Use of Ethos, Pathos, and Logos on Social Networking Sites Essay

Social networking sites leave opportunities for vulnerability, however, I don’t believe many youths are an easy target. Using ethos, pathos and logos individuals can create their own reality to relate to the internet world who they think are and how they wish to be seen. In mediated publics such as Facebook and Instagram, the user has complete control of his or her profile and is the only one who can allow content about his/herself to be shared. It is my personal belief that as technology has evolved many people have taken to fabricating some truths here and there and omitting details to give an ideal representation of who they are without incriminating themselves or leaving themselves vulnerable for mistreatment. The fantasy of what is or could be is more desirable than reality. In the past few years, privacy settings have been adapted to cover the growing technological advances to keep users safe from online predators. In the beginning, Facebook was a free for all. It is my impression that everyone was so excited about this new mediated public and therefore wanted to use the application to its fullest, trying out every function it offered. My younger brother, unripe and fresh out of high school did not know the repercussions of his publications as most people didn’t really think about it. It wasn’t until a very incriminating photo was posted by his now ex-girlfriend, of Rob, smiling in a tree, that he thought twice about what he shared online. The photo was so big you had to scroll down to see the whole image. He was actually climbing a tree with his pants down around his ankles. The photo was taken from ground level, and in fact he was very high up. He bent slightly forward holding on to the sturdy trunk to steady... ...own Facebook account and be â€Å"friends† with their students to keep them safe like Boyd recommends. Instead, I believe by talking to students and children about how their posts directly impact their reality is a more effective approach in teaching how to prevent and remedy any inflictions that will be caused by adolescent lapses in judgment. Just as my brother has never posted another indecent photo and learned to limit his online profile content, people do learn from their mistakes. Educators should have an open door policy fortified by trust between themselves and their children in order to guide them in making appropriate decisions. Works Cited Boyd, Danah. â€Å"Social Network Sites: Public, Private, or What?† Understanding Rhetoric: A Graphic Guide to Writing. The Basics. Visual Rhetoric. Readings. Ed. Dore Ripley. Pleasant Hill: DVC, 2013 83-89. Print.