Final Story Outline

For my final project in COMM 422, I hope to produce a four-minute video broadcast focusing on the detriment social networking websites can have on individuals pursuing jobs, scholarship awards, graduate school admittance, and other real world implications on user’s lives. I intend to have myself presenting the central discussion on how sites such as Facebook, Twitter, and Myspace can pose a serious threat to a successful professional life, with cutaways to interviews from employers/evaluators who can discuss how they weigh a person’s online presence in their chances of obtaining a particular position/award.

If possible, I also hope to interview individuals who may have already been impacted by poor online behavior, and the steps they have taken to redeem themselves. If such people are not available, than I would like to take a number of street interviews with individuals around the campus area, and present a general consensus of how concerned students are about their online lives having real world implications.

I. Introduction – Information divulged through research

A.Overview of statistics pertaining to the worldwide growth of social networking sites such as Facebook, Myspace, and Twitter. (i.e. number of registered users, availability, etc.)

B.How social networking has transformed society in a positive manner? (Networking communities, ability to keep up with friends, and easy access to news and other important acts before the news may be able to report full coverage.)

C.The cons that have arisen from the popularity of social networking sites. (i.e. how questionable online conduct, can jeopardize its users real world lives in work, business, and social circles.)

II. Social Networking – Jeopardizing the workplace
Plan A: Organize an interview with an employer of a company who screens social networking sites of potential hires. Plan B: Have a relevant source discuss the effect poor online conduct can have on job obtainment/school admission.

A.What a person’s profile shows about their professional ethic?

B.Why has this become an important asset in depicting a candidate’s personal character?

C.Is this ethical?

III. Student Perspective – Aggressions against this movement
Will either use the perspective of one affected OSU student, or opinions taken from multiple interviewees.

A.If possible, have a student discuss negative repercussions that occurred from a profile on an online social networking site.

B.How students feel about job employees/school admissions departments sifting through their social networking sites to judge character.

IV. Conclusion

A.Weighing the arguments of both sides.

B.How to protect your online personality

V. Social Media Additions (In-class additions)

What does having more than a 1,000 friends/followers for an average student mean in the long run? The most blatant reaction is that of online sexual harassment. More often than not, members with a 1,000 members in their online entourage, have a profile pic that depicts them in provocative or in a "glammed-out" manner. These photos can receive more than a negative rapport with employers/recruiters, but also encourages online sexual harassment from online predators. One of the friends on my Facebook friend list, has over 1,500 friends, and is constantly vocal about the harassment she receives from men and other individuals seeking info on her sexual orientation, relationship status, and other personal facts.

In hypocritical fashion however, she continues to accept friend requests in bulk, with a recent update on her page stating she has accepted up to 16 new friends at once. This suggests the ideal that while she complains of the attention she receives, she likes and encourages it, because she is in complete control of what friends she accepts and denies.