Does social media help or hinder peoples connection?

Over the past few years the social media has made a huge impact on our lives. Not long ago, information were given in very different ways. For example, back in the day we had to write letters and physically send them, land phones were used to make appointments and phone calls. Over the past five years or so, a new invention has been made to make social connections easier. Since Facebook launched, we have seen the social world majorly changed. 

Social media, such as Facebook, can help and hinder people’s connections. There are many positive and negative sides to Facebook.  Facebook has been a big impact to the young teenagers’ lives, right now they are one of the biggest consumers in the social industry. Teenagers are constantly on Facebook. They are exposed to social pressures as it is, and with the Facebook launching the media pressure is now at its peak point. For example, If a teenager has many friends on Facebook, he/she is considered cool and very popular with friends. At the same time, somebody with a little number of friends might not be popular, and that causes pressure. Even if the teenager has lots of friends, they might not know most of the people they are friends with. Social Media is not only pressuring teens, but also contributes to losing their social skills. Right now most teenagers rather chat at home than seeing their friends face to face.

People, who are usually shy in interpersonal relationships, sometimes find it easier to make friends via Facebook. They become a whole new person on the social network. It gives people a chance to create an image of themselves who they want to be. For example, they become more outgoing on Facebook than in real life. Some people might take it to the next level, where they would even put a picture of somebody else, just to make them look cooler. People sometimes photoshop themselves in photos, just to look pretty.

Even though you can set your privacy settings, it is still easy to spy on other people and find out information about them and their lives. That also gives a chance to manipulate people. People can pretend to be someone else, in order to meet other people, which can turn out to be dangerous.

Despite all the negatives, Facebook has brought positive changes in peoples’ social life. It helps people to stay in touch with their loved ones and friends. Facebook allows you to find your friends again, those that you may have not seen in a while, like friends from your childhood.

Facebook also allows you to help your business by advertising and promoting the company.

So, as we can see, Social media can really do help and hinder people’s relations. In my opinion, I’ll rather have real face-to-face friends than 500 strangers, that I never see. As long as you keep your privacy to yourself, you can have the positive sides of this social media.