Information Technology and Society: Social Networking Report Analysis

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of social networking technology, examining its impact on society, particularly focusing on its appeal to users under 18. It details the opportunities, such as enhanced communication and marketing potential, and the benefits, including academic and social advantages. The report also addresses potential risks like privacy concerns, cyberbullying, and security threats. It identifies key stakeholders, including users, investors, and IT representatives, and discusses relevant issues such as privacy, misuse, and hacking. Furthermore, the report outlines the pros and cons of social networking websites, concluding that the advantages outweigh the disadvantages with proper security measures. The document explores various aspects by which using this technology can be advantageous and serves as an enjoyable platform for users of any age, encouraging social interaction and engagement.

Running head: INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIETY
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIETY
Name of Student
Name of University
Author Note

1INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIETY
Table of Contents
Introduction:...............................................................................................................................2
Social Impact of the Technology:..............................................................................................2
Opportunities offered:............................................................................................................3
Benefits of using the Technology:.........................................................................................4
Potential Risks:.......................................................................................................................5
Stakeholders involved in the Technology:.............................................................................5
Issues:.....................................................................................................................................7
Pros of Social Networking Website.......................................................................................8
Relevant Cons:.......................................................................................................................8
Conclusion:................................................................................................................................9
References:...............................................................................................................................10

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Introduction:
Social media are the technologies that serves interactive platform to share ideas,
career interests, information and photos. The social services can be accessed through the
laptops, smart phones, desktops, tablets, etc. Nowadays, these devices are used by everyone
regardless of the age hence, using the social media has become easy access for everyone.
This report is aimed at providing the details of the new technology for social networking that
will attract the users who are under age of 18. Because of the highly interactive platform the
users under age of 18 will enjoy using the technology.
The efficiency of the investment can increase due to the engagement of the users with
the technology. The investors can this technology to draw attention of the users towards the
brand. The Social networking helps to amplify the popularity moreover, the social
networking website can act as a signal to detect the usage.
Social Impact of the Technology:
The generation of digitization seeks for technologies that would be easy to access and
engaging. Social media website have already revolutionized the method of communication
and the aiming technology would help to revolutionize more for the teenagers and below
age1.
1 Hajli, M. Nick. "A study of the impact of social media on consumers." International
Journal of Market Research 56, no. 3 (2014): 387-404.

3INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIETY
Opportunities offered:
There are various opportunities, the social networks can serve such as problem
solving communication, can help to increase the market value of the products or
technologies, gaining knowledge about the data that are shared, etc. This networking website
can create various opportunities for the business owners or other users2. Since, social media
assists in spreading any sort of information rapidly, the users can use this feature as an
advantage for promoting about the products or start-ups, technology, etc. Many other
investors or business owners do participate in social networking communication to know
about the new technologies, start-ups, innovations, etc.3
In the website, different pages can be created where the information regarding the
technology can be uploaded and the users can get to know about know about this as well as
can provide feedback or suggestions. Since the young users are very active in using new
applications or services, this active participation can help to spread the information.
The stakeholders that are involved in creating opportunities for this type platform are,
business owners, investors, common users, customers, young users, early adopters. These are
the major stakeholders who contributes in creating the opportunities.
2 Goh, Khim-Yong, Cheng-Suang Heng, and Zhijie Lin. "Social media brand community and consumer
behavior: Quantifying the relative impact of user-and marketer-generated content." Information Systems
Research 24, no. 1 (2013): 88-107.
3 Sajid, S. I. "Social media and its role in marketing." (2016).

4INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIETY
Benefits of using the Technology:
Some other beneficial field that can develop form this technology are academic life of
students, communication between the teachers, sharing skills and knowledge, sharing the
knowledge of creativity4. The students can gain various benefits using the social networking
website as it will help in widening the knowledge by sharing the information regarding skills
that can be developed, the academic tasks, news regarding the updates of the school
information, etc.
This technology can help the students to learn new things that are shared by other
experts. As in the world of digitization people prefer to share videos regarding topics of any
book or subjects are uploaded in the social media so that other users can access. It can help
the users to socialize and can develop the critical way of thinking. When the teachers or
professors can share their expertise work on social media then the students can learn from
them. Students who miss their classes can catch the topics online through the social
networking site.
Potential Risks:
4 Dong, Tse-Ping, Nai-Chang Cheng, and Yen-Chun Jim Wu. "A study of the social networking website service
in digital content industries: The Facebook case in Taiwan." Computers in Human Behavior 30 (2014): 708-714.

5INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIETY
The potential threats that can arise while using this technology can be categorised into
two types, which are, technical and social. Many users are there who can try to violate the
copyrights or the attackers can post malicious links or contents through which the browser of
other users can be exploited5. Social networking serves the feature of creating o-line profiles
to use the platform hence, the attackers can find ways to hack these profiles to do the negative
activities which can cause harm to the ethical values6. The attackers or hackers can get
involved in creating the potential threats to the website. The users need to be provided
secured platform for their benefits, as many users get dependent on the social networking
sites7.
Stakeholders involved in the Technology:
Stakeholders Roles
Users under the age of 18 and
above
The users of various age can use the technology and can
help to recommend others to use hence, the usage can
increase.
Sales Representative The sales representative is responsible in tracking the use
of the technology and also keep checking the obligations of
the governance plan associated with the technology.
Business analyst This stakeholder analyse the benefits of the technology
study the feedback of the customers to take decision
5 Krombholz, Katharina, Heidelinde Hobel, Markus Huber, and Edgar Weippl. "Advanced social engineering
attacks." Journal of Information Security and applications 22 (2015): 113-122.
6 Ioanăs, Elisabeta, and Ivona Stoica. "Social media and its impact on consumers behavior." International
Journal of Economic Practices and Theories 4, no. 2 (2014): 295-303.
7 Jelenchick, Lauren A., Jens C. Eickhoff, and Megan A. Moreno. "“Facebook depression?” Social networking
site use and depression in older adolescents." Journal of Adolescent Health 52, no. 1 (2013): 128-130.

6INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIETY
whether to invest or not.
Other Investors Analyse the benefits of the technology to do the decision-
making process for further investment.
Manager Focuses on the handling of the technology, demonstrate the
responses from customers based on which the manager
focuses on modification in the resources of software or
hardware.
Web hosting service provider Controls all the web hosting services such as paid hosting,
free web hosting, domain hosting, etc.
Silent Searchers Silent searchers does not help in contributing rather use the
technology and interact with the communication service.
IT representative IT representative plays a major role in controlling the use
of the technology by aligning with the cyber-security
requirements and methods to protect the technology from
probable risks.
Researchers Do the detail survey of the interfaces of the technology and
analyse the reason of the increased use and help in
developing the structure of the technology
Legal Representative This representative emerges the laws associated with the
governance plan of the technology.
Issues:
Privacy: The most prominent issue that the users can face is related to privacy

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because of the presence of the attackers over the network. The privacy of the data or
information that are shared can get invaded if proper security measures are not followed8.
Improper use: Some users can violate the rules of cyber-security by misusing the
technology, the user can even do illegal activities by spreading the rumours or disturbing
other users by sending improper messages.
Illegal access of information: The unauthorized access of the information about any
user without the consent of that user is unethical. Some website are there which allows the
access of any user’s information even if that user is not the part of that network
Problems faced by minors: The users who are under age or not matured can become
the target of the people with bad intentions.
Viruses and Malware: Many websites consist of various kind of links or ads which
may contain viruses, if the users click on the link or ad then the user’s information can be
hacked.
Hacking: The attackers can hack the entire website for which the users can face data
loss or hamper. Although proper passwords or security measures are taken but still the breach
can occur.
8 Kumar, J. Sathish, and Dhiren R. Patel. "A survey on internet of things: Security and
privacy issues." International Journal of Computer Applications 90, no. 11 (2014).

8INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIETY
Pros of Social Networking Website
The social networking website helps in communicating with friends, family who stays far
and the users can be from any corner of the world and can connect anytime, anywhere. Social
networking helps to bring many people in one place through the platform, from which the
business owners can achieve opportunities to expand their business while many users can get
employment opportunities9.
Relevant Cons:
The users can face cyber bullying, peer pressure of pressure the people of the society
due to the rumours10. As it helps in engaging the users with the technology, the users can face
distraction in real life due to which the users can lag behind in their real life because of the
les activeness. Privacy issues can invade as already discussed earlier in the issues11. The
distraction or lagging behind can make the users to suffer from sleep disruption as it makes
the users to constantly use the electronic devices or smart phones and later the lifestyles and
habits gets automatically changed.
9 Schniederjans, Dara, Edita S. Cao, and Marc Schniederjans. "Enhancing financial performance with social
media: An impression management perspective." Decision Support Systems 55, no. 4 (2013): 911-918.
10 Mao, Jin. "Social media for learning: A mixed methods study on high school students’ technology affordances
and perspectives." Computers in Human Behavior 33 (2014): 213-223.
11 Tsikerdekis, Michail, and Sherali Zeadally. "Online deception in social media." Communications of the ACM
57, no. 9 (2014): 72.

9INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIETY
Conclusion:
There are various aspects by which using this technology can be advantageous.
Despite of various drawbacks or disadvantages, these can be avoided by taking proper
security measures at every point of issue. Various users can get benefits while using this
technology as this serves easy access platform for the users if any age. People can socialize
with the help of the technology. The social networking website serves enjoyable
platform for which the users get engaged with the technology.

10INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIETY
References:
Dong, Tse-Ping, Nai-Chang Cheng, and Yen-Chun Jim Wu. "A study of the social
networking website service in digital content industries: The Facebook case in Taiwan."
Computers in Human Behavior 30 (2014): 708-714.
Goh, Khim-Yong, Cheng-Suang Heng, and Zhijie Lin. "Social media brand community and
consumer behavior: Quantifying the relative impact of user-and marketer-generated content."
Information Systems Research 24, no. 1 (2013): 88-107.
Hajli, M. Nick. "A study of the impact of social media on consumers." International Journal
of Market Research 56, no. 3 (2014): 387-404.
Ioanăs, Elisabeta, and Ivona Stoica. "Social media and its impact on consumers behavior."
International Journal of Economic Practices and Theories 4, no. 2 (2014): 295-303.
Jelenchick, Lauren A., Jens C. Eickhoff, and Megan A. Moreno. "“Facebook depression?”
Social networking site use and depression in older adolescents." Journal of Adolescent
Health 52, no. 1 (2013): 128-130.
Krombholz, Katharina, Heidelinde Hobel, Markus Huber, and Edgar Weippl. "Advanced
social engineering attacks." Journal of Information Security and applications 22 (2015): 113-
122.
Kumar, J. Sathish, and Dhiren R. Patel. "A survey on internet of things: Security and privacy
issues." International Journal of Computer Applications 90, no. 11 (2014).

11INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIETY
Maher, Carol A., Lucy K. Lewis, Katia Ferrar, Simon Marshall, Ilse De Bourdeaudhuij, and
Corneel Vandelanotte. "Are health behavior change interventions that use online social
networks effective? A systematic review." Journal of medical Internet research 16, no. 2
(2014): e40.
Mao, Jin. "Social media for learning: A mixed methods study on high school students’
technology affordances and perspectives." Computers in Human Behavior 33 (2014): 213-
223.
Sajid, S. I. "Social media and its role in marketing." (2016).
Schniederjans, Dara, Edita S. Cao, and Marc Schniederjans. "Enhancing financial
performance with social media: An impression management perspective." Decision Support
Systems 55, no. 4 (2013): 911-918.
Tsikerdekis, Michail, and Sherali Zeadally. "Online deception in social media."
Communications of the ACM 57, no. 9 (2014): 72.