Social media… social media… social media… It seems like we hear and read a lot about social media almost everywhere on the internet and in various other places yet some of us are not totally aware of what social media really is. What is social media? What are its advantages and disadvantages? Will we be able to cope up with it?

For people who are not yet fully aware about social media, social media are internet-based tools which are used for sharing and discussing information among humans. Social media usually refers to activities which combine social interaction, technology, and the creation of words, pictures, audio, and videos. The manner of how and in which information is presented, and the interaction involved depends on the various outlooks and the creation of shared meaning among communities where people share things about their lives and experiences. Social media tools create a lot of opportunities for its users. Almost all kind of information can be shared quickly and can be viewed by almost anybody who avails of such tools.

Social media is boundless in the sense that it is not restricted to only a few people and to limited activities. It has various forms and they include weblogs, internet forums, podcasts, wikis, videos, and photographs; and technologies which include instant messaging, email, picture-sharing, music-sharing, blogs, vlogs, wall posting, and a whole lot more. They are available though feeds and subscriptions which allow networks and followers to be updated with what is new. So, social media basically depends on the interactions between people with the use of technology and words or pictures or other forms of media.

Social media has advantages and disadvantages yet they vary depending on a person’s perspective. The basic advantages of social media include the democratization of media; the increase of transparency in organizations and governments. It also allows the development of conversations and relationships; blossoming of creativity and remix culture; and allowing people to create communities and do some connecting and sharing of information. The disadvantages of social media however include the fact that a lot of great content gets overlooked since lack of filters can create problems in finding the best content on the web; writers can have problems delivering their content to the public; information can be abused and misused; and sometimes the anonymity of a user can cause hate and division among communities and other users. Other disadvantages of social media are information overload and social networking overload which may cause various problems not only on the web but also in other situations; and social media can also make work and life balance difficult to achieve in the sense that people may not be able to create harmony in their personal lives and their social media activities.

Given the advantages and disadvantages of social media, will we be able to handle its rush into our lives? Yes. How are we going to do that? Set limitations. As stated above, social media is boundless, but if you don’t want to jeopardize certain things in your personal life, you should create your own limitations. Never post personal information which you do not want other people to see or know about. Even though the aim of social media is to spark interaction among people and bridge gaps, it is still important to take care of your own personal security. Social media should be used to make people’s lives better, not to make them worse.

Now that you are aware of what social media is and what changes it could bring do to your life, are you ready to socialize?

Rate this post:

(2 votes, average: 3 out of 5)

 Loading ...