Facebook Highlights Dangers of Using Facebook

Facebook Highlights Dangers of Using Facebook


Science & Technology

Vocabulary

downside
Noun
ˈdæʊnsaɪda disadvantage
The downside of owning your own business is working very long hours.

passively
Adjective
ˈpæsɪvliwithout becoming involved
The crowd passively watched the robbery unfold.

curate
Verb
kyʊˈreɪtto specially select and organize something
She is responsible for curating the news her boss reads every day.

flattering
Adjective
ˈflæt̮ərɪŋthat makes someone feel special and good about themselves
Her flattering remarks made him blush.

tweak
Verb
twikto slightly change something in order to improve it
The mechanic tweaked the car's engine to make it go faster.




Article
Facebook Highlights Dangers of Using Facebook
With nearly 2 billion users, Facebook's survival depends on people continuing to use its service.

That's why observers were surprised by an unusual company blog post Friday that highlighted some of the potential harm of using the social media service.

Titled Hard Questions: Is Spending Time on Social Media Bad for Us?, the company cited studies that suggested some of the possible downsides of using social media.

In one study, people who passively read about others' lives reported feeling worse about themselves. One possibility is "negative social comparison" when reading about others online, the company said, because "people's posts are often more curated and flattering" than how they are in their real, offline lives.

But there's a potential solution, according to Facebook: Don't be a bystander to others' lives. Use Facebook more and with friends and family.

Facebook users who spend more time on Facebook — actually post and interact with close friends — experienced more positive effects, according to a company study conducted with Carnegie Mellon University.

"Simply broadcasting status updates wasn't enough," the post said. "People had to interact one-on-one with others in their network."

The Facebook post came as some former top executives have spoken about Facebook's potential negative effects on society and individuals. Facebook exploits a "vulnerability in human psychology," Sean Parker, Facebook's founding president, said recently.

To aid in supporting people's well-being while using its service, the company recently tweaked its News Feed — what people see when they sign on — to promote friendships and demote what the firm called "clickbait headlines."

Facebook also launched a new feature called "Snooze" that lets a user hide a person, Facebook page or group for 30 days without having to "unfollow."







Questions
1.What did the recent Facebook blog post highlight?
2.Why do people who read about others' lives feel worse about themselves?
3.What features did Facebook implement to improve its users' well-being?




Discussion
1.Do you find it surprising that Facebook decided to highlight "some of the potential harm of using the social media service"?
2.Would you agree that "people's posts are often more curated and flattering than how they are in their real, offline lives"? Why? Why not?
3.Are you of the opinion that one should "use Facbook more with friends and family" rather than "passively read about others' lives"? Why? Why not?
4.Do you support Facebook's decision to demote "clickbait headlines"? Why? Why not?
5.What do you make of the claim that "Facebook exploits a vulnerability in human psychology"?





Further Discussion
1.Do you have a Facebook account? If so, what are your thoughts on the new "Snooze" feature? If not, why not?
2.Do you expect Facebook's user base to continue to grow for the foreseeable future? Why? Why not?
3.What do you mainly use social media for?
4.In your opinion, what other social media services may have "negative effects on society and individuals"? Why do you think so?
5.Would you argue that the positive effects of social media outweigh the negatives? Why? Why not?



Quotes
1.How different would people act if they couldn't show off on social media? Would they still do it? - Donna Lynn Hope. Would you argue that social media encourages people to show off? Why? Why not?
2.Facebook was not originally created to be a company. It was built to accomplish a social mission - to make the world more open and connected. - Mark Zuckerberg. Do you believe that Facebook has accomplished this mission? Why? Why not?
Exercises for Further Self-Study
These self-study exercises are optional and should be carried out after the lesson has finished.



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Melon
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YmISoQEAj54