Prospectus

What issue do you plan to address (worded as a one-sentence question)?

     >In what ways has the social media craze in the last five years effected young adults age 18 through 25?

What is your tentative answer to the question?

     >In my opinion, as social media is becoming ever more popular, young adults are experiencing many improvements in communication abilities, but the negative effects have had a much larger effect.

What personal interest or stake do you have in this issue?

     >As a 22-year old college student, I am directly effected by social networking sites every day.  I am a user of sites such as Twitter and Facebook, as well as other networking vices that relay information among peer groups.  I have used these sites as a useful communication between myself and my peers, but I have also seen the negative outcome of the addictions these sites can create.  These websites have become more convenient with the introduction of apps available for downloads on popular smartphones.  This has made Twitter and Facebook a priority for many people in my age group, when they should be used for entertainment or simple communication.

Why is this a controversial issue?

     >This is controversial because so many young adults are developing an addiction; a constant need to have access to the social networking world around them.  There have been studies that lead people to believe this has destructive effects on social well-being, the ability to communicate outside of social networking, and even safety when it comes to things like distracted driving.  The other side of the argument, from the viewpoint of the young adults primarily, is that social networking is nothing more than a fun way to express opinions, harmless conversation, or simple communication.  I feel like there aren't definitions in dispute, other than what possibly might be considered "social networking".  My argument is mainly on the topics of Twitter, Facebook, and other popular sites such as Myspace.

Who is the audience you need to persuade?

     >The audience I am trying to persuade are the people in my peer group.  I am referring to young adults ages 18-25.  These are the people who struggle to find an issue with the over-use of social networking.  I am attempting to get this audience to see that there are potentially negative short-term and long-term effects.