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Facebook: Beware of it
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With the growth of the internet, all the people are connected each other. In present, facebook, one of the most popular tools for socialization is occupying a large area in context of social networking. Being a free website, it became the popular and common within a short period of time. Mark Elliot Zuckberherg, an American billionaire is the founder of facebook known as father of social networking. Facebook has succeeded to understand not only the evolution of the internet but also how the human society is getting changed by the use of social media and networking site (Hirsh, 2007). It became a wonder and popular for all people regardless of ages to share and communicate with friends and family as it has a lot of useful and enjoyable options for users like multiplayer games, messages, online chat, photo and video sharing facilities (Whelan, 2008). However, there are some drawbacks of facebook in ethical point of view.
Hundreds of millions of people sign up to facebook daily. It became so popular like everyone is lured by it and recently people are so addictive that they can’t just stand without using the facebook even once a day. Because of that many sponsored companies like apple, southwest, chase invest to facebook for advertisement. Due to high fall of users into facebook and cultural collaboration, various analysts are encouraging facebook to act as ‘social operating system’ (Hirsh, 2007). Despite of being a “social operating system”, it will generate some demerits. Definitely it will increase its revenue without thinking other operating system developer companies like Microsoft.
Facebook is the hottest site on internet growing like mad and flooding as tsunami. Facebook appears as a fantastic honey pot for scammers, where millions of people are lured in a name of free fun games. So far being a popular network, millions of people login to facebook to spend time on goofy online games, fleeced by scammers. “People spend money on buying seeds for online game, Farmville. I have no idea why” said (Lyons, 2009). Some people fall on cobweb of cell phone scam all because of goofy online game. Users were subjected to a great deal of hassle to get the scammer to stop sending them crab on their cell that they didn’t want (Prankster, 2009). So, it is unethical as it violates the Kant’s theory (Respect for others). A high school student suicide after taking facebook quiz titled “when will you die?” blew his head off with a shotgun (Kemis, 2009). Secondly, facebook became a target for cybercriminals. Anyone who has facebook account can be victim tomorrow. According to FBI, cyberthieves are targeting social networking sites like facebook for personal information. Around 3,200 cases related to account hacking have been reported to Internet Crime Compliant Centre since 2006 (Chen, 2009). Mostly users have been victim of phishing attack and social engineering as well. Usually when the user’s friend updates his or her status or sends a message with an innocent video and links, just the user need to do is click. As the user click, the game is over. Users are lured to fake websites that let the attackers to get divulging personal details and password. Likewise there is one funny application in facebook, which lists nearest birthdays of friends. And on users Birthday, user gets his or her wall filled with great wishes and gifts from fiends. Sure, people feel happy to get well wishes from friends. But on the other hand it can be the key to steal personal details for bad guys. Many people use birthdate in password, personal identification number and security question asked for resetting lost password (Almasy, 2009). The hackers can use these passwords to steal identities or money. Therefore facebook is assumed as unethical as it violates the basic principal of Deontology (right to privacy).
Another drawback of facebook is related with the current Terms of Service. In present Terms of Service of facebook, there is no right to property. If any user wants to terminate from facebook, an account can be closed permanently but personal information remains on facebook’s servers (Thomas, 2007). It means the company can reuse user’s personal files that had been uploaded. Millions of user uploads their personal files and photos on facebook huge online database but none can raise voice against facebook if their personal files are being re-used even after termination of service (Schroeder, 2009).As a result, we can’t expect facebook for the preservation of our property. So facebook can be listed as unethical as it is against the principle of Deontology (right to property).
In conclusion, what we can draw is as there is two sides in a coin, facebook also have merits and weakness. But if users use it wisely, huge amount of drawbacks of facebook can be minimized. Similarly different unethical issues regarded to users right to privacy and property should be monitored closely. And government also should take part to eliminate different unethical issues by taking strong action upon it.
By. Amrit Maharjan
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Posted By:
Amrit Maharjan
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Date:
14 Jan 2010
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1
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Posted By:
roshan
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Date:
1/14/2010 9:55:48 PM
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2
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Posted By:
Hari
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Date:
1/13/2012 6:35:20 PM
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NEPAL TIME
SLC Toppers from Thecho
Two Toppers from Private School
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Nishesh Maharjan (89.38%)
Indreni ESS
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Namita Maharjan (84.4%)
St. Paul HSS
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Two Toppers from Government School
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Sharmila Kunwar (74.40%)
Saraswoti HSS
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Anil Maharjan (64.12%)
Saraswoti HSS
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