Social Media and the Wisdom of the Crowd Postings

Whither the Individual?

As we join groups and social networks from affinity sites to Facebook, are we extending and expanding identities, or increasingly conforming to the cookie-cutter profiles demanded of these interfaces? Is the loss of “personal space” and “reflection” so many users complain of merely the necessary surrender of “ego” as we learn to participate as members of a more evolved “collective organism” of “hyper-people?”

Facebook does not make people conform to one “identity”. Facebook gives off many different options for people to associate themselves with. It is impossible to conform to one identity when there are options that can apply to everyone. For example, a person can change their name, their sexual orientation, marital status and religion. And even then their religion does not have to be anything that is recognized as an actual religion. For example, on Facebook a friend of mine follows the religion of “Julesism”; it is obvious that this religion does not exist however it is stated that she follows it. How can someone conform to an identity when they follow a religion that does not exist?

            Also, Facebook allows you the opportunity to put random things into the categories that interest you; in other words, many things that you “like” or are “fans” of show up in your interests and activities. Once again, how can you conform to something when things just show up in your profile? There is so many options for people to be different that there is no way that someone is conforming to one identity.

            Yes, Facebook does ask its users to fill out a generic profile. However, that does not mean that each person cannot be an individual. Each person has their own set of likes and dislikes that allow them to be different from everyone else. This can be used in Facebook and other social media sites as well. For example, MySpace allows a person to create their own background to their site which reflects their own personal style. This is the same from blog sites as well. Facebook does not do this, but every person enjoys different music and movies.

            Also, the thing that makes Facebook different from other social networking sites is that Facebook has the ability to accept or deny friends. The purpose of social networking sites is to connect with people via the internet. However, unlike the other networks Facebook makes it able to connect with people that you already know. Most people do not request friends they have never met and also do not accept people they do not know. It is because of this fact that Facebook does not necessarily need for people to create their own background to their sites. There is no need to create an identity when users already have an identity outside of the internet that is most likely known to the people who are viewing their sites.

            Most people Facebook stalk. It is one of the many things that Facebook allows us to do. However, people allow this as soon as they accept a friend request. People look at each other’s pictures and wall posts to see who were are hanging around with and what not. However, we do not usually type in John Smith and go creeping on all the John Smith’s that are on Facebook. When we do creeper we do it on people that we are interested in or made some connection in the real world.

            There is no doubt that there is a loss of personal space in the cyber world. The ethics that go along with social networking sites are very different than that in the real world. What is socially acceptable to do on Facebook is not necessarily accepted in the real world. For example, no way is it acceptable to go and stalk someone. However, on Facebook when you are safe in your house and the other person has no idea, it is common knowledge. It happens. Everyone does it.

            In the real world you can control who sees what. If you want to keep a personal journal that no one reads then you have the ability to do so. If you want to have a private conversation with someone then you can. However, on Facebook and other social networking sites there are limited amounts of privacy. What you post of someone’s wall is free information to everyone who can view that person’s wall. How can there be personal space when everyone can view everything and you cannot do anything to stop them?

            The social networking cites and this concept of cyber friendships has created a new age of mannerisms. Not only are their appropriate courses of action in the real world but now there are socially acceptable ways of interacting on the internet as well.