POSITIVE/NEGATIVE EFFECTS OF SOCIAL MEDIA

ESSAY ON POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE EFFECTS OF SOCIAL MEDIA

Social Media, is a term often used in today’s world. It needless be defined for explanation. However, to enlighten the technological aspect behind it, Social Media is an internet-based media that is used to create and share ideas, information, and interests – personal and professional as well as collaborate with people. It is a form of platform where people come close virtually and the world looks connected within no time, to share and consume information.

A website on internet to be termed as Social Media must have a few characteristics like User accounts, Participation, Profile Pages, Friends or followers, Community, Notifications, Ways to review the contents, Communication, Connectedness. Examples of some trending Social Media of present times include – Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Instagram, Youtube, Vine, Google+.

Social media as an open forum gives a voice to those who were previously never heard. It has become a medium for self-express.

POSITIVE IMPACTS OF SOCIAL MEDIA –

Social media is being widely used in today’s times to document memories, learn about and explore things (way to expand knowledge), find information about a person’s character and activities which becomes useful in job seeking, matrimonial purposes, etc.

One can easily advertise oneself on a social media website reaching maximum number of people expeditiously; document the reviews of certain products and services, etc.

It is a platform to form friendships and communities to share news and information of interest conveniently. Thus, it reduces the geographical and cultural differences on earth into a very thin line, facilitating cross-border collaboration.

Social Media is used progressively to address issues globally reaching mass in a jiffy. For an example, Tunisian revolution in 2011 used facebook to gather for meetings, protest actions, etc. Another important factor being assistance in a search for missing persons, etc.

It is widely used for publishing and sharing educational contents and collaborating with other people with same interest. Some social media apps like facebook are being increasingly used by students to approach their professors. It is proving to be an effective channel of problem solving for shyer students who feel more comfortable in virtual discussions.

It allows for a constant flow of information from updates and real time communications. E.g. Twitter.

NEGATIVE IMPACTS-

The most reflecting negativity of social media is display of personal information as a text or display which can be promptly used for identity theft or fraud.

Another important point to ponder here is that it is being growingly used by militant groups these days to raise funds, recruit and radicalize persons, and spread their messages. For an example, ISIS produces online materials in different languages and uses recruiters to contact potential recruitees over the internet.

Social Media has always remained a challenge to the government in terms of control over its online activities.

Social media has influenced the way youth share and communicate in their daily lives. Online linguistics have become a trend nowadays. E.g. “Lol” to symbolise “laugh out loud”. The effectiveness from a face-to-face communication is never achieved.

All said and done, it may be inferred that Social Media has been a boon to the society unquestionably. However, it becomes important that people hold responsibility to the data they contribute to social media and be determined that nothing goes against social welfare. Government surely needs to excise measures to control this data.