The Importance of Social Media Websites
With social media websites being used by ⅓ of the entire world, they’ve clearly had a major influence on society. The definition of social media is, ‘forms of electronic communication through which users create online communities to share information, ideas, personal messages, and other content (as videos)”. Sites including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, etc., make it easy to stay connected with family and friends.
Social Media allows people to make new friends. 52% of teens using social media report that using the sites has helped their relationships with friends.
Social media has made it so much easier to stay in touch with people. Some might disagree saying social networking sites can cause offline relationship issues. According to a Feb. 9, 2012 Pew Internet report, “15% of adult social network users had an experience on a social networking site that caused a friendship to end.”
Social Media can also make it possible for a face-to-face interaction. We can use social media to get to know people before personal greetings. The trouble with this is that social media can also cause less face-to-face interaction because we’re so glued to our phones and devices. With all the new technology in this generation it’s hard to find someone who is not attached to their phone. A Center for the Digital Future at the USC Annenberg School study found that the percentage of people reporting less face-to-face time with family in their homes rose from 8% in 2000 to 34% in 2011.
For someone who is socially isolated or shy, social media can help them connect with people. Social Media can be seen as a comfortable place to interact with friends and if you’re typically quiet you can be vocal through media.
More than 25% of teens say that social media helps them become less shy and more outgoing.
There will always be the problem of cyber bullying. More than half of adolescents and teens have been bullied online, and about the same number have engaged in cyber bullying. There’s only so much we can do about it, but try to find safer ways to use technology.
With experience, social media is a huge part in everyday life. On most of the social media websites there are news stories and academic help. For academic help, you can also contact your friends and possibly teachers through social media about assignment or anything else that comes up. Also, it educates us by sharing issues we might’ve not come across otherwise.
If you’re ever having a bad day, social media can be there to cheer you up. If you open snapchat, vine, instagram, etc. and see something funny or that one of your friends liked your post it will obviously put a smile on your face. Controversially, feedback boosts your self-esteem. For example, if there’s positive feedback on a photo you posted.
On rainy days, social media can help by giving cheap entertainment. It’s a good way to spend free time, talking to friends and family, to laugh, and see what’s going on in the world. Not something to do all the time, but definitely a good boredom buster.
Using social media can also help you to get creative. Finding the best filter and caption for the picture you’re about to post. Social media may bring the creativity out of you to share with the world. With all the tools and effects presented in front of you allows you to explore new ideas and find inspiration to create something that is yours. While also seeing other’s creativity as well.
With social media, we can also discover new interests. New “things” and ideas are shared all the time. Social media holds discoveries and new ways of learning that we could have never thought of. Without it, new ideas would be restricted.
A recent Pew Research Center study found that “92% go online daily and that 24% say that they are online constantly.”
Social media is a risky platform where anything can happen and that’s why it’s good to be careful of how much you go on it. You can never be too safe of what can possibly happen.
In conclusion, social media has its pros and cons and everyone will have a different mind set on it. You never know what you’ll see on the internet and everything you put on the internet will stay there forever. In my opinion, it makes the world a better place.
Sarah Hardman
