011.http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/03/27/social-networking-schools_n_840911.html"

This image depicts how people are addicted to these social networking sites.This is a way of showing that these social networking sites are like the life support of many people and they could not survive without these sites. Some people wouldn't delete their profile pages if their job or college required them to.

This picture shows the use of social networking sites on the screen of every computer in this futuristic looking classroom. The idea depicted in this image is that most college students are using these sites. These many different sites are being used by all college students without precaution of who may be viewing them.

Wordle

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Social Media Revolution

Do you feel violated?

Do you feel violated? Should you feel violated by the sites you trust? These colleges and companies being able to view our pages seems like they are invading on our privacy. If certain documents can’t be openly viewed by the public then how can these files be viewed legally? This type of evaluation also allows for other discriminatory reasons for not accepting the applicants. Will this new system of evaluation create more discrimination against people who have disabilities? If the employer has more reasons for not employing a person then they can discriminate more easily. I also want to learn about the ways to avoid these consequences that are associated with these evaluations. If we continue to use these accounts what techniques can we use to be more secure with our information? Does the privacy policy box that everybody agrees to have more of an effect legally than we think?

What do I Know?

Facebook or unemployment book? I have heard of people that have been fired over their Facebook profiles and other social media sites. These sites are very useful for some situations but for others they cause more bad than good. I also know that most people have some type of account that they use to communicate with others. These sites are used a great deal by people who are away from their family and friends. The use of these sites connects people across the world; therefore soldiers can talk to their family and friends. This technology is a great advancement, but with progression there will always some type of regression. Furthermore I know that all some people are addicted to Facebook and this causes distractions for the work that gets completed. These social media sites do not always have bad affects, but it is the people who are not responsible with their accounts that usually are harshly affected by the use of these accounts.

Why this topic?

What is on your mind? As you scroll down the page to read other friends statuses. I’m sure you have seen and done this recently. Most people have some type of social media site they use. As I scroll down my page I see statuses that say things such you’re not drunk if you can lie on the floor without holding on and I’m a little bit drunk. These statuses you wouldn’t want your mom to see. What about future employers and colleges? Social media has become such a phenomenon that colleges and employers review the pages of their applicants. Do you put things on your social media page that you wouldn’t want your employers or even your mom to see? If so, you may be a victim of this new evaluation. Many people seem to think that their social media sites have some type of privacy but the key word is social; although you don’t realize it social media is for everybody to see.