Sociology and social media, two case studies

Recently, a lot of voices have risen saying Facebook, Twitter or other social media are used to utter hateful ideas about other people. Since its rise, social media have been applauded for their democratizing and emancipatory potential. Now, however, its users are often considered cold, harsh or cruel for voicing shocking opinions, hurting wishes and even death threats. With every new mediatic hype, a Facebook group and ante-group is created. Instead of invigorating debate on social issues, this phenomenon disembogues into a noise of shouted slogans.
Two case studies from recent Belgian media hypes are exemplary: journalist Linda De Win's envied streak of victory in De Slimste Mens, a Woenstijnvis quiz on Flemish broadcasting station één; and referee Luc Wauters' giving Club Bruges soccer player Ronald Vargas a red card. Both got stuck in the eye of a (social-)media-storm when people created several hate-groups around their person. The events were hyped on radio and television and in Belgian/Flemish newspapers. Society watchers were invited to vent their ideas on the matter and people condemned first the groups and later Facebook's giving people the ablity to spread hatred.
Obviously, what happened to mrs. De Win and mr. Wauters is intolerable. Yet, would the things said remain unsaid if Facebook or Twitter did not exist? They would still be uttered in bars, on busses, at the hair dresser's - which means they would be kept hidden or difficult to find for sociologists and academic moralists. The widespread availability of world wide fora does not create new social or moral standards, it merely gives people the opportunity to spread their immoral ideas more effectively.
Instead of convicting sites like Facebook, researchers on human traits should praise them for easily and freely externalising what goes about in society.

Sources: De Standaard, Knack

'Hidden Facebook' has much more 'users'

Even though you might not have a Facebook account, mind you that Zuckerberg’s team knows who you are! The idea behind it is as simple as it is terrifying. When a new Facebook user signs up, he is requested to automatically let Facebook find friends. He can upload his address book which is then scanned for known Facebook users. But next to them, also people in his adress book without a Facebook account are saved in the Facebook archives. Also, names that are searched for, even if they don’t have an account are saved and analysed. That way the system can create your personal web of friends just as if you were on Facebook. The advertising possibilities are ample.

One might feel assaulted by this, but Facebook puts the responsibility for breaking people’s privacy with its users. It says this quite clearly in its terms of use. The thing is; who reads those?

Sources: T-Zine