Social networking's power questioned

Thinking about how connected the world is through social networking is more than food for thought, it's like a buffet. A single update can be viewed thousands of miles away in a matter of seconds. It's mind boggling how simple it is to connect across the world.

However, the importance of social networking and its effects on world events has some questioning whether social networks like Facebook and Twitter are becoming too great an influence and too powerful.

At the Chronicle, we believe that social networking sites are not becoming too powerful; rather, people are starting to realize the possibilities they enable us to have. The networks themselves are not powerful; it's what users decide to do with them that create a certain amount of value and influence on society.

Facebook's role in the world has grown exponentially in the last six years. What began as a simple social networking site has become a tool that has expanded into a priceless resource for people around the world.

As of last year, there were over 500 million active users on Facebook. If Facebook were a country, it would rank as No. 3 in population between India and the United States. It's arguable that Facebook should have its own government to regulate its content, but absent a Facebook congress, the 300 or so employees seem to be doing a fair job.

Through Facebook, five anonymous activists were able to formulate a protest that ended the regime of President Hosni Mubarak in Egypt. While it might not have been possible for the revolt to grow as it did without Facebook, the networking site shouldn't be given all the credit. The site acted as the canvas the activists needed to voice their opinion. It was up to the users to utilize the tools that Facebook made available. The site itself didn't exert power; rather it was the activists' creativity and wit that harnessed the site as an outlet, ultimately giving them the power of voice and followers.

Twitter has been established in the social networking world for almost five years. The ability to receive up-to-the-minute tweets from an incredibly diverse range of users cannot be found anywhere else. From politicians and celebrities to the next door neighbor, Twitter serves over 190 million users.

During his campaign, President Barack Obama documented his journey through tweets. Current events are constantly being updated through major news sources tweeting their breaking stories. The ability of one source to reach so many followers instantly can be intimidating. If used improperly, tweeting can be harmful to someone's credibility and professionalism. When used properly, it can establish a sense of reliability in someone and in their content.

On campus, networking is a tool that connects students to their peers. Expanding communication between the student and the rest of the world allows a whole new aspect to be brought into the classroom. During the climax of the Egyptian revolution, students had the ability to receive minute-by-minute updates from protesters and reporters in Egypt. That adds a completely new angle and credibility to classroom discussions.

These sites also have mobile features that allow users to update from anywhere at any time, allowing information to be available from virtually anywhere.

Knowledge is power. While these networking Websites hold infinite amounts of information, it is the people, not the sites, which have control.