Facebook should be banned for highschool students.

Thanks for starting. Since you gave arguments, I'll assume the opening round isnt for just intros and make my arguments now.


Since Pro advocates a change in the status quo, if I can prove his reasons for doing so are wrong, then you have no incentive to change and thus vote con.


1. First, my opponent only argues against Facebook, not social networking in general. So even if Facebook can effectively be banned (which is unlikely), they'll simply transition into MySpace instead, leading to the same impact.


Secondly, assuming school lets out at 4PM, that leaves roughly 6-8 hours of free time. Its unlikely that teens will be on Facebook for eight straight hours. This means that inevitably they will have time to do homework regardless of if Facebook is there or not. They're not online 100% of the time.


2. Cell phones and E-mails dont promote face-to-face conversation either, but I'm 76% sure they shouldn't be banned.


Also remember that teens are in school for roughly 8 hours a day. Having hundreds or thousands of peers in the same building directly promotes a social environment. So any lack of sociability caused by Facebook is outweighed.


Plus, sociability generally refers to our ability to interact with other people. Talking isn't the only way to do so. Typing to someone else is another form of interaction, and since Facebook extends this ability, it is actually increasing sociability.


3. This is a claim with no warrant. I ask my opponent to please explain why its inferior.


4. Pro says teens can use their parent's account. They can also use their own.


5. Facebook's searching device enables users to locate old friends or lost family members. So without Facebook, they wouldnt be able to talk to them in the first place because they were never found.






Onto my arguments.


1. Banning Facebook doesn't solve the problem, if there even is one


This will just be an extention of my argument against his C1. If we do away with Facebook, users will just use MySpace, Flickr, and Xanga instead.


2. Facebook extends communication


First, without Facebook's searching function we would likely never come into contact with long lost friends or relatives ever again. This means less communication, which according to my opponent is a bad thing.


Second, Facebook makes it easy to meet new people. You are literally connected to thousands of other users. Ex: User 1 posts a picture. User 2 comments on it. User 3, who user 2 des not know, responds to that comment. User 2 responds back. They go back and forth, and before long you've got a conversation between 2 people who never knew each other. There's several other ways new people can come into contact as well.


Third, Facebook gives adds another method of communication. We already have calling, texting, and E-mails. Facebook adds commenting and messaging. More communication is good, according to my opponent.


3. An all-out ban is unnecessary

Banning Facebook for all teens is ridiculous and unnecessary. He says people get distracted by it and dont do homework, but this is like banning knives because some people will abuse them and stab someone. I'm 89% sure that a solid majority of teens dont abuse social networking to the extent where its detrimental to their lives. That means that an all-out ban is unfair to the people that use it correctly and in moderation. There are people who make straight A's and B's, have a social life, and use Facebook. Why should they have to be punished for the mistakes of the minority?



For these reasons I negate.

Big surprise there...

My opponent hasnt even been online since his opening argument..