A Taste of Social Networking

Throughout the years the internet has changed the way we communicate, do business, get our daily news and so much more. But is that the only thing it is made out to be?

That depends on who you're talking to and how you use it. A site like Facebook or Instagram could serve as a kick starter for a new business owner, or it could be a negative source for teens and cause social pressure. There are pros and cons to everything here in life, and that includes social networking.

Pros of social media

One of the most obvious pros about social networking is the ability to communicate with people all around the world. With the use of Snapchat or other social media we can stay in touch with old friends and family, or you could meet new people from cities or regions you've never even heard of before.

With social media, people can easily find out about what is going on in their neighbourhood, school, state, country and even the entire world. This information can be quite useful and enables them to make informed decisions based on what they know themselves.

Nowadays we can get real-time news using our pc, or smartphones and not having to wait for the news to appear on TV or for the delivery boy to bring the newspaper in the morning. All you need to do is jump on social media and you will get the news almost instantly. An extra benefit is that you can customize your news to things you only want to read and block out all the uninteresting stuff.

There are many different jobs posted and applied for with the use of social media. Whether they are part time, full time, volunteer positions, they can all be found on social media platforms that provide users with the ability to create their own unique profile of skills and interests. This allows teenagers to have access to many different job opportunities.

Cons of social media

With so much sharing happening over social media, issues over privacy will most likely be a big concern. Sharing too much with the public can start all sorts of problems that sometimes just can't be erased.

How often do you see a person look down at their phone? People get distracted by all the social apps and news and messages they receive, leading to all sorts of problems like distracted driving or not having someone's full attention during a conversation. Browsing social media can become something people turn to in order to avoid certain tasks or responsibilities.

Lastly, since social networking is all done on a computer or mobile device, it can sometimes promote too much sitting down in one spot for too long. Likewise, staring into the artificial light from a phone screen at night can negatively affect your ability to get a proper night's sleep.

If you focus on all the good things that I listed about social media, then you will most likely have a great time, but be wary of falling victim to the dark side of an online interaction.

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