Sarah Leonard – Online vs. Offline

As our world becomes increasingly dependent on the Internet, and as the usage and popularity of social networking sites increases, the issue of individuals’ online vs. offline lives is raised, which may be attributed to having several effects on society.  In discussion of the online vs. offline concern regarding communities formed by social networking sites, the principal question raised is: As more time is spent online investing in a virtual life, how are offline (real) lives being affected?

According to a study conducted by Nielson Online, the average Facebook user this last year spent a total of over 70 hours on the website, equivalent to more than three days, and more addicted users spent more than 125 hours on the site during the last 12 months, equivalent to more than a whole working week (Barnett, 2009).  In addition to these statistics, during June 2009, Facebook attracted 87 million users, who each spent an average of 4 hours and 36 minutes on the social networking site (Barnett, 2009).

Due to the user demographic of social networking websites such as Facebook and MySpace, which primarily consists of students, especially those at the college level, the online vs. offline issue presents the younger generation with many unique issues.  One of the primary effects of increased involvement in a virtual life is that this may cause increased social isolation and/or depression due to its replacement of more intangible forms of human contact (Wang, 2009).  In a two-year long study, families were randomly selected and studied to investigate the social and emotional effects of the Internet.  The families were given computers and instruction on Internet use.  After one year and throughout the second year of the study, increased use of the Internet was associated with decreased family communication and a reduced size of local social circle. The participants were also reported as having experienced increased loneliness and depression.  Increases in loneliness and decreases in social support were particularly significant among the younger family members involved in the study (Sanders, 2000).  Therefore, the online vs. offline concern regarding virtual communities, especially social networking sites that are especially popular amongst the younger generation, is identified as a significant concern.

In addition to the social and emotional effects increased virtual investment has on younger individuals and family dynamics, the social activism and public involvement of younger populations may also be affected by the growing popularity of virtual communities through social networking sites.  Columnist Thomas Friedman nicknamed the younger generation of today, “Generation Q,” the Quiet Americans.  According to Friedman, this generation is less radical and politically active than it should be.

Friedman explains that young people’s political engagement and social activism has revolved around the Internet SNSs such as Facebook, presenting a less apparent unification compared to the activism of past generations.  For example, the Civil Rights Movement and protests against the Vietnam War stemmed from mass public demonstrations, often times on college campuses.  Friedman states, “Martin Luther King and Bobby Kennedy didn’t change the world by asking people to join their Facebook crusades or to download their platforms. Activism can only be uploaded, the old-fashioned way — by young voters speaking truth to power, face to face, in big numbers, on campuses or the Washington Mall. Virtual politics is just that — virtual” (2007).

At the same time, virtual communities through Web 2.0 platforms such as Facebook have the capabilities to expand the way in which communities interact.  Contrary to Friedman’s criticism of the decline in social activism of “Generation Q” due to the individualism reflected by Internet usage,Facebook and other social networking systems have allowed individuals and groups to interact and communicate regardless of space and time.

The March on Washington of 1963 was able to rally hundreds of thousands together at one place at one time, but applications such as groups, events, fan pages and other features of Web 2.0 offered on Facebook and other similar websites allow an unlimited number of participants from any area of the world to join or support a cause over an indefinite period of time.

Thus, as part of a multi-media platform, information and ideas can be sent and shared simultaneously.  Therefore, due to the younger generation’s increased use and involvement of the Internet and these sharing capabilities, it can be argued that social networking systems such as Facebook have helped increase young people’s awareness and interest in social and political issues.

For example, the presidential election of 2008 marked a significant increase in voter turnout by young people.  According to the U.S. Census Bureau in its report Voting and Registration in the Election of 2008, “voters 18 to 24 were the only age group to show a statistically significant increase in turnout, reaching 49 percent in 2008 compared with 47 percent in 2004” (2009).  This increased political involvement may be attributed to the presidential candidates’, especially President Obama’s, use of the Internet and social networking sites throughout the campaign, appealing to the younger generation.  During debates, social network users were able to respond to issues and surveys, interact with others following the election and were even able to submit questions used in the debates from their own home computers.

This type of a socially aware and active community formed through the use of social networking systems was also seen this year during the Iranian presidential elections.  In protest of election fraud committed by incumbent Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and in support of the opposition candidate Mir-HosseinMousavi, voters and citizens in Tehran and other major Iranian cities used social networking sites such as Twitter to exchange photos, videos and information about protests and civilian conflicts with the government.  Also known as the “Twitter Revolution,” this mass communication not only helped facilitate political activism and raise political awareness locally, but also worldwide, highlighting a very positive social effect relating to the issue regarding the online vs. offline concern of virtual communities.  TIME described Twitter as being especially effective during times of mass public protest or conflict due to Twitter’s use of the Internet and SMS to send messages.  “This makes Twitter practically ideal for a mass protest movement, both very easy for the average citizen to use and very hard for any central authority to control. The same might be true of e-mail and Facebook, but those media aren’t public. They don’t broadcast, as Twitter does” (Grossman, 2009).

In addition to the possible negative individual emotional effects and impact on offline relationships, as well as the negative and positive influences social networking systems have on social activism, another concern of the online vs. offline implications of SNSs is the intersection of the two worlds.  In other words, the existence of virtual lives within “real world” situations has presented many issues, especially in professional and educational environments.  For example, after writing an article about the University of Iowa policy that went into effect in 2008 allowing the athletic department the permission to monitor student-athletes’ social networking profiles, USA Today investigated the existence of similar policies at other universities in which online lives (SNS profiles) may affect offline lives (academic and athletic school affiliations).  Of the 26 schools whose student conduct policies were checked, five schools had specific monitoring policies, and 12 schools had informal policies addressing the issue of publishing certain information on a virtual profile (Oppenhuizen 2008).

Within the professional environment, according to CNN, “twenty-two percent of employers say they use social networking sites when evaluating job candidates, and an additional 9 percent intend to do the same soon.  Yet, only 16 percent of workers with social networking profiles have modified their pages with potential employers in mind” (Hargis, 2008).  After searching the online profiles of job candidates, thirty-four percent of hiring managers chose not to hire an individual based on what was found in profiles, such as drinking or drug use and/or inappropriate photographs (Hargis, 2008).  Not only has the sharing of such behavior led to the loss of or failure to find a job, badmouthing jobs, colleagues, or employers on social networking sites has also been a factor in the online vs. offline or public vs. private issue.

Here’s an example of some of the issues that may arise from sharing too much information on a social networking site, which allows little personal privacy.

The most recent case involving the conflict between the coexistence of a virtual and real life involves a Canadian woman who while on a long-term sick leave for depression lost her benefits because her insurance agent found photos of her on Facebook in which she appeared to be having “fun” (AP, 2009).  Cases such as these highlight the concerns raised by online and offline lives and identities, which inevitably stem from the continual conflict between freedom of speech and freedom of privacy.  As a result, the question of whether or not an offline life can exist simultaneously but separately from an online life is raised.  However, due to relatively recent popularity and growth of social networking sites, and until further discussion of the vague legislation in regulation of monitoring of social networking sites in professional and educational environments, presenting a online life reflective of what one would want an offline life to convey has created the least amount of conflict.

Communities have thrived on Web 2.0 digital platforms, which allows the interaction of individuals and groups with any relationship or interest.  Meanwhile, being continuously reinvented and improved by Web 2.0 features, SNSs like Facebook not only serve as a social virtual communities, but also a interest, commercial and expert virtual communities (Wang, 2009).  However, through the technological advances established in SNSs and increased dependency on the Internet, conflicting issues, both beneficial and harmful to individuals and society, are raised by the online vs. offline concern.

Sources:

Associated Press. “Canadian woman loses benefits over Facebook photo.” Associated Press. 21 Nov. 2009.

Barnett, Emma. “Americans spend most of web time on Facebook.” Telegraph.co.uk.             Telegraph, 15 July 2009. Web. 14 Dec. 2009.

<http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/facebook/5833400/Americans-spend-most-of-web-time-on-Facebook.html&gt;.

Friedman, Thomas L. “Generation Q.” The New York Times.com. The New York Times. 10             Oct. 2007. Web. 9 Dec. 2009. <http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/10/opinion/10friedman.html?_r=2&gt;.

Grossman, Lev. “Iran Protests: Twitter, the Medium of the Movement.” TIME. TIME, 17 June             2009. Web. 13 Dec. 2009.             <http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1905125,00.html&gt;.

Hargis, Mike. “Social networking sites dos and don’ts.” CNN.com/living. CNN, 5 Nov. 2008.             Web. 13 Dec. 2009.             <http://edition.cnn.com/2008/LIVING/worklife/11/05/cb.social.networking/index.html&gt;.

Oppenhuizen, Kyle. “Monitoring sites with a hawkeye; Iowa senior athletes to check for             content.” USA Today 28 July 2008, Final ed., Sports sec. Print.

Sanders, Christopher E. “The Relationship of Internet Use to Depression and Social Isolation Among Adolescents.” Adolescence. (2000).

U.S. Census Bureau. U.S. Department of Commerce. Voter Turnout Increases by 5 Million in             2008 Presidential Election, U.S. Census Bureau Reports Data Show Significant Increases Among Hispanic, Black and Young Voters. Newsroom. U.S. Census Bureau, 20 July 2009. Web. 13 Dec. 2009. <http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/voting/013995.html&gt;.

Wang, Kevin. “Virtual Community and Social Media: Part 2-Types and Implications.” Internet and Global Society. University of Minnesota, Minneapolis. 14 Oct. 2009. Lecture.

About the author:

I’m Sarah Leonard and I’m graduating this semester with a degree in Spanish studies and mass communication. I am a huge advocate of independent media and multi-cultural journalism, so I am hoping to eventually find a job that helps serve under represented populations, such as the Spanish-speaking community. In the meantime, I plan on traveling and enjoying life.