Are social networking sites good for our society?

Spellemaeker                                                                                                                                                                        

Martin

1G3

Are social networking sites good for our society?

        According to the dictionary, « Social networks are platforms for interaction between people. They facilitate the creation and exchange of information between users and between users and brands ». These social networking sites are part of our society’s daily life. A society can be defined as a community, a large group of people living and working together. People use the social networking sites for different purposes, that can be either positive and negative for them and others. What are the consequences of social networks on our society? First, I will deal with the positive aspects and then I will explain why social networks may have negative consequences.

        On one hand, social networks are good because they allow users to keep in touch together. Indeed, thanks to the social networks we can communicate more easily with our friends and relatives even if they live far away and sometimes re-connect. Smartphones have made social networks even easier to use. People can take photos, videos of key life moments and share with their friends and family. Moreover we can do it instantaneously and people we are chatting with can react immediately so we have the feeling they are really with us. At last, thanks to the social networks we can get informed. Indeed, social networks are present worldwide and are commonly used by the medias as it is the easiest way and moreover the quickest way to spread the information. For example we are very well informed about the COVID-19 issue thanks to the information available on the social networks. However, social networks have also a negative impact on our society.

        On the other hand, the social networks are a negative consequence on our society. First, the social networks are a negative consequence for the productivity. Indeed, Many companies have banned the use or even blocked access to social networks on their employees' desktops. Employees certainly spend too much time on social networks, resulting in billions in lost productivity. But nothing can stop the wave of Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, etc., which is galloping back onto smartphones. Moreover, the social networks are a negative consequence for the sociability. Indeed, the most networked are often in contact with people they don't know, except to have a few sociological themes in common. From discovering and learning about the world, the practice of social media very often leads to isolation that can lead to forms of fundamentalism. That is to say, the opposite impact of the one initially announced. Finally, the social networks are a negative consequence with threats to them Indeed, Data and identity theft, cyber-bullying, harassment, the list of abuses by unscrupulous people is long and is not likely to close for a long time. And online attackers don't care about age, gender, or social background, everyone is a potential victim.

        To conclude, this essay has shown that The assessment of the impacts of social networks on society is rather mixed. Except that when you look closely, the real issue is the use we make of social media. Unconsciousness leads to drifting, while on the other hand, a thoughtful use can be enriching. Social networks are like security, the human being is the weakest link...

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