ARE PEOPLE BECOMING FACEBOOK ZOMBIES ?

Before the first telephone had been invented by Joseph Bell, there were no other means to communicate from long distances except by telegraph or letters. This fact had set certain limits on the number of people one could contact at a distance; besides, communications were much slower than today. With the invention of the Internet, communicating with the whole world through a personal computer has become a reality. Social networking sites are one of the fast-growing media platforms allowing people to communicate and share information with others conveniently. Facebook is popular and its growth has been rapid around the world. However, as any phenomenon on the earth, this alternate universe also has its pros and cons. It is up to a person to decide if to log on and check it or remain indifferent and save the precious time for more worthy purposes.

On one side, Facebook is considered as relation joiner or connector because via this medium, a person can contact with his family and friends throughout the world and can easily access materialistic and non-materialistic information.

GOOD FOR BUSINESS PURPOSES

Facebook has helped to create a brand for many individuals and businesses. This is very important because as a business, you can sell or promote a product/service to a highly targeted audience, thus increasing the possibilities of making money on the internet. Moreover, it’s a major source of entertainment for people around the globe. Since Facebook is a global social networking site available in various parts of the world, location is not a barrier.

LATEST UPDATES

It is one of the best sources to stay updated with the latest news and information. Major news usually goes viral on Facebook and we get awareness of national and international affairs easily.

IMPROVEMENT IN MOODS

As one is able to communicate with far-off friends. By being in touch with friends one feels good. Mood uplifts and one feels close to one’s loved ones. Moreover, it is also used for entertainment purpose because there are many funny clips and posts which switches the mood from unhappy to happy.

USED FOR STUDY PURPOSES

Mostly people join various educational pages and groups which are very beneficial for their study purposes and they can attain excessive knowledge and information via that particular arena.

On the flip side of a coin, excessive use of Facebook has some drawbacks which leads an individual towards darkness.

Facebook is full of fake profiles. There is no limit to these profiles. Most of them are created by stalkers or marketers looking to gain more friends and use it for their marketing purposes.

It's utility and popularity often masks its more psychologically damaging aspects, of which there seems to be four: addiction, social isolation, aggressiveness and depression.

ADDICTION

People are becoming Facebook zombies and leaving all their personal and professional work aside. Some people do not just feel compelled to use Facebook, but their Facebook use has become so out of control that it interferes with work, studies, relationships and normal social functioning. This is the point when a habit turns into an addiction or a pathological disorder.

·      Spent a lot of time thinking about Facebook or planned use of Facebook

·      Used Facebook in order to forget about personal problems.

·      Used Facebook so much that it has had a negative impact on your job/studies.

Facebook can be a serious threat to the productiveness of both students and employees. Studies by Nucleus Research indicate that an average of 1.5 percent of total office productivity is lost through employees accessing Facebook during working hours. Two-thirds of the participants in the study revealed that they access their Facebook accounts while at work, with 6 percent admitting that their entire Facebook profile was created at work.

SOCIAL ISOLATION

It stops people to indulge in more creative and fulfilling activities.

      The more time we spend on the artificial social
world of Facebook, the more isolated we will become.

Conversation and social skills are being eroded by social media and smartphones. Users give priority to Facebook over their professional and personal responsibilities.

If someone is a Facebook zombie, then there’s a possibility that he/she would not care about his/her surroundings. The only thing a Facebook addict would be concerned about will be his/her virtual world. Such a person will only be curious to know who has written on their wall, commented on their pictures or commented on their status, etc. This type of behavior will gradually take them away from spending time with friends and family.

AGGRESSIVENESS AND DEPRESSION

Facebook creates a false picture of reality in which users are bombarded by photos and updates which give them the impression that everyone is living a much better life than they are. Not many people share photos or information which puts their life in a negative light. Facebook stirs up such an intense feeling of envy and depression, the researchers argue, that it can negatively affect the life satisfaction of users; especially passive users. Some people might get aggressive because of abusive languages used on Facebook in comment sections. It leaves a bad impact on their emotions and they may become miffed and quarrel with others on small issues.

           It can lead to jealousy and a vicious cycle

PRIVACY BLOW UP

The most dangerous negative effect of Facebook is that user’s personal data becomes public on this social networking website. This could pose a threat to the privacy of the users. So, it is highly recommended that users should not place their personal data on Facebook.

BAD FOR HEALTH

Being overweight is another harmful side effect of excessive Facebook usage. Sitting in front of the monitor all the time without any physical activities will eventually result in accumulation of all those extra pounds. And it’s a fact that being obese or overweight can dramatically increase the risk of developing many serious medical conditions, including diabetes, high blood pressure, cardiovascular diseases, etc. Furthermore, an individual spends the whole night on Facebook and chat in the groups can cause skin issues because improper sleep patterns can effect the hormones and the person may get dark circles, wrinkles etc. 

REDUCE THE TIME FOR STUDY

Facebook can negatively affect a teen’s and young adult’s education too. It has been proven that students who check their Facebook account often have poor academic performance compared to those who don't use the social media. This is actually not surprising as students who spend more time on Facebook would spend less time studying. What’s more, such students are reported to have the lowest rates of reading retention.

POSSIBILITY OF CONFLICT
Facebook also increases the chances of online conflict. It is populated with immature people who create bizarre status, upload awkward pictures, and carry out illogical actions. And this can lead to conflicts with others.

CYBER BULLYING

On Facebook it is very easy for cyber bullies to thrive. They can harass and/or gang up on one person even easier than they could in a school environment. There aren't moderators that go around monitoring what people say to each other. Anything can be said. There are also a relatively small amount of parents that have Facebook accounts and keep up with their children's. More than once I've witnessed this form of bullying, whether it be about race, appearance, intelligence, etc.

COMMUNICATION WITH STRANGERS

Facebook communication, it is possible that one might end up building up relationships with strangers, who can turn out to be criminals as well. Teenagers are vulnerable and are easily susceptible to outside influences. Their lifestyles are changing and want to build up relationships with people who are very hi-fi in their outlook. In this process, they try to communicate with strangers who perhaps can be very harmful to them.

RESCINDS DOMESTIC RELATIONSHIPS

Husband/wife relationships might get threatened via this social-networking site. Male get impressed and involved with the girls having pretty profile pictures and can lose their relationships through this regard and vice versa, which is the chronic issue spreading like a virus in our society.

HOURLY SOJOURN

Nowadays, people are Facebook zombies and they spend hours in washrooms using Facebooks while sitting on English toilets. A recent study recorded that 90 percent of the people bring their phones into the bathroom. When we take our phones away, we get stressed, anxious and irritable. We get FOMO. 

PROMOTES LAZINESS

Sitting in front of the computer and browsing through Facebook can lead to laziness and a person avoid all other activities which are mandatory for their household and the society. It is a sheer waste of time.

BAD FOR THE EYES

Many eye problems may arise via too much exposure to smartphones and computers. For instance blurry vision, reddish and irritable eyes, headaches etc. Teenagers must go out and spend time in outdoor activities and relish the fresh air, rather than remain glued to the computer.

NUTSHELL

Yes, now a days, people are becoming Facebook zombies which has a bad and ruining effect on their lives and lifestyles. They are very much indulged in social networking site, which parted them from their parents, siblings, friends and other real social lives. They also lack communication skills and does not have proper time schedule for their work, which is the crucial aspect of every phenomenon. All of the adverse impacts, mentioned above, are originated in those individuals, who are addicted of using Facebooks and it should be eradicated because it leaves the detrimental effects upon people. The important step is to decide how much time you want to spend on Facebook everyday. Gradually try to reduce the time you spend on Facebook. Remember, "the lesser time you spend, the better it will be." At the same time, try to give up Facebook for other activities or events.