Social media: it is something that slowly but surely has not only made its way into the modern world, but it has helped to shape and create it.
Instagram, Snapchat, the infamous TikTok, Linkdn, Facebook, WhatsApp, Pinterest, Wattpad, and even sites like Wikipedia have slithered their way into our lives and made a lasting impact.
With updates every day and the developers producing new ideas – the human society is becoming an entirely online world of electronics, influence, and thoughts.
But there are differing opinions of the use of social media and whether or not it is a benefit and improving our society and human culture, or if it is diminishing it.
So, is social media a friend or a foe to humanity?
Disadvantages of Social Media
Social media is looked down on by many people. From spreading fake news to privacy concerns, there are many things in the world that can make social media unsafe.
It is possible for people to spend too much time on social media, causing feelings of FOMO and increased stressed, depression and low mood. It is scientifically proven that being outside increases our mood; being inside and staring at a screen while scrolling for hours on end does the opposite.
Cyberbullying is also a huge issue surrounding social media, especially for young people. Rather than causing conflict in person, cowering behind a screen is often what online criminals do to attack their victims as they can hide behind a fake username.
Fake news can be easily spread as a simple rumour can start from a post on X or Instagram and cause a ripple effect of something that has never really happened. This can be dangerous as false accusations can be spread around like wildfire.
There is also an area of increased body-image issues. Clothing brands and celebrities post about their new clothing or even just a photo shoot can very quickly cause people to think that their body type is not ‘normal’ as it’s not the same as a photoshopped image online.
Advantages of Social Media
While there are many disadvantages and arguments as to why social media is a negative thing for society, it has been proven to be a great way of spreading awareness on important topics and also spreading positivity throughout the world.
Many influencers take to social media to spread kindness and positivity. People in professions such as healthcare, therapists, nutritionists, journalists, beauty influencers and so many more take to sites such as TikTok and Instagram to share their thoughts to ‘influence’ people on how to improve their lives.
These sites are also used by mainstream news agencies like Sky News and the BBC to share news as well as through the newspapers. This is due to the extravagant number of people in the world that now rely on social media sites rather than any other form of media. This means important stories of things going on in the world can be shared to more people.
Social media has also been used to raise money for charities and used to spread awareness about fundraising such as for animal charities, cancer research charities and mental health charities. This means that more people can learn about these important issues and even donate money online.
These sites can be a great way for people to meet through online dating apps and even just apps to make friends. Social media also allows people to stay in touch with friends and family when far away from them, it also makes long distance relationships easier as facetime can keep people connected.
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