Online Presence

In the modern world, society has set it like you cannot be anything without online presence. Online presence, in this case, is taken like the presence that is found on different social and communication sites such as Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, YouTube, WhatsApp among others.  Most of the communication in the modern world especially among young people happens on online platforms. The platforms are used as the rationale for business communications, personal communications, and even interpersonal relationships. Consequently people display their private lives on social sites without being selective of what to post. There is also a high level of addictiveness which is the reason that most users of online sites spend most of their time on the sites.  People in the modern world are slowly losing the ability to separate themselves from a persistent online presence.

Background information

Since 2010 the number internet and social media users have depicted a steady rise.  Forecasts show that by the end of 2019, there will be an estimated 2.77 billion users of social media users against the 2.46 billion users who were recorded in 2017.  Research further shows that of the 2.46 billion users who are in the record, each of them uses 215 minutes on social media via smartphones, 61 minutes on their personal computers and 47 minutes using tablet devices on a weekly basis.  On average, therefore, each online user spends more than 5.4 hours per week on social media (“Number of social media users worldwide 2010-2021 | Statista”, 2019). The time that social media users spend on the online sites are therefore extremely many, and hence it could be said that people are finding it hard to separate themselves from a persistent online presence.

Position

From the rising number of social media users that has been witnessed in the recent years, and the hefty amounts of time that the users spend on the social sites as well as the information they post on the media sites, it is true that people are losing their ability to separate themselves from the persistent presence on social media.

Forecast points

1. Every important communication happens online in the recent days which make online presence inevitable. 

2. Business transactions and display of financial ability are rampant on the online platforms.

3. There is increased addiction to social media and online sites amongst many people especially youths across the world. 

Support

The modern world has been so much digitized until every necessary communication happens on the social sites. People communicate pertinent matters such as religions, friendships, and politics on online sites. Consequently, people rarely meet and discuss such issues in person. It is a however inherent human character to have the feeling of engaging in social affairs and hence they have no other choice but to maintain an online presence (Anderson & Rainee, 2017). By engaging in relevant communications in social media, people are therefore unable to separate themselves from being on the online sites persistently so that they can engage more people in such active talks. 

The rise of online presence brought a new idea where business transactions could be done. Many people use the e-commerce approach on the online sites, and therefore they have to be ever present to make sales. Others still seek jobs on online sites, and consequently, they have to maintain a persistent online presence. Besides engaging in business transactions, online presence is also mainly being used as a tool to showcase ability, wealth and affordability (Anderson & Rainee, 2012). Most people will, therefore, spend time trying to evaluate the new fashion designs new trends among other issues. Due to such reasons, separation from online presence is almost unachievable.

In the last decade, internet addiction has risen in such an effective manner. Most people do not just purchase smartphones for communication; they, however, buy most of their communication gadgets to be online. Most of the youths record some form of loneliness when they are unable to access the internet which proves addiction (Kuss & Lopez-Fernandez, 2016). It is, therefore, true that people are daily losing their ability to separate themselves from online presence.

Objection

A major objection to the thought is expressed that online users are separated from their online presence because they have private lives too that they lead alone. The idea is fronted by the most common users of the internet who claim that their presence on the internet does not reflect their lives.

Rebuttal

As opposed to the thought, most users of the online sites do not have a private life. They showcase most of their private details inclusive of their location their workplace, relationship status among other pertinent private information (Tsikerdekis & Zeadally, 2014). Their revelation of private details on the online sites is therefore proof enough that they are continually losing their ability to separate themselves from a persistent online presence.

Conclusion

The increasing number of internet user has brought about people who conduct every kind of communication online conduct business transactions online and who have become gradually addicted to the internet. It is, therefore, true that people are progressively losing their ability to separate themselves from ever being online. There is, therefore, need to make users of online sites understand that they need to ensure that the users of social sites reduce the heavy dependence they have on social sites that make them and online sites almost inseparable.

References

Anderson, J., & Rainee, L. (2012) Main findings: Teens, technology, and human potential in 2020. Retrieved from http://www.pewinternet.org/2012/02/29/main-findings-teens-technology-and-human-potential-in-2020/

Anderson, J., & Rainee, L. (2017). The Future of Truth and Misinformation Online. Retrieved from http://www.pewinternet.org/2017/10/19/the-future-of-truth-and-misinformation-online/

Kuss, D. J., & Lopez-Fernandez, O. (2016). Internet addiction and problematic Internet use: A systematic review of clinical research. World journal of psychiatry, 6(1), 143.

Number of social media users worldwide 2010-2021 | Statista. (2019). Retrieved from https://www.statista.com/statistics/278414/number-of-worldwide-social-network-users/

Tsikerdekis, M., & Zeadally, S. (2014). Online deception in social media. Communications of the ACM, 57(9), 72-80.