The digital world of connections and networking has been made possible with the aid of mediums/platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and Youtube to broadcast ideas and identities. There is an increasing level of importance placed on people and businesses to integrate social networking in their day-to-day lives. The benefits of social networking have been made clear over and over; it is bridging gaps and bringing people together. It is not necessarily about the social media tools that help us engage, but it is about the connections that are created with people. I recently read an interesting article.

that pointed out that social networking is still about the relationships created; they are the currency to finding jobs in today’s markets. “Only you can make the relationship. Connecting with people still means you can’t be a dinosaur and ignore what is going on around you thinking nothing is changing. Change is constant”. Recently at the 17th annual iEARN conference held in Barrie, social networking was on the forefront. It made global classrooms possible and collaborations could take place across the world. However in learning about the social media, I also began questioning words that were being used to describe the benefits of these tools, such as breaking through “cross-cultural boundaries”. What role does social media play in bridging worlds, and does this bridge lead to a homogenized culture. In engaging children and youth to be active within social media platforms we are also exposing them to information that is increasingly homogenized. I was reading a recent Adbusters.

magazine on a beautiful beach on the lake, connected to nature and my surroundings. I found an article called "Ecology of Ecology".

to particularly resonate with the today’s generation of youth. The Jumpy Brain Syndrome is our endless feed of information being fed to us at all times through our blackberry devices, our netbooks and ipods. “The Kaiser Family Foundation reported that American children between the ages of 8 and 18 spend an average of 7½ hours a day using some sort of electronic device.” This did not take me by surprise but I did realize this was probably the first time in a month I was not plugged into technology. I had left all my devices and gadgets at home and I felt exposed and the compulsion to get an update on the world outside. Although I am not saying we should not use the amazing advantages of social media to connect, but we should also be aware of the increasing demands to be integrated into all components of social networks. Youth are buying into this alternative universe faster and easier than ever, given their ability to shape and recreate their individualistic representations. Which is why we need to promote using these mediums and tools of social connections for something of value. TakingITGlobal has always been a forward thinker for introducing social media for social change.