Various Opinions : Internet and SNS

              

There is a lot of buzz these days about the several aspects of the different kinds of effects of internet and specially social media (SNS- Social Networking Services) on our lives.

I thought, it is a good time to put my say on this matter. I've have been reading and experiencing almost same as all of us are feeling in present scenario. Companies like Google, Facebook, Yahoo, Twitter have made entry well inside our personal lives. These sites not only know about our permanent information like mail id, phone number, address but are also aware about our current location and even mood. Let's dwell a little more on this matter today.

 Yesterday's Incident :- Microsoft, Google and People

        Before starting the discourse about this matter I would like to share yesterday's incident. We had to go to Microsoft Research Bangalore for the meetup related to MOOCS (Massive Open Online Courses). Irony of the matter is that google was the sole reason that we had been able to make it up to the office almost on time. But the reason for discussing this incident is not this.The reason is that I don't know why, but on that day after reaching in the vicinity very near to that area almost each and everyone from whom we asked about the address either misguided us or showed a complete ignorance. Few characters took all the information from us, wasted both their and our time, informing us at the end of the discussion that they had no idea about the address. And the story doesn't end here. To the extent of our
surprise even auto-rickshaw drivers were not aware about the office. I felt like we are in village searching for a small starup about which no one knows. Finally we took an auto-rickshaw who agreed to at least take us to the mentioned road, Pavan opened GPS and then we moved according to the GPS information. With a sarcastic smile on his face he said to me, we shall have to depend totally on google's info as no human being till now have been truthful to us. Continuing in the same mood of sarcasm I said there is even a possibility that someone standing in front of the Microsoft building may say that he/she is unaware about the Microsoft office which turned out to be a correct prediction later. It was already dark when we reached there, GPS was showing that we were on the spot. We came out of the auto-rickshaw and asked from a guard of a random big building there about  our destination. And now I don't even need to mention the reply I guess. It was like we were 10-20 steps before the Microsoft building, that road was awkwardly dark and we got the reply "I DON'T KNOW SIR". By this time I had already lost my temper and was going to burst on him but suddenly Pavan told me that there was a sign. Very bleak and dull light was coming out of that. But fortunately we were able to read the name Microsoft. What happened inside the office is, as a matter of fact can't be discussed here as is not relevant here but is also very interesting and could be expected as the topic of my upcoming post.

        The intent of narrating this incident here is that, we were helped mere by google than any of the person we met on the street that day. In my opinion Unknowingly, such cases create a deep sense of faith and soft corner in our hearts for those websites which makes us vulnerable to the owner's of those websites.

Extent of our indulgence 

        Today if I try to explain the extent up to which we are indulged with internet and SNS, I would be a fool. It is something too obvious to explain now. No one needs an explanation for it because everyone is aware. But still I would like to bring few of the points in limelight. Because taking help from GPS for navigation, reading review to watch movie and go to restaurants or ordering online is still acceptable and good as we are materialistically using these thing as tools to make our daily lives easier. It is not an issue and neither a problem.

             But I think this is certainly an issue when someone tries to take self destructing actions because of Trolls. It is really a matter of concern when a teenager gets bullied online and there no way he/she could be helped which leads to several dangerous outcomes in his/her life.

             And I think It is also a problematic situation that we start considering SNS and such services as an integral part of our lives. For example in last two weeks I came across following two articles on two very famous news sites namely Quartz and NY Times:

1. A requiem to Orkut, where I met my husband 

2. Tangled Web of Memories Lingers After a Breakup

 In first article, It is a positive memory of the writer which helped her in finding her life-partner and now she is feeling bad about that site which is now going to be shut. On the other hand, second article talks about the problems that its writer had to face after his breakup due to over-indulgence in social media.Both these articles are insightful about the gravity of the present situation over the web.

                 But my concern is that both the writers are taking social media way too seriously than required. This could really lead to very undesired complicated scenarios in our lives. I am not against of the use of social media but I'm certainly concerned to decide the extent at least for myself to which I should allow it to enter into my life. These days It is common scene in our families and amongst friends that people are totally ignorant of the people physically present in their surrounding because they busy with the people online. Sometimes It hurts our own feelings when someone else does such kinds of things to us but we ourselves do the same things.

             My purpose of writing this piece is to make us all think and reflect upon us. It is not intended to judge anyone neither is it trying to give a solution. It is only trying to ponder whether there is a problem and if there then how deep. 

Finally I would like to leave you with another aspect of viewing internet which seemed pretty exciting to me:-   

The Internet is People (Give it a thought)

 

WordPress doesn’t blog.

 

Google doesn’t tell you anything.

Twitter doesn’t tweet your work.

LinkedIn doesn’t endorse you.

Pageviews don’t comment.

Facebook doesn’t like you.

        I came across this idea on freshspectrum.com. People interested, can find this article on this link.