Problems with Social Media.
Social Media is a good thing. You can share pictures and have video calls with friends and family all over the world. You can share recipes and crafting ideas. You can find information on just about any topic there is, in less time that you would think. There is so much you can do, so much you can see and so much you can say. Isn't there an old saying similar to that... See no evil, hear no evil and say no evil, with the typical little monkeys, one hiding his eyes, one his mouth and the other covering his ears, There isn't much hiding of anything online, especially on social media. Everything is so public. That's the point. Of course, there are security features and you get to chose your audience, but once it's out there, it's out there.
I have had plenty of different experiences with social media. Good ones, bad ones, great ones and even a few horrible ones. I just want to state that, social media is not limited to Facebook. There are multiple other social media sites like, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, Google+ and more.
One of the biggest problems with social media, in my opinion, is cyber-bullying. Instant messages and picture sharing have enabled a new form of bullying that has gone viral. People seem to be more brutal and have more confidence, hiding behind a computer or cell phone screen. They push the limits because they feel safe to and then relish in seeing other people "like" what they have said. They are gratified when others "share" their words or images, as they make fun of others. This is NOT what social media is for.
An other issue I have noticed is that with any written communication, emails, text messages, even classic letters, it is very easy to misunderstand someone. With written words, you don't see non-verbal cues, there is no tone of voice and CAPITALS don't always mean you ARE YELLING ! Having to add "lol" or a smiley face at the end of each message, just to make sure you're not offending anyone is common practice. I have seen so many posts or status or comments escalate so fast because people misunderstand what is being said. Sometimes, they just read it too fast and comment even faster. Sometimes, the original poster isn't very clear in what they are saying. Misunderstandings happen, a lot.
If you like sharing every single detail of your life online, good for you. Although, Criminal Minds did have an episode about how dangerous that is. There are so many predators out there, it's scary to even think about it. Social media has just given them a bigger hunting ground. Even with the tightest of security features there are still loop-holes. They can still infiltrate your inbox. Of course, so many of them are big bad wolves but are disguised as little sheep, that sometimes we even invite them in without knowing. Prudence is key. Be vigilant. Be wise. Don't give them any information.
Social Media also lets you be someone you are not. I am choosing to reveal who I really am on this blog, but the flip side of that is that it also allows some to be who they are not. I don't mean identity theft, although that is a cyber problem. I mean creating a whole new person, having multiple accounts and pretending to be someone else, real or created. Why is that a bad thing? Because you are not being true to yourself and to others. Some do it to spy on people or even to start up trouble. Also, this opens up more doors for bad or even criminal behaviors. There is no need to scam people or to trick them into doing things, buying things or believing things that are not true. Be yourself. Be true.
Social Media is a distraction, a distraction from the real world. "I should study for my exam, I'll just check my Facebook first." or "Just a minute sweetie, mama is just checking Pinterest for ideas" or even "Hold on, let me take a picture, so I can put it on Instagram." It doesn't matter what age you are, what you do for a living or how much data you have on your phone plan. Once you give in to social media, it is addicting and it will distract you from your friends, family and even your pets! When you are looking at your screen, you are not looking at them. Don't let yourself be a victim of social media or even better, don't let social media be a priority over your family.
Of course, those are just 5 problems with social media. There are many more. I am sure that there are maybe some bigger ones that I may have missed or didn't even think of. Feel free to share your thought on these or others I may have overlooked. That's what social media is for !
I have had plenty of different experiences with social media. Good ones, bad ones, great ones and even a few horrible ones. I just want to state that, social media is not limited to Facebook. There are multiple other social media sites like, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, Google+ and more.
One of the biggest problems with social media, in my opinion, is cyber-bullying. Instant messages and picture sharing have enabled a new form of bullying that has gone viral. People seem to be more brutal and have more confidence, hiding behind a computer or cell phone screen. They push the limits because they feel safe to and then relish in seeing other people "like" what they have said. They are gratified when others "share" their words or images, as they make fun of others. This is NOT what social media is for.
An other issue I have noticed is that with any written communication, emails, text messages, even classic letters, it is very easy to misunderstand someone. With written words, you don't see non-verbal cues, there is no tone of voice and CAPITALS don't always mean you ARE YELLING ! Having to add "lol" or a smiley face at the end of each message, just to make sure you're not offending anyone is common practice. I have seen so many posts or status or comments escalate so fast because people misunderstand what is being said. Sometimes, they just read it too fast and comment even faster. Sometimes, the original poster isn't very clear in what they are saying. Misunderstandings happen, a lot.
If you like sharing every single detail of your life online, good for you. Although, Criminal Minds did have an episode about how dangerous that is. There are so many predators out there, it's scary to even think about it. Social media has just given them a bigger hunting ground. Even with the tightest of security features there are still loop-holes. They can still infiltrate your inbox. Of course, so many of them are big bad wolves but are disguised as little sheep, that sometimes we even invite them in without knowing. Prudence is key. Be vigilant. Be wise. Don't give them any information.
Social Media also lets you be someone you are not. I am choosing to reveal who I really am on this blog, but the flip side of that is that it also allows some to be who they are not. I don't mean identity theft, although that is a cyber problem. I mean creating a whole new person, having multiple accounts and pretending to be someone else, real or created. Why is that a bad thing? Because you are not being true to yourself and to others. Some do it to spy on people or even to start up trouble. Also, this opens up more doors for bad or even criminal behaviors. There is no need to scam people or to trick them into doing things, buying things or believing things that are not true. Be yourself. Be true.
Social Media is a distraction, a distraction from the real world. "I should study for my exam, I'll just check my Facebook first." or "Just a minute sweetie, mama is just checking Pinterest for ideas" or even "Hold on, let me take a picture, so I can put it on Instagram." It doesn't matter what age you are, what you do for a living or how much data you have on your phone plan. Once you give in to social media, it is addicting and it will distract you from your friends, family and even your pets! When you are looking at your screen, you are not looking at them. Don't let yourself be a victim of social media or even better, don't let social media be a priority over your family.
Of course, those are just 5 problems with social media. There are many more. I am sure that there are maybe some bigger ones that I may have missed or didn't even think of. Feel free to share your thought on these or others I may have overlooked. That's what social media is for !
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