The Power of Facebook

It is an easy assumption that most people are online and interacting daily through multiple virtual networks. Regardless of willingly wanting to keep up with the latest apps and websites, individuals run a huge risk of being left behind in our forever adapting world. It can be argued that social networks such as Facebook has created a damaging effect on the mental health of users, the way we interact, and socialise in our everyday lives. Others however, argue that Facebook and other social networks are simply the old-fashioned way of communication advancing alongside to technology. This advancement of technology has created numerous ways to enforce and abuse the use of power and privacy, which has been a constant debate topic over the years. 

Image 1: Oliveros (2012)

Power is not an object or a set place, it is everywhere both diffused and embodied across a variety of networks according to Dr Victoria Kuttainen (2017). Everyone has a chance to display different forms of power on social media, whether that is through censorship or changing language and identities. It has been argued that power is a negative, coercive or repressive thing that limits our own agency. (Allen 2003, p.1) In addition, it is concerning to reveal that everyone has access to forms of power within Facebook, as individuals including businesses obtain power and control over this social network. Power can be easily manipulated in Facebook to influence and change simple things such as, social and business status. Tradition, bureaucracy, and technology are just some categories that could improve businesses profits and career goals. If businesses were to enforce this power of technology in Facebook it could lead to successful customer targeting, which would effectively increase business profits and customers. Although, it has been evident throughout Facebook that situating power is part of the durable architecture of social life: some people have it but choose not to use it, whilst others use it and even abuse it. (Allen 2003, p.1)

In terms of abusing power on social media, individuals are stripped of their privacy and protection thanks to social networks like Facebook. Evidently, this leads to online users experiencing a negative result to power, as being involved in an online community means you are constantly victimised to a lack of privacy. Facebook is reminiscent of the panopticon, a prison designed by English theorists Bentham in 1785. (Allen 2003, p.1) The lack of privacy and protection that users are exposed to links into Orwell’s vision of panoptic surveillance being an increasing feature in urban life. “In the past, so the story goes, we had privacy and dignity- but we kissed it goodbye with a few keystrokes on social media.” This is a quote from the Conversation that is supporting statements regarding the lack of privacy given to online users. Likewise, it has been argued that geography also plays a significant role in how power can influence others in social networks. The geography of Facebook is a complexed understanding, as everyone having access to this online network through smartphones and computers enables Facebook users to be located everywhere.

References

Arnold, B. (2016). Has social media really shifted the line between personal and private forever? Retrieved From http://theconversation.com/has-social-media-really-shifted-the-line-between-personal-and-private-forever-66119

Dye. (2005). BA1002: Our Space: Networks, Narrative and the Making of Place, week 2 notes [PowerPoint slides]. Retrieved from https://learnjcu.jcu.edu.au

              Kuttainen, V. (2017). BA1002: Our space: Networks, narratives and the making of place, lecture week 2: Power. [PowerPoint slides]. Retrieved from http://learnjcu.edu.au

Oliveros, L. (2013). The Sad State of Social Media Privacy. Retrieved From http://www.socialmediamarketing.com/blog/snapshot-the-sad-state-of-social-media-privacy

Turkle, S. (1995). Life on the screen: Identity in the age of the internet. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster.