Social Media's Impact On Society

Growing up Online addresses important issues concerning the evolution of social networking and its impact on today’s society, especially on the younger generation.  It is unfortunate to say that many have become enslaved by social media and cannot live a day without using it; it has become part of them, an integral component in their daily routines.  For some, social networking is an escape from reality, a momentary relief from the hard struggles and harsh realities of life. Social network sites can be seen as a haven where one can be him/herself or where he/she can choose to be who he/she wishes to be without being judged or ridiculed. It allows people to create and play around with different identities; it is somewhat of a game where one can take on any role.  Further, it allows people to seek and find others that they can relate to and who can genuinely understand and accept them for who they are.  Social media provides a place where there is nothing wrong with being different, where in fact being different is appreciated and accepted.

Although social networking can have its benefits, it can also be harmful and lead to cyber-bullying and exposure to online predators.  Before the evolution of social media, victims of bullying could at least come home with the guarantee of being safe and free from ridicules and harassments. Nowadays, however, bullying does not end at school, but continues at one’s home. Through social networking sites, in particular Facebook, some adolescents express themselves so freely and maliciously with or without consciousness of the harm their words can cause.  What can at first seem like a fun and harmless game can lead to severe consequences.  Those being victimized are afraid to reach out to their parents or an adult either because they are being threatened or simply because they are concern about what their classmates may think or say about them if they were to say anything. So it makes one wonder if such advancements in technology are as beneficial as one may have first come to believe.  There have been and continue to be many cases of tragic stories of cyber-bullying and suicides. It is important that parents remain alert of their children’s social life and remain involved in their lives by holding discussions on school and who they associate themselves with. Parents need to develop and maintain a close and loving relationship with their child.