Written by Matthew
With the emergence of social media, society has rewired itself over the last twenty years to accustom this fundamental tool. Though sharing memes and cat videos are undoubtedly motivators for many to stay engaged with social media, the prominent reason most people use social networking is that they wish to spread awareness or support a specific cause. In the article “What is the Major Impact of Social Media?” by the SimpleLearn team, the team lists several ups and downs of the political, societal, moral, and commercial impacts of social media. For example, in order to form educated political opinions, most people turn to social media, as studies in the article indicate. Political campaigns are able to gain more momentum thanks to social media’s general accessibility. Widely due to this accessibility, marginalized groups are also able to form social organizations and share their views and experiences. From writing Reddit posts to publishing articles online, people in social networks are able to share and supplement their opinions. The visibility of these opinions, as well as other worldwide views and current events, allows the masses to stay educated and well-informed on important (or unimportant) topics. Social networks not only allow visibility for ideas and events, but for companies and businesses as well. Such companies utilize social media to understand their consumers and to strengthen the workplace environment by eliminating boundaries. The ease of social media even allows for the efficiency of job applications, training, and skill development. On the flip side, the SimpleLearn team recognizes the many drawbacks to social media; for example, “slacktivism”, or the notion that liking and retweeting a few posts is as valuable as donating efficient time and money towards a cause, is hindering real activism. The idea that supporting a cause can be as easy as a click of a button appeals to people, consequently paving the way for less action. Additionally, social media is not necessarily a beneficial tool for all businesses. A bad customer rating or review can repel potential customers, hurting the business’s overall performance. When it comes to morality, social media feeds into ills like cyberbullying and lack of privacy. Identity theft, the spread of untrue information, stalking, and personal attacks are not uncommon, and often occur due to the misuse of social media. Social networks even have a negative impact on relationships, degrading the term “friend” to a less intimate and meaningful label. Though social media allows people to make online friends anywhere around the world, it encourages people to engage in online friendships over real ones. Social media is a tool that can be misused or utilized, and it all boils down to education. If an individual is educated enough to keep himself or herself safe online, he or she can take advantage of social networks to further his or her career or relationships.
The article “What is the Major Impact of Social Media?” by the SimpleLearn team is not biased; this is evident by the fact that the team presents both sides to every argument, and understands that social media is a double-edged sword. The SimpleLearn team uses case studies and public surveys to support the positive and negative sides of every argument, with neutral terms instead of overly exaggerated words that may unfairly sway their readers toward one side. Evidently, the team’s purpose in writing the article is to inform their readers rather than to persuade them. While the SimpleLearn team is neutral, Lainie Petersen in “The Negative Effect of Social Media on Society and Individuals” is far from it. Though the SimpleLearn team believes that social media can increase workplace productivity and strengthen political opinions, Petersen contends this and believes that a company can suffer by voicing its political views (as boycotts and feuds may form between other companies or the general public) and that controversial topics in the workplace can cause tensions and declines in productivity. However, Petersen’s article also qualifies several of the points the SimpleLearn team makes. For example, both articles agree that fake news and poor online reviews can destroy a business, consequently presenting the flip side of social media. The spread of untrue information, or fake news, can mislead many uneducated social media users and affect their opinions. After considering all the pros and cons of social media, I feel that, though social media has its drawbacks, it is a useful tool that requires education to properly wield; social networks have transformed society and continue to do so with every passing day. People are better when they are connected, and global connection is only possible with social media platforms. With so much worldwide engagement, social media serves as a platform for many projects that need visibility and support and stands as a means of connection for people across the world.
Works Cited
Simplilearn. “What Is the Major Impact of Social Media?” Simplilearn.com, Simplilearn, 22 July 2019, www.simplilearn.com/real-impact-social-media-article.
Petersen, Lainie. “The Negative Effect of Social Media on Society and Individuals.” Small Business - Chron.com, Chron.com, 1 Mar. 2019, smallbusiness.chron.com/negative-effect-social-media-society-individuals-27617.html.
Matthew (Matt for short) is a nonfiction writer from Queensland, Australia who primarily focuses on societal issues and political editorials. When he isn’t writing, he’s writing. He is 16 years old.
© 2018 elysianmuse.com