One of the most popular platforms for online communication
One of the most popular platforms for online communication, particularly among young people looking to interact with others in the community at large, is social media. Platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Youtube are among those included in it. Computers and phones are among the equipment used in social media. Social media can also be used for academic, commercial, or professional reasons. (Kaplan and Haenlein 59). These websites allow one to connect to a broader society. However, based on how it is used, the rising popularity of social media connections in an electronic setting can also have its own positive and negative effects on its users.
Negative effects of social media
One of the negative effects of social media is addiction. Addiction comes about as a result of constant checking of Faceook, Instagram, Twitter, and other social media updates such that one forgets other important tasks. This addiction can negatively impact on other important activities such as real life communication, active part in sports, concentration on studies and ability to complete activities. According to Kirschner and Karpinski (11237), social media negatively affect learning in that students who check social media networks more often achieve lower grades. Fake identities can also be used for ill motives such as blackmailing individuals or criticizing them on the media. In some cases men try to make fake accounts with feminine names for use when sending requests to their female friends. Fake accounts on social networks of boys pretending to be girls may lead to disappointment and embarrassment resulting in Faceook depression if one is discovered. In addition social media lowers the level of inspiration of people particularly the teenagers and the students. Instead of learning the practical knowledge and expertise of their daily lives, they rely on technology and the internet spending more time chatting instead of learning. Some studies show that Faceook can contribute to decline in subjective well-being of an individual (Kirschner and Karpinski1238). As young people use the Facebook, Twitter, and other networks more, they tend to feel even worse and less fulfilled with their lives in general. During the matches players appear to concentrate more on their social media profiles instead of concentrating on their performance. The addiction to social media also extends to very mature and prominent personalities. They tend to squander a lot of time uploading pictures on their profiles. Thus, this kind of addiction can divert focus and concentration of the user from a particular chore due to numerous hours spent on the social sites. The social media has made the new generation busier and obsessed towards the happenings in the world such that they are not able to give adequate time to real life issues and think about the future. Addiction to Facebook can result to conceit in teens and psychological disorders such as antisocial behaviour, mania and aggression tendencies in young adults.
Cyber bullying
Cyber bullying is another negative effect of social media as the information provided by users is available to perpetrators and associates as well. In particular, children are susceptible to the exercise of cyber bullying in which the perpetrators secretly posing as friends and confidants intimidate them. The demoralizing acts of these online attacks can leave profound psychological scars and in severe cases, the victim can even commit suicide (Hamm et al 770). Cyber bullying has spread widely among the youth and this happens when teens join social media to find friends with whom they can share their feelings. At times things go wrong thus they end up interacting with the wrong people, which can lead to kidnapping. There is an increase in Faceook-related abductions where kidnappers are taking advantage of the posts to accomplish their mission. Besides, leaving kids unsupervised on the internet can greatly affect their psychological wellbeing especially if they read content that negatively affect their emotions (Kraut et. al 1017). Sometimes people share photos that comprise violence and sex on social media. This can lead to the spoiling of the conduct of kids and young people. It can cause harm to the society as these kids and youngsters engage themselves in crime-related activities. The social media can also impact a lot on private life of an individual. Privacy becomes an issue when people tend to share too much information on social media which may pose threats to them. Personal information can be disclosed on the social sites even with tight security settings. It can be a very simple task to download videos and pictures or bootlegging someone's position through social sites. Social networking sites push people to be more open about their private lives. Since personal details on the life of the user are easily posted, users are able to stay away from the filters that they might usually make use of when talking about their personal lives. Besides, whatever item that is sent on the social media is indefinitely available. Cyber criminals can take advantage of the posts and use them for selfish and malicious gains. Therefore, it is wise to take control of the items posted on the social sites since it can be difficult to control who observes them.
Positive effects of social media
On the other hand, the use of social media among the individuals helps equip them with important technical and social skills. When young people tend to spend time online, they are able to pick up essential skills for them to be proficient in digital matters. These skills enable them to fully participate in various activities in the contemporary society according to Bolton et al (245). Kids and young adults learn to become accustomed to permanent and public socializing and managing complex network of friends and associates. Young people also become more peer based as they are motivated to learn from their peers online. They are able to relate and obtain response from one another along with learning more from each other than from the adults. They acquire more sources of knowledge and are ever networked. Through it, individuals are able to make friends with people around the globe and businesspeople can advertise their wares, sell online, and invites people for events via various social media. The teens can develop the ability to demonstrate empathy for distraught friends on Facebook, and understand that everybody has personal issues. This empathy teaches the teens how to empathize with others in their daily lives.
Conclusion
The social media provides an important platform for people to socialize and share their daily occurrences. However, it can have negative impacts on the lives of individuals and People need to be aware of the risks of social media in the community. This will enable them t filter contents in the social media and manage time properly instead of spending hours chatting with friends. However, there is need for education in the society so that it would be easier to take public awareness to the internet users.
Works Cited
Bolton, Ruth N., et al. "Understanding Generation Y and their use of Social Media: A Review and Research Agenda." Journal of Service Management 24.3 (2013): 245-267.
Hamm, Michele P., et al. "Prevalence and Effect of Cyberbullying on Children and Young People: A Scoping Review of Social Media Studies." JAMA Pediatrics 169.8 (2015): 770-777.
Kaplan, Andreas M., and Michael Haenlein. "Users of the World, Unite! The Challenges and Opportunities of Social Media." Business Horizons 53.1 (2010): 5968.
Kirschner, Paul A., and Aryn C. Karpinski. "Facebook® and Academic Performance." Computers in Human Behavior 26.6 (2010): 1237-1245.
Kraut, Robert, Et Al. "Internet Paradox: A Social Technology that Reduces Social Involvement and Psychological Well-Being?." American Psychologist 53.9 (1998): 1017.
