by Timou

Created on: July 02, 2009

The advent of social networking tools can no longer be overlooked, having become an integral part of most of our daily lives. In particular, Facebook has become the quintessential social networking tool that nearly everyone, from the common person, to business executives, celebrities and even political leaders having a Facebook profile. With such extensive social coverage, what are the potential ramifications of quitting Facebook? This article is written with the assumption that the reader already knows what Facebook is, and the main functions associated with it.

The key word that defines an increasingly connected and globalised world is 'connectivity'. In order to function well in society, now more than ever, we find ourselves connected to each other through numerous and sometimes complicated social networks. In fact, a recent study has show that any one person is connected to everyone else in the world with just seven close friends.

Facebook provides yet another method for increasing our connectivity. Through its networking systems, we find ourselves adding new friends almost every day. Friends we are close to, friends we have long lost contact with, friends who we have just met, and friends who are, well, not quite friendly at times. Facebook allows us to keep in contact with the vast number of acquaintances that we make in our social lives, especially in an age of high mobility, when it is easy to lose track of where our friends are.

Quitting Facebook causes us to instantly lose our connectivity to these many friends that we have. Granted, we will still be able to contact our closest friends and relatives, but what of those who are not so close, but we would still like to keep in touch with? Furthermore, our limited mental capacity does not allow for us to conjure elaborate mental images of our complicated social tapestry, and it becomes so easy to lose contact with a dear friend that might simply have become lost in the maze of social connections.

Another key ingredient for success in the global village is 'visibility'. To be known across social and professional circles, one must first be visible to the members of these sometimes cloistered circles. Facebook allows one to update and personalize one's personal information, from birthdays to interests and academic and professional qualifications. At the same time, Facebook allows you to join online interest groups that speak about your personal beliefs and convictions.

While some argue that this puts one's personal life under unwanted scrutiny, I see this differently. Tech-savvy companies are increasingly using Facebook to conduct their employment searches, and inspect the personal profiles of job applicants to see if there is a match with the company's culture. This method is much more convenient than the traditional application form and interview, which can prove quite costly especially when a company is conducting a global employment drive. Quitting Facebook greatly reduces the prospects of one being selected by companies who employ such vetting tools in their hiring process.

There are certainly other potential outcomes of quitting Facebook, some undoubtedly not as grim as what I have outlined. However, I am inclined to believe that the drawbacks of quitting Facebook far outweigh the benefits of doing so.

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