Social Networking

Second Life

2009-09-30T14:49:00.000-07:00

Do you remember those days when you were told by your parents to "turn off that video game". Now it turns out that some video games are quite beneficial to their users. Second Life for example is an online massive multiplayer game, which has over 25,000 members. In this game you take on a second identity, and interact with other people playing the game. The game "allows players to fly, drive fantastical vehicles, dress up in outlandish outfits and build just about anything they could imagine". The most beneficial aspect of the game is the social contact with other people who are playing. This is especially beneficial to people with speaking and physical disabilities. There are even virtual islands specially created for people with disabilities. Players with cerebral palsy also take advantage of the game, it allows them to interact with other players, without anyone knowing about their disability. In real life, it would be hard for people to understand them when they talk, but in Second Life, they just type what they want to say. For people with disabilities it is sort of a "judgement free zone". Another group of people that benefits from this game are children in a special program that have abusive parents. It allows them to regain their social skills in an environment that is safe and comfortable for them. There are no limits on what one could do while playing the game, that creates problems, there might be predators on line, and there have been cases where people commit suicide, when something goes wrong in their Second Life. So do not spend to much time in front of the computer, and treat it for what it is, a game. To find out more information visit this website.

Growing Up Online

2009-09-30T14:18:00.000-07:00

In today's day and age, it is very rare to find someone that does not have a computer at home and access to the Internet. Computers and the Internet are very helpful to kids growing up. They can find all kinds of information online, and many times their homework is expected to be typed up on the computer and printed out. But as it turns out there are many dangers lurking on the Internet. According to PBS.org, a public website which has an article "Frontier: Growing Up Online", young people are especially vulnerable to the dangers of the Internet. Young people spend a lot of time online, and many of their parents have no clue how to use a computer, so they cannot be monitored. Young children can fall pray to an online predator, who makes them believe that he is someone their own age and just wants to "hang out". But more often children find information on the Internet that they should not have access to. Young adults can find information using the Internet on how to commit suicide, or how to starve themselves. These issues are much bigger and more common than online predators but they are not as publicized. Kids sometimes spend whole nights on the Internet talking to their cyberfriends, often people they have never met in real life. One way to solve this problem is for parents o set boundaries on their children's' Internet use, and to monitor what they do online.

Even Obama Used Social Networking to Win Election

2009-09-30T13:48:00.000-07:00

Today's use of Internet is so widespread you can expect anyone to be online. Social Networking was invented as a means to expend your social life. But more and more ways to use social networking websites are popping up. I never thought that someone might use a social networking website to help him win a presidential election. But that is just what President Barrack Obama did. He hired the co founder of facebook, Chris Hughes, to help design a website that would present him and his ideas in an appealing way. People visiting his website felt closer to him, and it made the voters feel like Obama is one of them, especially the younger generation. Obama's website was a huge success, it generated millions of dollars of contributions, which are the "fuel of a campaign". The website made it easy and exciting to donate money, and become a part of the campaign. Besides Obama's personal website, he also had accounts on social networking websites such as MySpace, and Facebook. Obama's success demonstrates how Internet and social networking have become an everyday part of our lives, and that we must keep up with current technology and trends, in order to stay on top of the game.