Positive and Negative Effects of Social Media Essay Example

Nowadays, social media undoubtedly plays an integral role in teens’ lives. The internet has created a revolutionary shift in the way young people perceive the world around them and interact with others. Most importantly, it has created a new way of living. Whether this reality is deeply harmful or quite beneficial to youth is a hotly debated subject. Opposing to what the vast majority say, social media has proven that it can have a positive influence on one’s life and mindset. In this essay, I will try to explain my view with a few examples supporting my opinion. (96)

First of all, a key point to acknowledge is that social media can be a tool for creating and maintaining social contacts. Well-known apps such as Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram are great places to interact and communicate with anyone whether that would be a family member, a friend, an acquaintance, or a complete stranger. What is more, they help you make lifelong friendships and find a community of like-minded people with whom you can freely discuss anything without the constant fear of being judged. As a result, you develop and improve your social skills and learn how to express yourself and your opinions. (106)

Another extremely important thing worth mentioning is that social media provides people the opportunity to educate themselves from a young age on a variety of serious topics that are not acknowledged and talked about enough in many societies such as racism, discrimination, climate change, gender inequality, and so on. Social networks have served and continue to serve as venues for social activism. A perfect example is the Black Lives Matter movement, which started specifically on Twitter. Not only did it bring awareness to the racial injustice that black people have to face every single day, but it also motivated a great number of people, myself included, to sign online petitions, join campaigns, and strive to make a change in the world. (110)

Social media has a vital part in education as well because it is a reliable source of information that can be valuable and relevant to students. The Internet provides students with answers to any of their questions and encourages them to conduct research all on their own and thus it helps them become independent learners. What is more, many social networks like Pinterest, for instance, have become a place where one can draw inspiration for school or college work. (79)

With all being said, I do agree that social media can be harmful and toxic to one’s mental health and wellbeing. Social media addiction is a prevalent issue in our society, especially among teens and young adults. However, if it is used reasonably, there certainly should not be any room for worrying. (51)

All things considered, living in a world where we heavily rely on social media is not necessarily as detrimental as people make it out to be. Using social networks has its downsides, but it is also fair to address the positive influence that it has and will continue to have on youth as long as it is used moderately and for a good cause. (65)