Social media has had a tremendous impact on our culture, in business, on the world-at-large. Social media websites are some of the most popular TARGETS on the Internet. They have revolutionized the way people communicate and socialize on the Web; and has had both positive and negative impacts, on our society.
We shall be looking at the effect of social media on different spheres in life and the society which includes: business, politics socialization as well as its demerits such as cyber bullying and privacy.
On politics, every politician who know what the social media worths, needs to join the bandwagon and that is owing to the fact that social media has long proven its inestimable values in campaign strides for politicians even in the US and UK. They have also served to rally people for a cause, and have inspired mass movements and political unrests in many countries.
On Business:
Net savvy companies are using social media to advertise their products, build customer loyalty and many other functions. Interactions and feedback from customers help businesses AND THEIR OWNERS to understand the market, and fine-tune their products and strategies. Do you know that many firms organize contests and give away prizes to enthuse consumers to visit their social website page more often. Compared to television advertisements and other expensive forms of marketing, social media presence is a cheap and effective means to enhance brand image and popularity.
On Socialization
Social networks offer the opportunity for people to connect and re-connect with their old friends and acquaintances, make new friends, trade ideas, share content and pictures, and many other activities. Users can stay abreast of the latest global and local developments, and participate in campaigns and activities of their choice.
Certain social media sites like LinkedIn has been used overtime to enhance their career and business prospects. Students can collaborate with their peers to improve their academic proficiency and communication skills on social media.
Negative Effects of Social Media
Social networking has its own demerits. Many introverts and socially reclusive users place too much emphasis on virtual interaction, and ignore the real world outside.
Cyber Toture and Online Harassment
If you are not careful, unscrupulous people can target you for torture on the internet and harassment on social sites. School children, young girls, and women can fall prey to online attacks which can create tension and distress. If you are a victim of such type of torture, do trivialize it, but try to take appropriate legal action against the attacker(s).
Impact on Productivity
Social media addiction of employees have led to economic loss of income and productivity in companies who have social media attached to their organizational network. Instead of employees carrying out their expected duties, they spend most of the company’s productive time on social media.
Impact on Privacy
If you are not careful, what you post on the Net can come back to haunt you. Revealing personal information on social sites can make users vulnerable to crimes like identity theft, stalking, etc. Many companies perform a background check on the Internet before hiring an employee. If a prospective employee has posted something embarrassing on social media, it can drastically affect their chances of getting the job. The same holds true for our relationships too, as our loved ones and friends may get to know if we post something undesirable on social networks.
Conclusion
Social media has its advantages and drawbacks as revealed in this article. It is up to each user to use social sites wisely to enhance their professional and social life, and exercise caution to ensure they do not fall victim to demerits of the usage of online facilities.
