In this article I will tell you 7 Benefits and Advantages and 7 disadvantages of social networks , In young people and adults. It is a phenomenon that has been with us for more than 10 years and seems to have arrived to stay.
Usually speaking more of the disadvantages, and it is true, there are; You can lose too much time, lose your privacy or share too much information. Although there are also benefits that are sadly the least exploited.
These are the data of the most known social networks:
- Facebook: 1556 million users.
- Twitter: 600 million users.
- Google+: 400 million users.
- Linkedin: 270 million users.
- Instagram: 200 million users.
- Pinterest: 44 million users.
- Tumblr: 19 million users.
7 Benefits and benefits
1-Worldwide Connection
Through Facebook, Twitter or Linkedin you can put in contact with people whom you have not seen for years.
And not only that, but meeting people or introducing you to people who otherwise would have been impossible to contact. This is the case, for example, of Linkedin With leaders or presidents of companies.
They can help you, among others:
- Search for information.
- Contact companies.
- Find a partner.
- Find a job.
- Making new friends.
- Ask for expert advice.
2-Groups
In my opinion the best of facebook are the groups. They create a kind of"collective intelligence"that connects people from all over the world.
There are private and public and you can ask questions or publish information.
You can also make your own group of friends or professionals with a specific goal, connect with people who have the same interest.
Before this was only possible through forums, which are much more opaque.
3-Social complaint
Surely every day you get to your social networks news of crimes, corruption, crimes, etc.
Today we can say that thanks to the new technologies any type of information can be made public through different channels, either through social networks, digital newspapers, etc. And therefore be accessible to anyone from anywhere in the world.
Years before the creation of the new social networks this was something unthinkable, since the means were much more controlled by the high spheres of power and only it was possible to accede to the information that was published in the typical means of communication: tv, radio The newspaper.
In summary, one of the reasons why corruption, crimes and social inequalities are now known at the international level is thanks to social networks.
4-Instant communication
Can you imagine a few years back as our grandparents communicated?
Not much of this time has passed, so most of you will hear the cable phone or the typical letter or postcard you received from your relatives for Christmas.
It is surprising the technological progress achieved in communication systems, since today just by typing on a mobile or computer you can get in touch with different people at any time and from any place.
Among the best known are: whatsapp, skype or other platforms where communication is fast and instant. And what about online training, who would imagine a few years ago to be able to study what you wanted and from home, a luxury nowadays available to the public.
Last year, for example, I was in a course that shared information in a Google+ community quickly and comfortably while giving the class.
That is, social networks also serve for training, both distance and face-to-face. You can hang out on google + and do seminars. Or you can make google + communities or facebook groups where you share information while giving the class.
5-Branding-You can sell
Every day there is more competition to find a good job, there are many people trained and few quality jobs.
With Linkedin you can show your skills, abilities, experience and training and show that image all over the world. In addition, you can easily contact companies or people of interest with whom to build relationships.
And if you are looking for employment there are other platforms such as Infojob, jobtalent and many others that allow you to upload your resume and sign up for all those offers that are of your interest.
6-Learn languages
Thanks to new technologies, there are no longer any excuses to learn a language. You can do it comfortably from home and at any time.
There are social networks, such as Livemocha, that serve to learn languages online.
On this website users talk to each other, edit exercises or design mini lessons. If you search the internet you will find many more pages to learn any language.
7-Expand your business
If you have a business, the great advantage of social networking is that you can easily locate your potential customers.
In addition, you can contact them, obtain information to improve and make known in your city or internationally.
7 Disadvantages
1-Possibility of fraud or identity theft
If you put too much information on a social network you are risking to have your identity stolen or someone commits a fraud with your data. You should be cautious with the information you share and do not forget to change passwords often.
2-Less face-to-face contact
This is the worst disadvantage without a doubt.
As always, excesses are always bad and there are people who spend using social networks throughout the day.
It is not necessary to be every 5 minutes checking if someone has posted something on facebook or twitter saying that he is happy or sad.
Social skills must be put into practice and their lack of use causes them to be lost.
3-Rupture of relationships
Not managing well a relationship on social networks can lead to their breakup.
In some cases, a partner may:
- Getting jealous by seeing photos.
- Always be watching.
- Request access to the account of the couple.
- Overwhelm…
Any of the above can lead to deterioration of the relationship and its consequent rupture. Especially it is disgusting to be with a couple With mobile addiction . More and more couples break up for these reasons and even more for whatsapp.
4-Lost time and productivity
Who has not logged on to facebook at work?
Unless your boss is totally banned, you probably have. However, when we connect we lose the concentration that we had working and is usually to see publications without interest.
It's better to finish everything you have to do in a day and then connect to social networks, see the most interesting and get to do something else. Unless I do not want to spend a lifetime watching what others do on facebook.
5-Cyberbullying and pedophilia crimes
Sadly some pederastas take advantage of social networks to impersonate children or adolescents and try to abuse.
Misuse of social networks by children and adolescents can Cyberbullying , Who make inappropriate contacts or who share too much personal information.
Particular emphasis should therefore be placed on education in schools and at home on the proper use of social networks. The children are naive and do not see any kind of danger, rather they see it as a game.
6-Build a false self-esteem
There are thousands of people who are hooked to facebook uploading photos constantly and waiting for their friends to"like". When they have many likes, their self-esteem rises and when no one gives, their self-esteem drops.
But this is a self-esteem created on feet of mud, because it is not under the control of the person himself. That is, it is giving power to others, it depends on the others that someone is happy or self-esteem or not.
The self-esteem It should not depend on others, but on oneself. One must value oneself, regardless of what others do or think.
7-To worsen the image of the company
Just as it can help you improve your business, if you manage them poorly it can also help you make the picture worse.
Recently it was viral the disgust that made two employees of pizza dominos with the food that they delivered to a customer. The employees themselves hung the video on social networks, although did not know that it would become viral. Of course there were thousands of customer complaints and a loss of image and money.
One extra: Believing false information
Lately it is fashionable the false news or hoaxes that circulate and are shared by the network.
Some are joking and funny, although others can be heavy or even cause national problems, such as those who in the midst of the Ebola crisis began to publish false news.
So you have to be a bit disbelieving, since not everything that appears on the internet is real, be sure before sharing any news of where the information comes from.
And what other advantages or disadvantages do you think social networks have?