The pros and cons of social media

We hear a lot about how bad social media is for us, though we all still use it. So it can't be that bad, right? Like anything in life, there are good and bad points to Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and whatever other social media you use.

Anonymity
Anonymity is great, isn't it? We can be whoever we want to be when we are online, keeping our private lives completely separate. Anonymity also means we can keep ourselves as secure as possible, so would-be identity thieves can't access our personal details. Which is great. What is not so great about anonymity on social media as actually the same thing that is good about it; how can you really be sure who anybody is? People can be anyone; that doesn't necessarily mean they are being good!

Community
One great part of all social media is networking and making friends. If you follow the Twitter account of a favourite TV show or the Instagram of a singer you like, you will get to 'meet' all kinds of people who share your interest. This makes us feel closer to the rest of the world, break down communication barriers, and overall lets us meet people we like. Though it also means social media is faceless, and sometimes that makes people forget there are real people behind the accounts. We can be cruel and unkind to strangers, not think before we speak, and when there is an argument, take sides that turn disagreement into bullying. The social media community is not so great when that happens!

Safety and help
Social media has been a great help after natural disasters like earthquakes and tsunamis, helping people locate their loved ones and know where to go for shelter. For terrorist attacks, social media has helped keep people informed, safe, and help with coordinating emergency services. People even offer taxi services and spare rooms to help those in need. Equally, social media can be used to track down people who don't want to be found, like those who have left abusive relationships. Social media is filled with scams that rely on people being too trusting; especially when there are events like natural disasters. Social media can do good, but can also do so much bad.

News
If you want to keep up to date with the latest news, places like Twitter are the place to go. With published news and personal views on everything that is happening in our world literally posted every second, you will always know what is going on. Which is not ideal for some; sometimes bad news is impossible to look away from, making us nervous or anxious. Sometimes the news on social media isn't factual either. If we don't use critical thinking and just blindly trust what we read, social media can be a dangerous place.

Social media. Good and bad, right and wrong, fun and frustrating; we know these things, and yet still can't keep ourselves away!