Why do so many people post negative things on social networking sites, either about themselves or about others, when the reality is that everything put up in cyberspace lives on forever and can have real-world consequences?

OVERVIEW:Research and discuss the current dominant views regarding abuses associated with the “dark side” of social networking sites.

Writing Prompt: Select 1 of the 4 topics

1. Why do so many people post negative things on social networking sites, either about themselves or about others, when the reality is that everything put up in cyberspace lives on forever and can have real-world consequences?

2. If we all now have parallel digital identities that can be “created” not only by us but also by others, what can we do to manage our cyber identities (or reputation) and protect our privacy?

3. Is the Internet destined to remain a “wild west” environment where anything goes and there are no ethical or legal standards of behavior?

4. Are we now all compelled to maintain a cyber presence to advance our careers, whether or not we wish to? Is social networking an unavoidable aspect of life in the 21st century?

Why do so many people post negative things on social networking sites, either about themselves or about others, when the reality is that everything put up in cyberspace lives on forever and can have real-world consequences?