“Social Media Does More Good than Harm”

Debate by Arvin D. Asuero

       In recent times, social media has been a powerful medium in different ways. It has now been a part of individuals' everyday life. With this, social media has been criticized for its potential harms and dangers, such as the addiction, spread of misinformation, cyberbullying, and privacy concerns. While these issues should not be ignored, it is also evident that the good effects of social media overshadow its negative effects. Social media has become a tool for connecting the world. Through social media, communicating to the world seemed to be easier. It made people forget the distance wherever they are located. It also made social or community movements more empowered. Also, it enabled the enhancement of education, making new opportunities open. With this, social media has also been linked in contributing greatly with business and economic growth.

       One of the most significant advantages of social media is its ability to connect people over far wide distances. Platforms of social media such as Facebook, Instagram, X, WhatsApp, and many more, have traversed geographical gaps as it connects people with over 4.2 billion users worldwide (Dixon, 2024). In such instances, it connects individuals in real-time with friends, families, and colleagues without having much problem of distance. Such connectivity is essential in moments of crisis. For instance, during natural calamities or global pandemic such as the Covid19, social media paved the way of communication through social media. It has been essential in the spread of vital information, organization of relief efforts, and maintaining social ties. According to a study by Atske and Atske (2024) in Pew Research Center, in 2021, 72% of social media users reported feeling more connected to people and events because of these said platforms. Social media has made it easy and efficient to stay in touch in an increasingly globalized world.

       Social media has proven to be a useful tool in the improvement of education and spreading awareness across the world. With the accessibility of platforms like YouTube, TikTok, and even Facebook, individuals can easily access educational content on a vast array of subjects, often at no cost. These platforms offer a variety of instructional videos, courses, and discussions in a range of topics-from academic to practical skills, such as coding, cooking, or graphic design. According to Willbold (2021), there are numerous websites and social media networks that offer plenty of information that can be helpful to students. Through social media news feeds, students can find informational and relevant websites they want to follow so as to be kept in the loop. Depending on their interests, students can find answers to their questions. Sites, such as Canva and Pinterest, can offer children inspirations for school projects. The educational benefits of social networking sites are also those that will help the students prepare for important lessons and learn certain concepts with great efficacy. During the pandemic lockdown of COVID-19 when physical classrooms were closed down, social media helped people keep the learning environment afloat through remote learning. Teachers and students made full use of platforms such as Zoom, Facebook Groups, Google Classroom to continue learning together, share resources, and collaborate with each other. Social media campaigns by organizations such as the World Health Organization (WHO) have successfully disseminated important public health messages to millions of people across the globe in real-time. Whether it is a short video, infographic, or live streaming, social media provides a continuous learning environment where people are informed about the latest scientific breakthroughs and the social issues that involve climate change, public health, and human rights.

Social media proved to be a powerful tool or medium of social change, allowing people and groups to raise attention, voice out their concerns, and freely share their feelings and emotions. Additionally, in the field of business and economic growth, an estimated figure reveals that 94% of all businesses use social media as a marketing tool. Cost reduction, effective feedback system, and branding strategy give rise to economic growth from the usage of social media. This further adds value to the products and increases the revenue generation. Social media have a positive impact on businesses and offer an opportunity for their audience to find them on social media. According to Monica-Ariana (2020), social media has helped social commerce, where social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok offer shopping features that allow users to purchase products directly from the application. It helps to reach their targeted audience, stay engaged with them and respond to their questions instantly. These features have streamlined the customer journey from discovery to purchase, thus reducing friction and boosting sales. Besides e-commerce, social media also supports customer service efforts. Direct messaging or comments allow brands to immediately respond to customer inquiries, complaints, and issues, enhancing customer satisfaction and loyalty. Real-time interaction has now become a critical component of contemporary business strategy because customers are demanding more and more immediate service. 

Social media, like any other tool, has the possibility of being misused, but its potential to connect people, empower communities both economically and socially, and educate billions makes it beneficial. Despite drawbacks like addiction, misinformation, and privacy issues, these are far outweighed by the advantages. Social media has transformed how people communicate, learn, and do business around the world. It has increased educational chances, stimulated economic growth, bridged geographical gaps, and given a platform for social and community movements. Responsible use, improved regulations, and better digital literacy can help mitigate the downside of social media to allow its great benefits continue to shape a more connected and informed world. With sensible use, social media remains a powerful force for good, increasing global connectivity, knowledge, and vibrancy.

REFERENCES

Atske, S., & Atske, S. (2024, April 14). Social media use in 2021. Pew Research Center.https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2021/04/07/social-media-use-in-2021/  

Dixon, S. J. (2024, July 16). Social media - statistics & facts. Statista. https://www.statista.com/topics/1164/social-networks/ 

Kamruzzaman, M. M. (2022). Impact of social media on geopolitics and economic growth: Mitigating the risks by developing artificial intelligence and cognitive computing tools. Computational Intelligence and Neuroscience, 2022, 1–12. https://doi.org/10.1155/2022/7988894

Monica-Ariana, P. a. &. S. (2020). Social media and its effects on the growth of businesses. ideas.repec.org. https://ideas.repec.org/a/ora/journl/v1y2020i2p370-380.html  

Willbold, M. (2021, May 12). Social media in education: Can they improve the learning? eLearning Industry. https://elearningindustry.com/social-media-in-education-improve-learning 

World Health Organization: WHO. (2021, December 1). Social media & COVID-19: A global study of digital crisis interaction among Gen Z and Millennials. https://www.who.int/news-room/feature-stories/detail/social-media-COVID-19-a-global-study-of-digital-crisis-interaction-among-gen-z-and-millennials