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The invention of the Internet and the social media websites such as Facebook and Instagram have changed the way people communicate, with the traditional means of communication being replaced by the technology-based platforms. The young generation has specifically embraced social media as a communication tool. They tend to shun the conventional communication channels. A recent survey showed that approximately 80% of the youths in the United States have Internet access while about 70% of them use the Internet at least once daily (Cunningham & Silver, 2013). Besides, the study revealed that most of the adults with Internet access were also members of the social network sites, which they used to interact and/or make new friends. In 2006, out of the total adult Internet users (18-35 years), 17% of them were those who were using any social networking site. This percentage grew to 85% on 2011. However, although Facebook Company earns a huge sum of money from the content that users post, it does not share the profits with the creators of the materials. On the other hand, users use the platform to interact with friends or even earn themselves money, hence partly invalidating the claim concerning exploitation.
Arguments for Exploitation
According to Karl Marx, exploitation refers to a situation whereby an employer fails to compensate an employee for his or her services (Cunningham & Silver, 2013). In the case of Facebook, the owners of the website may be said to be exploitive since they do not pay their content producers. In essence, Facebook users are responsible for creating and sharing their materials. In most cases, the content created by the users benefit Facebook since it adds value to the site. In the recent past, Facebook has recorded an increase in the number of its users, hence making it suitable for advertising. More and more companies are using it to advertise their products, a situation, which earns Facebook a huge amount of cash. However, as much as the company fully relies on the content created by users to make money, such people are not paid for their contribution.
Another argument that is used to support the idea that Facebook is exploitive is that it uses personal information given by users for personal gain. Facebook requires all customers to give their personal information when subscribing to be members. Such information includes a persons age, gender, marital status, and religious affiliations (Cunningham & Silver, 2013). Based on such information, the company is able to divide people based on their demographics to help businesses in targeting the right client. For example, the company has been accused of using information regarding users marital status to help marketers in the fashion industry to promote their products online. By helping businesses to identify their target customers, the company earns money in exchange. In the recent past, the companys income has grown tremendously. However, it has been reluctant to give back part of its earnings to the users.
Arguments against Exploitation
The social media has changed the face of the contemporary business in many ways. One of the impacts revolves around interaction with customers. Many people today tend to make reviews after purchasing a certain product or service. Contrary to the past where such customers would communicate their experience through a word of mouth, reaching only a few customers, nowadays, the communication is in the form of assessments. Facebook has specifically been an important platform for such communication. It is alleged that an average Facebook user has about 350 social friends. Hence, a review will instantly reach a huge population (Tyler, 2012). A positive review will prompt readers to test the product and equally share their experiences.
On the other hand, a negative review will drive away prospective customers. The other impact that the social media has on customer relations is that it helps to create loyalty among customers. Some businesses today have created a group of loyal customers in the social media who help to market their products cost-free. This strategy has the effect of reducing the overall operation costs since the business may not incur high expenses for placing ads with other mediums such as the highly expensive print media. Lastly, social media has influenced the entire business transactions between the seller and the buyer. In most cases, buyers tend to communicate about the product through social media. Buyers may demand information about a product. They expect a response within the shortest time possible. Therefore, as much as the Facebook owners do not directly pay content creators, they benefit greatly from the media, hence disputing the view that Facebook exploits its users.
Tyler (2012) argues that the social networks are a good tool for knowledge management among firms. Knowledge management encompasses the collection, processing, storage, and the conversion of data into useful information that can be deployed to inform the decisions of a firm. Knowledge management (KM) has become an important tool of management in the contemporary business environment, owing to the stiff competition that characterizes the market. Initially, the concepts of KM were not popular in the business world. However, in the past few decades, they have gained momentum since each business seeks to outsmart the other in the specific industry. Firms are today increasingly using social media to improve their products and services based on the customers reviews (Tyler, 2012). In this age of increased use of the social media, customers tend to make reviews about their experience after making a purchase. The reviews often include the positives and negatives. Firms are also encouraging customers to air their concerns about a product to gain insight of their extent of satisfaction. Through such reviews, companies are able to seal the gap in customer satisfaction through innovatively integrating customers reviews when designing or improving a product. Therefore, the argument about user exploitation is not valid.
Conclusion
Facebook is one of the social media platforms that earn a lot of money from advertising. The company has a large following from different parts across the world, hence making it suitable for advertising. The company has been accused of using its large following and the content created by users to make money, which it does not share with the creators. However, while the users of Facebook may claim they are being exploited, the allegation may not be valid since the company also allows users to interact freely without charging them. They can create and post anything through the platform. This situation gives users the freedom of expression. The content may also be designed in a way that earns the users money.
References
Cunningham, S., & Silver, J. (2013). Screen distribution and the new King Kongs of the online world. Berlin, Germany: Springer.
Tyler, A. (2012). Welsh Libraries and Social Media: A survey. Ariadne. Web.
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