Positives and Negatives of Social Media

Social networking websites like Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, Youtube etc. are very much common among youth. They have a huge impact on students and their academic work as students use these social media websites for discussion and other related study purposes. Social media has become a vital part of life in our modern society. It is especially becoming increasingly important due to its ability of an instant global outreach and power to interconnect people.

By now, we are all aware that social media has had a tremendous impact on our culture, business, and our day to day lives. A constant cultural diffusion is in process. Not only are we invaded and influenced by aspects of alien cultures but we’re also influencing other cultures. Social media has revolutionized the way people communicate and socialize.

Here is a closer look at the effect of social media on politics, business, socialization as well as some of its negative effects such as cyber bullying and privacy concerns.

Social networks offer people the opportunity to re-connect with their old friends and acquaintances, make new friends, exchange ideas, share content and pictures, and many other activities. Users can stay abreast of the latest global and local developments, and participate in campaigns and activities of their choice. It has now become quite easy to raise your voice which could instantly be heard at the other corner of the world.

Students can collaborate with their peers to improve their academic proficiency and communicational skills. One can learn about different cultures and societies by connecting with people in other countries.

However, there are a few downsides to social networking as well. Many introverts and socially reclusive users place too much emphasis on virtual interaction and ignore the real world outside.

Many companies have blocked access to social networks on their office Internet as addicted employees can distract themselves on such sites, instead of focusing on work.

Also, another serious issue faced by people is of cyber bullying and harassment. School children, young girls, and women can fall prey to these malicious attacks which can lead to tension and distress. The sane thing to do about cyberbullying and online harassment is to immediately inform the concerned law enforcement authorities. It is quite easy for our agencies to nab such culprits who hide behind their computers to harass people.

Moreover, if you’re not careful, what you post on the internet can come back to haunt you. Revealing personal information on social sites can make users vulnerable to crimes like identity theft, and stalking etc. Many companies perform a background check on the internet before hiring an employee. If a prospective employee has posted something embarrassing on social media, it can drastically affect his/her chances of getting the job.

The same holds true for our relationships too, as our loved ones and friends may get to know if we post something undesirable on social networks. What we should keep in mind is that whatever we post on these social networking sites, never remains private. If you want to keep something private, don’t share it online.

Social media has its advantages and drawbacks as revealed in this article. But then again, it’s all about how one uses it. At the end of the day, it comes down to each individual as it is up to him whether he uses it wisely to enhance his professional and social life, or he uses social media to waste his precious time.