Most people are very proud when they can access and use any new technology that is introduced in the market. Scientists and technologists around the world are working tirelessly and conducting research that can put them in the forefront in the invention of new technologies. However, we all agree that new technologies come with both negative and positive consequences. One of such new technologies is Facebook. What has really caught my attention are the unintended consequences of Facebook. The inventor of this technology must have had good intentions when inventing it but some of the consequences were not anticipated.
One of the bad consequences of Facebook is the loss of privacy status by many of its users. It is clear that most people who use the internet, especially Facebook do not know how to protect their information so that they can only be accessed by the intended people. For example, if a Facebook user called Mike has a friend known as Rob, they can communicate and share information using Facebook. If Rob has other friends who are also Facebook users, they can access the information about Mike without any permission from him. Mike may want only Rob to know about the information but once it is on Facebook, others can easily access it. If this trend continues, no more privacy can be guaranteed to Facebook users. However, a way of controlling access to Facebook has been developed but many people still do not know how to use it. On the other hand, if there are many restrictions to Facebook access, it ceases to be a social networking site.
Facebook has been recently used by politicians as a campaigning tool. Some people have posted on Facebook their intentions to vie for political posts. It is very unfortunate for politicians who do not know how to use Facebook sites because they cannot reach most youths. Youths are the most Facebook users and they are currently very active in politics around the world. This implies that a politician who uses Facebook has an advantage over others. At the same time, some people use Facebook to spread propaganda against their opponents. We know that some propaganda may be very confusing and can thus result in very bad consequences especially if most people perceive them to be true.
Moral decay has also been on the increase due to facebook sites. There is no way of controlling pictures, messages and other graphics that are posted on the Facebook sites. Some people are taking this advantage to post pictures of nude people and love messages on the Facebook sites. Children can access the Facebook sites and see these pictures and love messages that are supposed to be seen by adults. This interferes with the morality of children and they may be tempted to engage in sexual activities at very tender ages. Some teenagers have also confessed that they had their first sexual encounters after reading certain information or seeing certain pictures on Facebook.
It is true that Facebook sites have many advantages such as social networking and marketing products but ways of controlling bad consequences should be developed. This will ensure better lives for youths who instead of doing beneficial activities spend most of their time chatting on Facebook. For example, it is worthless for a student to chat on Facebook using a phone while a teacher is teaching. Something should be done to save such students.