The Ugly Side of Social Media

Who doesn't love Facebook, Pinterest, or Instagram? I'm sure there are lots of people actually, but they are usually completely outnumbered by the sheer masses that are addicted to social media. Many people say that the growth in importance of social media in adolescents is a negative aspect of technology, and I have to say that I sort of agree. Of course there are stipulations to every concept, so this one is no different.

Positives to social media:

The main positive to social media is the connections that can be made. All of these online innovations allow people connect in ways that have have never been possible before. I also think that it is helpful for children with social anxiety, and it allows them the opportunity to not be pressured like they would in everyday society. 

Another good thing brought about by social media is the overall accessibility to information. People can come in contact with many different types of info, and it can help people become more knowledgable about current events.

Some jobs require a certain level of competency when it comes to technology, and being aware of these and capable to use them in your career field can help some in your future endeavors!

Expression is also a huge positive to social media. It allows adolescents especial to express themselves through unconventional mediums, without judgement. Through creating blogs, following certain boards on Pinterest, and even watching different youtube videos, there are many ways for kids to safely explore themselves

Negatives:

Now, for each of the positives mentioned about, there is an equal amount of negative. With the social aspect of technology there is always the possibility of cyber bullying or victimization of online predators. The addition of this medium to the issues dealt with by teens is appallingly hard to deal with for some. 

With the abundance of resources, it is easy for people to become misinformed or misguided by social media. I feel like society needs to realize that not everything you find will be accurate or unbiased, and that there are people who want to confuse the world into mass destruction. 

I think the main deciding factor on whether or not social media can have a positive or negative effect on someones life, is the way in which it is used. If a person is cautious about what they read and believe, and if they are constantly aware of how dangerous it can be to trust strangers on social networking. Nothing online should have control over actions you make in real life, and it should never have a time consuming impact on your life. 

http://sites.ewu.edu/cmst496-stafford/2012/06/06/the-effects-of-social-media-on-children/

http://www.techbead.com/positive-and-negative-effects-of-social-media-on-society/