SOCIAL MEDIA
“Don’t believe everything you read on the internet just because there is a picture with a quote next to it”
-Abraham Lincoln
Let us consider a generally common scenario. In a hospital in Salem Tamil Nadu India, the first cry of a new born resounded throughout the hospital walls and flooded across the corridors delivering the joy to all ears. However, even before this infant could open his eyes add catch his first glimpse of his unexplored world, she was “papped and posted” on every possible social media platform such as Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram, etc. As daddy stirred back and forth with his live-casting, little did the new born baby relasie that somebody Instagram would be his “soulmate”, Facebook would be his “alter ego” and WhatsApp would be his “bosom buddy”.
Moreover, social media outlets manifest a bounty of informative and entertaining content they furnish a vast and varied range of resources to cater to people from over. Further they provide a substantial marketing and occupational opportunities such as LinkedIn, a gold mine for job aspirants helps students build their contacts in their respective fields such as software, research, etc. want to reconnect the college group? No worries, Facebook and WhatsApp has it in store for you. Blind dates are a thing of the past. Tinder and bumble are contemporary matchmakers. Pursue your dreams by creating content online. In Today world, expand our own business by sitting up your own WhatsApp Channel, etc. But there is more than meets the eye. People talk of how close we have come despite being so distant, courtesy of social media. However, I would like to think otherwise in the modern world.
Today world Knowingly or Unknowingly, we are fettered by the shackles of social media. The world has become a semblance of normality following the dawn of this social menace on the contrary, it has become confined to the small screens of our mobile phones etc. Communication has been reduced to a series of empty and superficial conversations.
People have become incredibly fascinated with cultivating a flamboyantly exaggerated reflection of them to please others. We have lost our way amidst the glitter and glamour of this social media fantasy, and have conveniently forgotten that self-validation must emanate from within. We need not rely on strangers for compliments or to boost our confidence. Now a days, social media platforms has become an integral part of our daily lives. However, while social media has numerous benefits and it also has many drawbacks. Let’s break down the pros and cons of social media in simple terms to gain a comprehensive understanding of its impact on our lives.
Pros of Social media:
Social media and technology offer us greater convenience and connectivity
- Staying connected with family and friends worldwide via Facebook, Gmail, WhatsApp, etc.
- Quick access to information and Research.
- It can help business to grow
- Banking and bill pay at our fingertips.
- Online learning job skills such as NPTEL, Swayam, etc.
- Opportunities for remote employment
- Anyone can publish their thoughts through online platform
- It can improve career opportunities
- It stores unprecedented amounts of historical information.
Social media can be a good thing but if teens ever feel uncomfortable about something they see or read on social, they should trust their own feelings and talk to someone a parent, a teacher, another trusted adult.
Social media provides a platform for women to voice their opinions, share experiences, and advocate for gender equality, women’s rights, and social issues.
Cons of Social media:
Along with the good Cons the bad. With all of its benefits, the nature of the social media presents a range of potential issues.
Increase usage:
The more time spent on social media can lead to cyberbullying, social anxiety, depression, and exposure to content that is not age appropriate.
Fear of missing out (FOMO):
FOMO has become a common theme and often leads to continual checking of social media sites. The idea that we might to miss out something if we are not online can affect out mental health.
Online vs reality:
Social media itself is not a problem, it is the way people use it in place of actual communication and in-person socializing. “Friends” on social media may not actually be friends, and may even be strangers.
Cyber bullying:
Due to the excessive use of social media students and young teenagers are becoming bulled. Since anybody can make a fake account and do anything without being traced, it has turned out to be very simple for anybody to menace on the internet. Research shows that approximately 1 to 20 students commit suicide in cyberbullying case.
Time Consuming:
Social media has made the teenagers to lose the emotional connection with their families, relatives and friends. The face-to-face connection is losing its essence due to excessive use of social media. It can also waste individual time that could have been utilized by productive task and offline activities.
Measures can be Taken to Improve Utility and Credibility of social media:
AI Moderation Tools:
Developing advanced AI tools for content moderation to swiftly detect and remove harmful content while protecting freedom of expression.
Digital Literacy Programs:
Implementing comprehensive digital literacy education to empower users in identifying and combating misinformation and online harassment.
Ethical Design Practices:
Encouraging ethical design practices that priorities user well-being, mental health, and meaningful engagement over maximizing user attention.
Privacy-Enhancing Technologies:
Investing in technologies such as end-to-end encryption and data anonymization to bolster user privacy and security.
Conclusion:
On one hand social media offers numerous benefits such as global connectivity, information access and providing platforms for self-expression and creativity. On another hand, it presents a challenge such as the spread of misinformation, privacy concerns and potential negative impacts on mental health. We can harness the power of social media for positive change and meaningful connections by promoting digital literacy and online safety. So, we save our information and do not open unwanted links and it will affect our healthy life.
