Not Critical Enough of Facebook

In my class presentation today on Social Media, I was criticized for not being critical enough of Facebook and other such networks.

Just to let everyone know, the presentation part was supposed to be on the positive impacts of Facebook and Twitter. It was the debate part where my group wanted to bring in the negatives.

I really do think Facebook is an incredible invention that transforms communications. For the first time ever, you can have a database of your contacts that gives you immense amounts of information. It transforms politics, journalism, education and business.

Individual politicians have found social media as the most useful tool at reaching their constituents, communication that is essential to democracy. Journalists now have an instantaneous way to communicate information whether it be a breaking news story, weather or discussion. Education should begin to utilize the popularity of social media among their students. And in business, there is not better form of brand messaging that  getting your customers to like you on Facebook. A business is given equal real estate opportunity as one of their customer's siblings or neighbors.

Sorry that I'm not more critical of the advertising or surveillance Facebook supposedly is guilty of. Advertisements are something that people need to learn to deal with or ignore. When it comes to information-keeping, simply don't offer Facebook the information you never want know. But on that point, what it so secret?