Social Networking Sites: Benefits and Drawbacks

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Q: Do different social networking sites offer different benefits and drawbacks?    

A: Social networking sites have become an integral part of our daily lives and one can not imagine a life without these. There is no doubt that social media has been beneficial for people and helped us survive the pandemic but one can not deny the problems associated with it as well. I personally think that excess of everything is bad and if we use these social media sites in limit, these can be very helpful for us in different ways. The first and foremost positive that I can relate is that these platforms have helped bring the global community together and people can share their views and opinions with each other overcoming the barrier of their geographical locations. Another main advantage is that it has provided people with the option to make money with little to no investment. Thirdly, these websites also help in reducing stress, and improving mental health among people.

Looking at the other side of the story, social networking sites do contribute in spreading hatred in the  society and some people have to suffer a lot harassment as well. This kind of usage can actually have a negative impact on people's mental health and create other problems in the society as well. 

Different platforms offer different benefits. For example, Facebook is a good way to connect to our distant friends and share special events that are happening in our daily life. Whereas WhatsApp is more useful in one-on-one chatting and video calling. Instagram could be seen more like an entertainment platform that helps to relieve stress. YouTube is really helpful for educational and informative videos and helps in enhancing our knowledge. 

Looking on the flip side, these platforms have different drawbacks as well. Facebook is often used to spread fake news or rumors which is dangerous for the society. WhatsApp is used by scammers to scam people a lot these days. YouTube and Instagram are addictive in nature and they can lead to addiction problems. 

To put it a in a nutshell, if used with the right balance and for the right purpose, these social networking sites could be useful and make human life better, but otherwise it leads to several problems in the society as well. 

 

Q: Is there an ideal number of “friends” or connections individuals have on Facebook that can improve their mental health?

A: I don't think there's any ideal number of "friends" or connections on Facebook that can improve people's mental health. However Social Media and Mental Health are closely interlinked, but I feel that if people have real friends in their lives, that impacts their mental health positively. I believe digital friends do help form that connection with the society and can improve one's mental health over a short span of time but once they are back to the real world, they need more in person connection. Facebook has done it in the past and can act as a bridge and help form that in person connection which would then influence their mental health, so in that way it does improve their mental health but there is certainly no limit or ideal number of friends that is required for that to happen. 


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Comments

  1. AshleyJanuary 22, 2023 at 2:57 PM

    Hey Gurwinder!
    You made some really interesting points and I want to commend you for doing so! The concept you stated above stating that "digital friends can help form connections with the society and improve mental health over a short span of time" is a really interesting take. Regarding networking-this is absolutely TRUE! Networking abilities are endless when it comes to connecting through social platforms. This allows people who choose to network to create connections and opportunities that otherwise wouldn't be created. Mental health is a tricky concept when it come to social media. If time was limited on said sites/apps, this could almost always be the case-However, the time some spend on said sites/apps is truly endless. This endless amount of time can create a lot of negative mental health issues with those who are in their adolescence and beyond. A lot of the time-teenagers or young adults idolize these people with massive followings and bash themselves when they are unable to be just like them. This can also cause adverse effects of negative body image, negative mental health issues, etc., Regardless-you helped me remember that social media does have pros that should be acknowledged! Thank you for that! :)

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