Since 1971, when the first e-mail was delivered, social media has taken our life under its control. Nowadays, 1 in 4 people all over the world use social networks (Whiteman 1). Youth is especially obsessed with Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and other popular networks. While walking through the crowd, you will definitely spot a few people staring at their phones, texting or simply checking their accounts’ activity. Sometimes this obsession seems unhealthy, for example, when somebody is panicking about forgetting his or her phone at home. Such people think that their day is spoiled if they do not have a phone in their pocket. Nevertheless, one cannot argue that social networks are often very useful. They deliver information, help people in business and promote different activities, let alone the communication, which it provides for anyone. Still, the question about positive and negative influence of social media sites is very controversial and is actively argued by medical specialists. Although there are many cons of social networks, I still think that they have shown a good effect on our society, and some research is needed to prove it.
First of all, we have to admit that social media has a great contribution to communication. Due to the speed of the internet and a variety of social networks, we are able to communicate with people from all over the world. We can text, share videos and photos, have conversations in Skype and be sure that a person on the other edge of the world will receive our message. If people are not able to talk face-to-face because of the distance, they can use any of social networking sites in order not to lose contact. Moreover, it is social networking what helps people interact in real life. For instance, a great share of plans for meetings or dates is made via social media (ProCon.org 1). Also, people who are shy or experience social awkwardness are able to communicate with others using social networks and find friends this way. More than 25% of teens claim that social networking makes them feel less shy and more confident (ProCon.org 1). They feel more comfortable while communicating via social media, and it also makes them more outgoing.
In addition, social media can have a positive effect on our health. A study from the University of California San Diego has shown that social networks can even spread happiness (Whiteman 2). When a person sees somebody’s happy status in Facebook or Twitter, it encourages his or her to post such status themselves. It may even cause a so-called “epidemic of well-being”, as positive expressions are tend to spread more than negative ones (Whiteman 2). It is proven that socially isolated people are under a high risk of developing different psychological disorders, especially depression (Gonzales 14). Furthermore, social networks can provide a proper support for people with mental disorders and help them overcome their fears and problems.
One more plus of social networking is that it is actively used in the sphere of education. 59% of students use their social media to discuss different educational topics and share useful information regarding their assignments (ProCon.org 1). Moreover, teachers often use social networking to communicate with the students outside the class to clarify some tasks or provide additional information about some topics. In the US colleges and universities, more than 50% of teachers use social networks for teaching, and more than 30% use it for the communication with students (ProCon.org 1).
The informative function of social media is not to be forgotten. News is spread across the internet much faster than by any other media sources. More than 50% of people get their daily news from Facebook, Twitter or YouTube (ProCon.org 1). Nowadays, people report about accidents or different events immediately using their accounts in social networks. Besides, it is very easy to keep track of the life of celebrities or public figures by following them on their accounts in any social network. Also, 67% of law enforcement professionals think that posting information about criminals in social media helps catch them more quickly (ProCon.org 1). In addition, social networks help employers recruit new workers, and, in reverse, they help potential employees find a job. According to the statistics, 1 in 6 people who are seeking the job use social media to find a vacancy (ProCon.org 1). A lot of people get a job which includes working directly with social media, which is beneficial for the economy, as it creates revenues measured in millions (ProCon.org 1).
Nevertheless, social networks are tend to show some negative influence on our society. Despite the fact that it provides an access to communicating, it also makes people absorb in their on-line lives and forget about their social life in the reality. People become easily addicted to social networks, spending a massive amount of time there. Recently, the statistic has shown that 63% of Americans log on to Facebook daily and the other 37% log on few times a day (Whiteman 1). Some social media users spend less time interacting face-to-face, as they prefer texting to the real conversation. Nowadays, 32% of people use social networks while having a meal instead of talking to their families (ProCon.org 1). It especially affects teenagers, because they rely on different technologies in a great way, and that is how they may lose the unique practical experience. We should also remember that a lot of inappropriate sexual content on social networks is available for children and teenagers. Because of the lack of privacy, this content can be posted publicly. It damages the behavior of teenagers and can later involve them in crimes (Mwila 1).
Moreover, it is a fact that the active usage of social media sources harms people’s health. Teenagers are used to spend their time on social networks at night, when they are supposed to sleep. It leads to the damage of their sleep and the high risk of developing anxiety (theguardian.com 1). Teens say that they feel a certain pressure when they feel like it is necessary to respond to a message immediately (Udorie 1). In 2012, the survey on the effects of social media on people’s emotions was conducted, and 51% of participants reported that the change in their behavior and emotions was negative (Whiteman 2). More than a half of participants also said that they felt uncomfortable when they were not able to log on their accounts for a long time, and they had troubles with relaxing or sleeping after using of web sites (Whiteman 2). In addition, social networks promote high standards of beauty, and young girls often sacrifice their health to fit these standards and get more likes for their photos (Udorie 1).
Regardless of all benefits, which social networks provide for the studying process, we must admit that they distract a lot. Students who use social media a lot have lower GPA than those who limit using of it while studying (ProCon.org 1). Most of the teachers believe that social networks distract students more than actually help them in studying. It is very easy to get distracted because of the message on Facebook, and then you find yourself in a few hours with lots of undone tasks. Using social networks also encourages cheating, for example, when students send each other photos of exam tasks or answers to them. What is more, the Texas Education agency has reported about nearly 180 cases of inappropriate relationships between students and teachers, which were facilitated by social media (ProCon.org 1). It can be stated that social networks provide their users with sufficient privacy, but, in fact, it is actually easy to get an access to somebody’s private information (ProCon.org 1). Finally, social networks decrease the productivity of employers (Dagliano 1). During the work hours, two-thirds of people use their accounts in social networks, which is very distracting for them and lowers the level of productivity (procon.org 1). Moreover, if a company performs its main activities and offers their services via social networks, there is a high chance that its platforms will be hacked (Dagliano 1). Hackers tend to send a lot of spam or even launch viruses to the companies’ data in order to steal their money (Dagliano 1). Clients of such internet-companies cannot be sure that their private information will be secured and that they will not be deceived by some frauds.
Works cited
Gonzales, Amy. “The effects of social media use on mental and physical health.” med.upenn.edu. Web. N.d. PDF file.
Udorie, June. “Social media is harming the mental health of teenagers.” theguardian.com. Web. 16 Sep. 2015.
Whiteman, Honor. “Social media: how does it affect our mental health and well-being?” medicalnewstoday.com. Web. 10 Jun. 2015.
Mwila, Ali. “Positive and Negative Effects of Social Media on Society.” linkedin.com. Web. 31 Oct. 2015.
ProCon.org. "Social Networking ProCon.org." ProCon.org. Web. 29 June 2016.
Dagliano, Amy. “The Pros and Cons of Social Media in the Workplace.” egroupengage.com. Web. 20 Jan. 2016.
