The introduction of social media has changed the way we used to look at life. Social media platforms are used by more than half of the global population. On average, every individual spends at least two or three hours scrolling through social media.
Social media has brought people together and yet disconnected them from the world. It has given a platform for expressing thought and also the means to get trolled for it. It has altered the fundamentals of being in a relationship or being connected to people.
Thes digital platforms have become commonplace in our daily lives, but researchers have just begun to realize the impacts social media has on us and the future generation as well. Social media is changing every day and evolving with some new features.
Social media has a very big impact on society, which is both positive and negative. Let’s look at both effects objectively. Let us think first about where the glass is half full and begin with the positive impacts of social media on society.
Impacts of Social Media On Society
Social media has a massive impact on society, which is both positive and negative. Let’s look at both effects objectively. Let us think first about where the glass is half full and begin with the positive impacts of social media on society. Let’s begin with positive impacts first.
1. Socialisation
Social media has brought people together, and there is no way to deny it. Platforms like Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook have changed the way people used to socialize before and have made the process of connecting with our friends, family, and relatives easy. People have the opportunity to share their thoughts and improve their skills through this platform.
Connecting with people on a real-time basis from different ends of the world has come to our fingertips. From sharing an old picture to letting them know that you miss them to telling them to know how your day was just with a picture, we have evolved.
2. Business
Social media has benefited small businesses greatly. Interacting with customers personally and marketing to them directly through social media platforms has given small businesses a chance to grow.
Advertising over social media is a cost-effective way to reach out to a great number of people. This helps them to reach a larger number of customers. Knowing the business person directly from whom you are buying anything is a matter of comfort and trust. This provides them with a sense of assurance that the products will reach them safely.
3. News and Politics
Nowadays, social media is the platform where people get most of the news before television channels. Social media has affected politics in ways we cannot imagine.
If a political person posts something on social media, the common people have a chance to reply to that directly and express their views about it. it talked about timeliness; social media is the best platform. Even before any media house covers the news, it is possible for any commoner to just click a picture or shoot a video and spread it through the help of social media.
4. Showing kindness and empathy
Many people are not good at communicating face-to-face. Social media is a big help for them. They can share their thoughts online or whatever they are struggling with. When another person relates to it, they can lend them a helping hand or simply agree to their thoughts and let them know that they are not alone in this. It can be inspiring for others when they see someone push through the hard times.
5. Education and learning
Social media can be a great place for finding mentors. Students who are seeking help and trying to learn some kind of new skills or join a training program can talk to different people over the platform before enrolling in a program. There are multiple online courses that can be found through social media.
Now let’s talk about the negatives:
There are two sides to a coin, and both sides are equally important. If we start talking about the negative impacts we will never end. there are plenty that we need to discuss about this but let’s focus on a few important negative impacts that are ding most of the damage among the users.
1. Mental health
Social media is a cause of concern for mental health issues. This has become so important that people have started to validate themselves through the likes they get through their posts on Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook. People compare themselves a lot, and the urge to become like someone else or to get more likes makes them do crazy things.
People are so engrossed in social media, connecting with people, that they forget the people who are around them completely. People sit together in the same room but do not talk to each other. They are more busy making virtual friends than being with the real ones. This affects their mental health, and some get depressed, some get anxious about their social image too much, and ultimately, that hampers their mental health.
2. Public health crisis
The pandemic has shown us how social media can mislead someone with wrong information and create chaos among people. There was much misleading information about the vaccines, that they can be harmful and can have a negative impact on the immune system. But this can be used in a positive way as well.
3. Privacy break
We put a lot about ourselves on social media. We put a lot of important information on social media, and they are always at risk. There is no guarantee that your personal information will be kept secure. People can get to know a lot about their personal lives through social media. There have been instances where people have been sacked from their jobs because of something they have posted on social media.
Wrapping up!
To sum it up, we cannot say that social media can never be seen as a complete curse or a complete blessing. Basically, it depends on the people who use them and how they use them. During the pandemic, there were instances where wrong information was spread, as well as instances where social media helped someone to get medicine on time or blood on time.
Social media is a place where a person can showcase their creative mind. Like-minded people can form a community and help each other out. The power of social media is huge, you just have to figure out how to use it.
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