 Gabriela Giraudo

 Professor: Francisco Vergara

 English Language I

 Licenciatura en Lengua Inglesa. UTN

 25 April 2019

Benefits and Detrimental Effects of Social Networks

Through the years the Internet has consolidated itself as a very powerful platform
that has changed people’s ways of interaction, living and communication. This tool has
a lot of benefits if it is well used. It helps people to stay connected, it is essential in
today’s education system and it is a wonderful tool for teachers. But lately, as social
media keeps growing, many cases of social networking addiction and cyberbullying
against individuals through platforms like Facebook, WhatsApp, Snapchat, Instagram
and YouTube, have increased. In addition to this, health issues and addictions, because
of the missuses of the Internet, have also became greater. People and society are always
discussing about whether there are more risks or useful opportunities about the internet
uses. While I agree that it consumes lot of productive time of our lives, I cannot deny
the advantages it offers. This essay will compare the benefits and detrimental effects of
social networks.
The main positive effect of social media is also its purpose: connection. It
provides different platforms that allows people to communicate and interact without
boundaries. The modern world is demanding and complicated, but with social networks
as Facebook, Instagram or Twitter, you can be able to reach people from anywhere, get
in touch with old friends that you haven’t seen in a while, or meet people from different
places. Zeynep Tufekci (2015), a scientist who studies social media and human
behavior, wrote for The Atlantic magazine and stated that “social media’s very rapid
rise is a loud, desperate and emerging attempt by people everywhere, to connect with
each other in the face of all the obstacles that modernity imposes on our lives”.
 Another advantage of social media is that allows people to have access to real-
time news and informal content available online. Since social networks become
available on mobile phones during the past years, people will always be informed with
the current news of the developing world. So, If you want to know “what’s going on”,
you only have to jump on social media and surf the net.
Moreover, news feeds on social networking sites can be very entertaining. You
can watch one of your friend’s latest post to keep up with the latest funny viral videos,
follow your favorite public figure, and also you can be part of real time experiences,
such as a live video on Instagram.
The next fact is that social networks is a key tool for promoting online learning. In
a survey conducted by Pew Internet Project’s research, it was showed that 67% of
online adults use networks to improve their education and learning opportunities. It is
important to highlight that by using online social networking students can further
explore topics that they are interested in, share the same passion and interests with
people from different parts of the world. In addition to this, schools also use social
networks as an intermediate to keep in touch with students. In fact, it is a great tool and
support for teachers. They can make learning interesting and engaging by creating
discussion forums, class blogs and providing online teaching. In order to promote
further learning and interaction, teachers can also provide parents with suggestions for
web sites and activities they can explore with their children at home. In order to achieve
goof results, a professional development and training in the use of technology for
educators is essential.
Although the social media networks highlights many positive influences, they
impose negative ones at the same time. The major drawback is that social media
generates addiction on its users, increases cyberbullying and online harassment.
According to a report published by PewCenter.org, most of the children have become
victims of cyberbullying over the past. Since anyone can create a fake account and do
anything without being traced, it has become easier to bully on the internet. Intimidation
messages, threats and rumors can be sent to the masses to create discomfort in the
society. Other kinds of cyberbullying such as flaming, denigration and exclusion are
also found in the world of social networks.
The addictive part of the social media is that it disturbs personal lives as well.
According to a survey done by the University of Maryland’s International Center for
Media & the Public Affairs (ICMPA), people under the age of 25 have more chance to
become social network addicts, while two-third of the students who use social media
have already shown some addiction. The survey also showed that fifty percent of people
between the age of 25 and 35, admitted that they are so attached to social networks that
they even use them during office hours. Another important study published by The
Public Library of Science in 2013 looked at people from the United States who used the
social media website Facebook. The study found that the more these individuals used
Facebook, the less they were satisfied with their life. Scientists observed that this could
cause feelings of depression. The abuse of internet and social networking can also
decrease personal communication skills like “face to face” interaction and increases the
lack of emotional connection to others. Besides, children can also become attached to
social media. For this reasons is essential a better supervision, guidance and control
from parents in order to encourage and develop healthy Internet uses.
Furthermore, the probable worst disadvantage of social network is that our whole
life is saved on the internet forever. This means that nothing can be completely removed
from your browser. If you have accounts on the different social network platforms,
everyone can find you there. The biggest risk is to be stalked by someone dangerous
such as a sex offender. A study commissioned by the National Center for Missing and
Exploited Children revealed that In the United States of America there are over 665000
registered convicted sex offenders. This means that one in every seven kids has been
approached by a sexual predator online.
As discussed above there are both advantages and disadvantages of social
networking. As days go by, internet keeps consolidating as the most powerful platform
that has changed people’s way of interaction, living and communication. Every day
more than one billion people connect with each other using social media and platforms
such as Facebook, Twitter and You Tube. It is our responsibility to learn how to use
these tools wisely to prevent ourselves from risks that come with the bad uses of
internet, social networking and technology. We should use social media but not more
than required. Everything should be used in limits.

Works consulted

Tufekci, Z (2012, April 25) “Social Media's Small, Positive Role in Human
Relationships”.https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2012/04/social-medias-
small-positive-role-in-human-relationships/256346/.
 O'Keeffe, G. S and Clarke-Pearson, K. Pediatrics 2011, 127 (4): 800-4. Clinical
Report. The impact of social media on children, adolescents and families.

Sinek, S. (2016). "Addiction to Technology is Ruining Lives - Simon Sinek on

Inside Quest". YouTube, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sL8AsaEJDdo.

Lenhart, A (2007, June 27) “Cyberbullying”. Pew Research Center Internet &
Technology. https://www.pewinternet.org/2007/06/27/cyberbullying/.

Finnegan, L (2011, May 25) “Study: Students ADDICTED To Social Media”

Huffpost. https://www.huffpost.com/entry/students-addicted-social_n_549184.