Good Research Paper About Advantages And Disadvantages Of Social Media

Social Media involve the online sharing of content through the Social Media networks. Therefore, Social Media is any platform that allows users to create content and share it with the rest of the users. Some of the major social sites include Facebook, Twitters, Myspace, Instagram, among others. The debate on the effects of Social Media has been ongoing for some time now. Some people argue that the Social Media do more harm than good while others claim that there are numerous benefits of Social Media in the society. The following are some of the advantages and disadvantages of Social Media

Advantages of social media

Social Media has increased the speed of sharing information tremendously. The traditional modes of communication such as letters were slow and usually required that open waits for long before getting the information and responding to it. With the advent of Social Media, one can share information on a real-time basis. For example, consider the WhatsApp chat, Viber, etc. that one can interact with numerous people at once. The same applies in Twitter and Facebook where one post can reach thousands of people instantaneously. Estimations points out that over 50% of the people receives breaking news from Social Medias.
Secondly, Social Media offers an excellent platform for educators to interact with their students. The Social Media platform allows for discussion on various matters that benefits the students, as well as the teachers. Thirdly, Social Media helps to boost businesses. In the current world, many companies have taken on the Social Media to advertise their goods as and services. The vast populations of the Social Media form an appropriate market that any businessman can tap.
On the same note, employers can use the Social Media to interview potential employees. Unemployed people have been using Social Media to create the necessary connection that may lead to employment. Other companies have also been advertising jobs on the Social Media that presents a cheap and easy way for advertisements considering that it can be as cheap as free. In this respect, therefore, Social Media helps in the reduction of the running costs of various companies.
Social Media also helps in enhancing relationships between friends. The fact that people can keep connected to Social Media platforms almost all the times makes it easier to maintain close relationships. It is noteworthy that most Social Media allows a face to face chats through webcams and video calls. Such helps reduce the need to travel enormous distances to meet friends. In addition, the Social Media helps to create new friends as one can connect with friends of friends easily (The Australian Psychological Society, 2010).
Law enforcers have noted that it is possible to use Social Media to track criminals especially those whose criminal activities involves the online platforms. Therefore, the work of the law enforcers is made easy and also the cost cut down. For example, the Twitter tracking unit helps the police to track such criminals.

Disadvantages of Social Media

Social Media is among the leading platforms on which one can share false and malicious information. In as much as the speed of sharing of information is very fast on Social Media, there are many instances whereby the information shared may not be authentic and can lead to a lot of damages. Further, Social Media can affect students negatively. Research shows that students who spend a lot of time on Social Media score lower than those who do not (June Ahn, 2011).
Social Media platforms do not guarantee the privacy of the users. Corporates and government agencies more than often intrude the privacy of Social Media users seeking to gather confidential information either for positive purposes or malicious ones. On the same case, some of the users may want to malicious gather information on some people that constitutes to online stalking.
In the companies and firms, the use of Social Media can lead to a decrease in performance. The time one spends on the Social Media can be a lot to the extent that the person fails to meet targets. Due to this, some of the companies have banned the use of Social Media within their premises. Social Media can help one get a job, but can also make one to lose one. Such happens if the person publishes classified information. Also, some information can be self-incriminating. When one is caught, the person can be fired. The use of Social Media espouses children and young adults to bullying and online sexual harassments.
In general, Social Media helps people gather information very fast. It also can also help them keeping in touch ad avoiding boredom. It is common for one to log into Social Media while travelling to keep in touch with the happenings around the world. Such information assists in making the right decision. For examples, it can help one to avoid a potential hazard such as road accident through gathering information on the Social Media. However, one may get addicted to Social Media and hence have low productivity. In addition, the may lessen face to face interaction.

Works cited

June Ahn. The Effect of Social Network Sites on Adolescents’ Social and Academic Development: Current Theories and Controversies. JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR INFORMATION SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, 62(8):1435–1445, 2011. Accessed on 4 April 2015 from <http://ahnjune.com/wp- content/uploads/2011/11/0Final-Ahn2011JASIST.pdf>
The Australian Psychological Society. The Social and Psychological Impact of Online Social Networking APS National Psychology Week Survey 2010. Accessed on 4 April 2015 from <http://www.psychology.org.au/assets/files/social-and-psychological-impact-of- social-networking-sites.pdf>