Critical Review of pros and cons of social network sites Prepared by Ho Xin Lu, Gan Jun Ting

1. Body paragraph 3

1.1. We disagree that social networking sites enable people make connections with the others.

1.2. When we use to communicate with the others through social networking sites, we will be unfamiliar to talk with others face-to-face. Unconditionally, it will affect the social intercourse of a person in real life. A person may feel uncomfortable to communicate with his friends or family face-to-face. Therefore, a person will have a hardship to make relationship and connections with the others.

1.3. Even the mere presence of a phone can interrupt our interactions, particularly when we’re talking about something meaningful. According to one small study, researchers writing in the Journal of Social and Personal Relationships tasked 34 pairs of strangers with having a 10-minute conversation about an interesting event that had happened to them recently. Each pair sat in private booths, and half of them had a mobile phone on the top of their table. Those with a phone in eyeshot were less active when recalling their interaction. Afterwards, they had less meaningful conversations and reported feeling less close to their partner than the others, who had a notebook on top of the table instead. (Jessica,2018)

2. Conclusion

2.1. In conclusion, We agree that social networking sites are able to promote an artiste's or actor's work because social networking sites act as a good platform on promoting their work which bring a great success to them . However, social networking sites also make identity theft easier as those sites give chances to the unscrupulous people to commit the crime. Although social networking sites are invented to connect people, we disagree that social networking sites let users make connections with other people in real life as it affects the communication and relationship between people in real life. As a result, we conclude that we should use social networking sites wisely. Social networking sites are invented for our convenient but if we misuse social networking sites, it will leads to a bad outcome. If a person use social media sites to carry out criminal activities, that person may be caught and prisoned.

3. References

3.1. Olivia Fleming,2014, 'Why the World's Most Talked-About New Art Dealer Is Instagram', viewed 12 April 2018, from Why the World's Most Talked-About New Art Dealer Is Instagram.<https://www.vogue.com/article/buying-and-selling-art-on-instagram>

3.2. (Lewis K.,(n.d.),'How Social Media Networks Facilitate Identity Theft and Fraud', viewed on 13 April 2018.<https://www.eonetwork.org/octane-magazine/special-features/social-media-networks-facilitate-identity-theft-fraud>

3.3. Jessica B., 2018, 'Is social media bad for you?The evidence and the unknowns',viewed on 13 April 2018. <http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20180104-is-social-media-bad-for-you-the-evidence-and-the-unknowns>

4. Introductory paragraph

4.1. Social networking brings pros and cons to human being. Firstly, social networking connects us with other people. Besides, we are able to organise an activity and invite friends easily though social networks. In addition, the artistes use social network to promote themselves, therefore fans are able to follow up with the most updated information of the artistes they admire. Besides, people use these sites to network professionally. Social networking sites also play the role as an application platform. Sometimes, these sites may even safe a person out of jail. Nevertheless, identity thief can get people's personal information easily and scammers can trick people to download malicious software which will infect the computer and can further spread the malware to the others through social networking sites. Besides, social networking sites bring addiction to the users which affect their daily life. As a conclusion, social networking sites bring advantages and disadvantages to us.

5. Body paragraph 1

5.1. We agree that social networking sites can promote an artiste's or artor's work.

5.2. We are able to know artiste's or actor's current situations and their performances though social networking sites, such as Facebook, Instagram and Twitter although they are far away from us. Actors or actresses often post stage photos and posters of their films or dramas to promote their work. As we follow their Facebook or Instagram account, we are able to know their work and support them by watching their dramas or buying their albums. Artists also sell their paintings through social networking sites. Artists can create a webpage on Facebook to post their paintings. People who are interested on buying their paintings can contact the artists based on the details stated on the webpage.

5.3. According to Olivia Fleming (2014), the social media platform provides the world with an entirely new way to access art. Nowadays, artists use Instagram as their own virtual art gallery, playing both dealer and curator while their fans become critics and collectors, witnessing the creative process in real time. For example, Ashley Longshore's glossy crystal- covered canvases are regularly bought straight off her Instagram for more than $30,000.

6. Body paragraph 2

6.1. We agree that social networking sites make identity theft easier.

6.2. When we sign up for an account on a social networking site, we are required to give our personal information which are exposed to the public. These information can be stole for criminal use, like identity theft. Identity thief usually abuses our photo to cheat and blackmail others. Sometimes, criminals will use the photo and personal information of the others to cover up themselves in every criminal activities so they won't be caught easily.

6.3. Social media sites gain profit with targeted advertising, based on personal information. Therefore, registered users are encouraged to provide as much information as possible. With limited government oversight, industry standards or incentives to educate users on security, privacy and identity protection, users are exposed to identity theft and fraud. Additionally, these platforms have a ton of confidential user information, and are likely to be attacked. When it comes to stalking or stealing an identity, use of photo- and video-sharing sites like Flickr and YouTube will provide a deeper understanding into you, your family and friends, your house, favorite hobbies and interests. For example, an American soldier abroad in Iraq discovered his bank account was repeatedly being accessed online and drained. A security expert was able to replicate access with nothing more than his name, e-mail and Facebook profile.(Lewis ,(n.d.))