Reading the story of Peter and Trudy, really enlightened me to the positive effects of social networking and how it brings people together. At first, when I read how Peter had taken pictures of Trudy in the hospital and shared them with people, I was a little put off by that. After I read how he did it to let his family/friends know about her condition, I understood how beneficial it was to getting help with their financial and emotional situations. Through networking, Peter and Trudy were able to get donations and meals and also connect with people that sympathized with their story. This was definitely one of the good stories about the internet.
To read the second study from Rainie and Wellman about how Americans do not have confidants or close relationships with their spouses or neighbors, really made me think. I have very close relationships with my friends and family. I do not think it is right to blame the internet for that because the internet acutally brings people together. Most of the time when people are on their cell phones or the internet, they are communicating with other people.
I also flinched at the sharing of photos at such a vulnerable stage in the story of Peter and Trudy. While I don’t agree with all the rhetoric about CMC deteriorating relationships, I do feel that they have lowered our tolerance for personal information. Personally I would like it if people didn’t share quite as much, but I think it would be an interesting area for research. However, it did work out for Peter and Trudy since it allowed them to take advance of their large network of weak ties for financial support in a time of need.
I’ve become so used to people documenting their lives through pictures on social media, that his uploading the pictures of Trudy didn’t seem out of place at all. It’s become such a common practice. It serves as entertainment for the most part. In this case, his family got the help they needed. Another great example of how technology can be very beneficial.
I as well think there are benefits to sharing personal information in social media as seen in the story of Peter and Trudy. I also think there could be a negative to it as well. The over abundance of “too personal” information that might led to a loss of social media friends.