Networked

Facebook has become a popular app for smartphones.

Smartphones have become more and more popular in recent years. As that happens, more apps come out that allow you to update others on your life whenever you feel the need. However, having the ability to upload thoughts and pictures at whim can have both positive and negative affects on your life.

Twitter and Facebook both have mobile apps that allow users to update their profiles from wherever they find themselves; whether this is in class, at work, or maybe even on a date. Recent statistics show that 59% of smartphone users have used their phone in order to access a social networking app.

Twitter has become a
popular app among young
users. 

Although all of these options allow us to stay connected to our friends and family, the apps on smartphones also pose some risks. When information, pictures, and videos can be uploaded from a phone, anyone can post something with ease that they might regret later. Facebook and Twitter are two common ways for people to update their profile. In 2010, 40% of tweets came from a mobile phone, with the number likely rising due to advances in technology.

Statistics from 2011 show that about one fourth of smartphone owners are under the age of 24. As many people many know, people in high school and college do not always make the most responsible decisions. Pictures taken at a party or a bar could be uploaded not only by the people in the picture, but also by anyone with them who has a smartphone. This could cause a loss of privacy, as well as embarrassment, as pictures that were not meant to be seen by others are suddenly broadcast to everyone on a friends or followers list.


A quote from a recent article on CNN says it best: "Not everyone is cut out to use social media . . . Some people just don't know how to handle themselves in public."

Not only have apps such as Twitter and Facebook become popular, but companies are also creating phones that take advantage of the users need to constantly update their profile. The HTC Status from AT&T (seen in the commercial to the left) is one such phone; it features a Facebook button that glows whenever there is content that can be uploaded.

There are also reports that Facebook may be creating their own smartphone with extra Facebook capabilities. They are hoping to take advantage of the 350 million mobile users they currently have in order to create more business.

Although technology is making it easier to upload content to social networking sites, it not always a good idea to do so. With technology right at your fingertips, it might be wise to consider what you are tweeting or posting to see how it will affect your image. Take a few minutes to decide if that angry tweet or funny picture is how you want to present yourself to others.