Facebook as One of the Largest Discourse Communities

Facebook is one of the largest discourse communities in the world by membership. It provides an effective medium for communication and content sharing with one’s friends, family, or other selected audiences. The internet is the genre of communication that facilitates the functionality of Facebook. It is rapidly becoming the most widespread genre on Earth due to its usefulness and ease of access. However, this does not come without its dangers.

Ever since its inception in the 1990s, the internet has been revolutionizing the world (Leiner, “Brief History of the Internet”).

A post on Facebook can instantly reach someone on the opposite side of the globe. A student can access the wealth of human information on Wikipedia with a few clicks. A package can be delivered to your door overnight from an Amazon order. Instead of waiting for a letter to travel the planet, searching through libraries to find the desired sources, or browsing dozens of stores to find the product that fits a specific need, the internet has revolutionized life by making such tasks quick and effortless. It has created an interconnected world where interpersonal communication between people and societies is at a maximum unprecedented in history, and where trade is breaking limits because commerce exchanges are coordinated perfectly from a logistics standpoint. It has created a world where information exchanges happen instantly and efficiently. As a result, scientific advancement is happening at the fastest pace ever recorded (Cowell, “Embracing the power of the Internet”). Not only has the internet made these things possible, but it has also made them effortless through a few touches on a smartphone. If it weren’t for the creation of the internet, Earth’s denizens wouldn’t enjoy the lifestyle that many take for granted today. The benefits to society resulting from the internet are unmatched by those of any other single invention in the last hundred years. As a genre, it is the most potent due to its success in revolutionizing the world daily. It is easy to understand why discourse communities enjoy success by choosing to communicate through the internet.

Although the internet has interconnected the world, not everyone has access to it yet. About fifty percent of the total population has consistent access to the internet. In the grand scheme of life, that amounts to about 3.5 billion people, a substantial achievement (Internet World Stats, “World Internet Users”). The first step towards increasing that number is providing people with a device that can be used to access the internet. Inventions, such as the four-dollar smartphone in India, are pushing this idea forward (Jonnalagadda, “India’s $3.60 Smartphone”). Even though people don’t always have Internet access, they will at least have a device that can be used to access the internet when it is available. Not only does the internet have the farthest reach of any genre, at a staggering 3.5 billion people, but it is also rapidly increasing every day and shows no signs of slowing down. In the not-so-distant future, every human who wants internet access will have it made available to them. Given the habits of most humans, it can be safely assumed that people will check their phones at least once a day if given internet access; for most, it is significantly more often than that. In some cases, one may not even need to check their phone because it gives off notifications when it needs to be checked. The internet is so easy to use that people don’t even have to remember to use it; the internet tells its users when it needs to be used. This can be especially useful in cases of natural disasters and related events because notifications can be used as a blanket to instantly reach out to everyone in a certain region (as determined by GPS in phones) and warn them of such imminent dangers with almost one hundred percent reliability. In terms of access, reach, and reliability, the internet is unmatched by any other communication genre by far, and it does a phenomenal job of integrating discourse communities like Facebook because of its reach and power.

Although the internet has revolutionized the globe and connected half the world’s population, it is not without its drawbacks. Dangers associated with internet usage include the potential for developing a negative online reputation and the enduring record associated with it. Social media platforms like Facebook can be accessed by employers, schools, and family members because most content is publicly available. Consequently, users must exercise caution when deciding what to post and how to present themselves online. Often, employers might reject job applications or dismiss current employees due to unprofessional or negative online content (Halper, “People Getting Fired for Social Media Stupidity”). The internet serves as an unalterable record that cannot be easily deleted or modified to erase past mistakes. While social media may seem fun for young, inexperienced users, it essentially acts as a lifelong portfolio. The internet can also been used to defame or embarrass individuals through cyberbullying or slander. In some cases, such actions may actually be illegal and carry severe legal consequences, particularly if threats are made. Another risk of using the internet involves hackers and unethical behavior. Areas of the internet pertaining to monetary exchange are especially vulnerable, as cybercriminals aim to profit unlawfully or act on behalf of others. Groups like Anonymous can use social media influence and hacking skills to negatively impact the real world through their actions online (Kushner, “The Masked Avengers”). Though internet security measures and proper training can help mitigate these threats, they remain a significant concern online.

Facebook, a massive online discourse community, operates directly via the internet. The internet’s unparalleled efficiency and worldwide reach have enabled Facebook and numerous other online services to enjoy unprecedented success due to the advanced communication possibilities it offers users. As a powerful medium for disseminating information, the internet has become the most effective method of communication within many discourse communities.

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