Is Social Media Good or Bad for Society? Why?

Shelby McKie | Creative Writing | May 2, 2019

image courtesy of sproutsocial.com

In this generation, it seems as though social media and the uses for it are increasing everyday. Almost everyone wakes up in the morning and immediately checks their phone for updates and news, before going about their day. Throughout the day, many check their phones several times for more updates and sometimes just for pleasure or answer so messages. And then at the end of the day, we most likely log back on to get our last bit in before bed.

Some people think the use of social media is bad for society, because they believe it to be a distraction and that it hinders people's ability to communicate in person. But I believe the opposite is true.

The use of social media can be beneficial in many different ways. One way is for communication, and sharing things with friends. Almost every social media platform offers a way to message friend, or send pictures and videos directly to them. This is in addition to the ability to just post photos and captions, updating your friends and family about what is going on in your life. Like me, there are a lot of people that have family members all over the country, if not all over the world. Social media gives these people the outlet to share their life with them as they go, instead of just calling or texting.

These platforms also allow the people to put their freedom of expression to use, and make connections with people from all over the world. For many the internet is a place express themselves as they truly are. This allows them to connect with others around the world that have similar interests. By doing this, it expands people's network, giving them endless opportunities and the feeling of belonging to a massive group of people.

Speaking of creating opportunities and connections, social media has opened up a whole new area for jobs. There are now such things as brand ambassadors and social media marketers. These are jobs that allow people to work from their phone, and help companies promote and sell their products, most likely earning commission or payment in free or discounted items. This has taken over. Social media can also make current jobs much easier. For example, instead of paying for paper and television advertisements we can now just upload an advertisement to Instagram.

So not only is social media an easy way to communicate and share with friends, and a way to connect with people from all over the world, but it has also made new jobs, as well as made current jobs easier, therefore being very beneficial to society.