CON Social Networking Rebuttal

Social networking is harmful to people’s health, real-life social relationships, and also constitutes a threat to their privacy. Most teens don’t know that when they post photos and information onto websites like Facebook and Myspace, it can still be retrieved even after deletion. Social networking also makes cyberbullying easier and Sameer Hinduja states that a 2009 study found that 17.3% of middle school students have been victims of cyberbullying, which causes depression and low self-esteem as www.ncpc.org adds on. Adults can get hacked and have their identity stolen, get their homes broken into, and potentially lose their job. And according to David Derbyshire from Daily Mail, too much time on these websites can also cause brain damage to children.
"Studies have shown that people who use social networking sites have a better quality of life. It has reduced risk of health problems, helped with stroke recovery, and overall well being.. Most social networking sites like Facebook and Myspace have an age limit.. " - Our opponents stated. Tony & Troy
Age limitations on signing up for social networking sites do nothing to prevent teenagers from being exposed to this, as many lie about their ages. And social networking sites are certainly not free from predators. In 2009, MySpace confirmed that it had identified and removed over 90,000 registered sex offenders from its site, according to an article by Nathan Olivarez-Giles in the Los Angeles Times. This same article states that Facebook declined to give a number of discovered sex offenders. And even if these sites make an effort to remove sex offenders, they cannot possibly find all of them, because it is impossible to be sure that everyone is who they say they are.
Teens do not usually realize that it is possible to find their information after it has been deleted, nor do they know that by making their information public, they leave themselves open to online predators. More sex offenders than you may think show up on social networking sites. In 2009, MySpace confirmed that it had identified and removed over 90,000 registered sex offenders from its site, according to an article by Nathan Olivarez-Giles in the Los Angeles Times.

In addition, information gathered by neuroscientist Susan Greenfield shows that excessive use of social networking can cause children to suffer from personality disorders such as an inability to have real conversations, ADHD, short attention spans, the need for instant gratification, and self-centered personalities. Greenfield has told the Daily Mail that ‘'My fear is that these technologies are infantilising the brain into the state of small children who are attracted by buzzing noises and bright lights, who have a small attention span and who live for the moment.'’ She also states the concern that the use of social networking may be responsible for the current increase in autism.
Adults are also vulnerable to these dangers such as getting viruses and their identity stolen. It is possible for a message containing a virus to be sent on a social networking site with the appearance that it is from a friend. And according to Javelin & Research, the percentage of identity fraud rose by 12 percent in the U.S. last year to 11.1 million.
In short, social networking should not be trusted.