Social Media is Good for the Society

Social Media is Good for the Society

Destinee Brinkley

Social media is the means of interactions among people in which they create, share, and/or exchange information and ideas in virtual communities and networks. This collective term focuses on communication, community-based input, interaction, content-sharing and collaboration.

People, today, use social media to stay in touch, interact with friends and family and network among various communities. Businesses use social media to market and promote their products and to also track customer concerns. Business-to-consumers websites include social components, such as comment fields for users. Various tools help businesses track, measure and analyze the attention the company gets from social media, including brand perception and customer insight.

Social media is very beneficial for society. It has helped individuals connect and build relationships with not just people you know but other people. The media encourages students to learn and grow. It can also empower businesses to build their audience and boost their bottom line.

According to a Harvard study, routine social media use is positively associated with social wellbeing, self-rated health, and mental health. We just need to be mindful users and keep a healthy perspective about social media’s role in our lives. From there we are able to use it to inspire, educate, show empathy, and become better communicators.

Although social media has its downfalls such as people hacking into other people’s accounts, cyberbullying and a list of many other things; however, we have to look at its overwhelming good. With the media, people are able to spread awareness, gain a supportive community and, with the help of the media, reach a bigger audience.

Social media has also helped introverted or socially anxious personalities connect in a safe environment. It connects people online in a space that feels less hazardous and draining than face-to-face interactions often are. More than 25% of teens report social media making them feel less shy and 28% more outgoing, according to a Harvard study. In addition, 20% reported feeling more confident as a result of their interactions on social media, concluded the same Harvard study.

Social media also helps senior citizens feel more connected to society. Senior citizens ages 65 and older are one of the fastest growing demographic groups on social media sites, with usage rising from 2% of seniors in 2008 to 35% in 2015. Seniors report feeling happier due to online contact with family and access to information like senior church bulletins that have moved online and out of print.

We can all see the impact that social media has had on everyone. If you take a look around today, we see people left and right on their cellular devices. There’s no telling where social media and technology will lead us next, but it does excite people to see what will be next in the future.

LEAVE A COMMENT