Role of Social Media in Modern Times - Essay Example

Social Media Social media plays a crucial role in modern times, especially with the availability of online social networking sites, and it is important to recognize the role of it in everyday life for students, corporations and even between friends and family. Social media plays a significant role in the society by facilitating connectivity among friends, both over short and long distances. Social networking assists in maintaining contact with associates over long distances through cheap means as opposed to costly calling every individual.

Similarly, social media enhances the potential of making friends and meeting new personalities based on ones interests. This is a key aspect of networking as it allows the sharing of ideas and learnt concepts for the betterment of the society. Social networking has been demonstrated to overlap with academic life in that it creates an opportunity to generate events related to coursework. As such, various stakeholders get to meet and discuss different issues regarding in line with assignments while offering a first-hand interaction with instructors.

This serves to revolutionize the learning experience by providing ample support systems in the education sector, which works to improve its quality. Other than keeping in touch with friends, making new ones, and sharing ideas, social networking sites serve as a source of entertainment especially with the integration of online gaming communities. Moreover, social media provides information on the latest occurrences in sports and showbiz through feeds to local news channels. The world’s economy is a significant beneficiary of social media owing to massive marketing strategies employed to capture the attention of users.

Social networking in marketing allows organizations to cut back on their costs of advertising and reaching out to potential clients and even reaching new markets. This is because with a tight or non-existent budget whatsoever for marketing, an organization can wage an all-out war on marketing through social networks since it is mostly free. In addition, the rise of social media sites has seen potential employers tear through the sites in search of information on their potential employees. Search engine and social networking sites provide a cheap model for background research where funds can be saved while getting the work done.

Social networks also create an efficient platform on which college graduates can market themselves through professional networks. In spite of the positive aspects of social media, lack of moderation often results in a disruption and deviation from the traditional interactions in the society. Most affected are young adults who are inclined to emerging technologies and thus are at risk of reduced real life contact. This affects ones communication skills, which have been demonstrated to diminish, based on the level of dependence on social media.

With addiction being a common occurrence with social networking, most people find themselves procrastinating assigned tasks leading to loss in productivity (Jung, nd). In line with this, more time is spent on social media rather than working, learning, or executing their duties. The overall effect hurts the global economy with declining performance owing to multitasking, which acts as a distraction. In conclusion, while social media serves to establish friendship circles, there are numerous cases of cyber bullying among users (Koikai, 2013).

This is aided by the ability to maintain anonymity and use of falsified personal information. As a result, social media has become a lair of sorts that preys on the vulnerable with most affected being varying in age. Social media opens new horizons on human interactions there exists the need for moderation to maintain a safe environment. References Koikai, E (2013). The Negative Impact of Social Media on our lives. The Moose. Retrieved from http://themoose.no/2013/05/08/the-negative-impact-of-social-media-on-our-lives/ Jung, B (n.d). The Negative Effect of Social Media on Society and Individuals. Chron. Retrieved from http://smallbusiness.chron.com/negative-effect-social-media-society-individuals-27617.html