The emergence of social media has completely flipped our world upside down. It’s become a significant part of our everyday lives. Most of us use platforms such as Facebook and YouTube on a daily basis. It’s a useful tool that helps us stay connected and share information quickly.
According to the Pew Research Center, around seven-in-ten Americans use social media to connect with one another, engage with news content, share information and entertainment. Today, about 72% of U.S. adults use some type of social media platform.
Advantages of Social Media
The rise of social media is a good example of how quickly social behaviors can change over time. Somethings that’s common today was unthinkable during the beginning of the new millennium.
- Now, it’s possible for anyone to publish anything online. We no longer have to go through media gatekeepers. It allows the truth to get out faster. Content that goes viral can help spread awareness about a topic. It helps us stay informed with current events.
- Most social media platforms are free. This makes information more accessible to anyone with a desktop or smart device.
- Social media is a great communication tool. It helps us stay connected with friends, family and colleagues from all around the world. Nowadays, it’s very simple to connect with people online. This can lead to new friendships and even career opportunities.
- Social media can be educational. It provides valuable resources and content that can help with our self-development. The algorithm will share content related to our interest.
- It provides a platform for people to show off their creativity. I use Instagram as a portfolio to share my advertising work. Users can also earn money through their content and promotions.
- Social media can help businesses grow. Today, every company needs a presence on social media. It’s a great tool to connect and engage with their audience. This can help build strong relationships between a brand and its customers.
- Many people use social media for entertainment. I use it to keep track of my sports teams when it comes to games and trade talks.
Disadvantages of Social Media
However, despite social media’s many advantages there are negative outcomes that can spawn up as well.
- Social media can lead to addiction. It’s common for people to be distracted and scroll through their news feed for hours without noticing it. Too much screen time can disrupt sleep patterns.
- It increases online bullying. People are able to publish anything they want online. Unfortunately, some people take advantage of this by bullying others. This can negatively impact mental health to those on the receiving end. It can lead to anxiety, depression and low self-esteem.
- Social media can also affect relationships. Some people can get so wrapped up in it that they don’t fully appreciate what’s going on in the real world.
- Misinformation is a major problem. Fake news can affect our mood in the worst way. It creates angry and less empathetic citizens that can divide a nation apart.
- It can lead to leaks of private information. Identity theft has drastically increased in recent years due to people being online more.
- Employers can abuse it by monitoring your internet activities. This causes privacy concerns that might make you feel uncomfortable.
- Social media can increase stress. This can be caused by everything listed above. We all have flaws and social media can easily exploit them.
Conclusion
I don’t think people realized how prominent social media was going to be back in the days. It started off as a simple social networking service. Now, it has had a significant influence on how we communicate with each other, ingest news and even commerce. While, it has made our lives easier it also brought about new problems that we must learn to overcome.
Pew Research Center. “Social Media Facts.” Pew Research Center, 7 Apr. 2021, https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/fact-sheet/social-media/
Sus, (MA), Viktoriya, and Chris Drew (PhD). “27 Social Media Pros and Cons (2023).” Helpfulprofessor.com, 12 Feb. 2023, https://helpfulprofessor.com/social-media-pros-and-cons/
KREATIVV INC 