The good and bad of social networks

We review the positive and negative aspects of the regular use of social networks.

The Internet and social networks have changed the way we relate to each other, both positively and negatively. in both positive and negative ways. One of the most important and basic human needs for well-being is to be able to have contact with other people, to relate to others and thus feel that we belong to a group.

What we have to be very clear about is that the way we communicate has changed significantly. We could say that the two most outstanding characteristics of today's social interaction are immediacy and accessibility. Due to the Internet and instant messaging applications, we have gained a very valuable element for our day-to-day life: time. Thanks to the Internet, communication has become easy, simple and direct.

Next, we are going to see the main positive and negative points that social networks generate in how we relate to others in how we relate to others:

Advantages and disadvantages of social networks

The arrival of the Internet in our lives has meant a brutal change in many facets of our daily lives. In how we shop, when we study, in our leisure time, in how we inform ourselves, but also in the way we relate to others.

Although even today interrelationships between people are still more valued in the face-to-face aspect, online relationships are affecting the bonds we establish with others. are affecting the bonds we establish with other people. let's look at the good and the bad that this type of relationship offers.

On the positive side

These are the main advantages of social networks.

1. Establish new relationships

It is common that embarrassment and shyness, lack of time, or maybe even laziness due to the initial effort involved in starting a new social relationship, are some of the reasons that can lead us to track and find other like-minded people through social networks. You can make an excellent connection with another person, and this virtual relationship will usually usually this virtual relationship will turn into a face-to-face relationship, from 2.0 to 2.0.and you move from 2.0 to 1.0.

2. Keeping in touch with existing relationships

Nowadays, thanks to social networks we can keep abreast of what friends, family and acquaintances are doing. It is a simple and very easy way to know about others and to share our moments with others through social networks.

3. Reconnect with friends

By means of the search engines that social networks provide us with we can recover some old friendships that one day may have been lost along the road of life..

We would be able to say then that today the tools provided by the Internet (social networks, e-mail, chats and all the applications) have managed to promote and consolidate the interrelationships of people:

• Those that already existed.
• Those that have just begun.
• The future ones.

On the negative side

Among the disadvantages of social networks we find the following.

1. They can isolate us

The paradox is that social networks allow us to communicate at any time of the day with anyone, even if they are far away from us, but on the other hand they can also isolate us from the person next to us. It brings you closer to the one who is far away, and distances you from the one who is near..

Therefore, we do not recommend using social networks in situations where we should be interacting with the people next to us.

2. They deceive us

We have to take into account that you can find fake and/or lying profiles.

3. Facilitates the cowardice of bad people

Occasionally you may find that there are anonymous profiles where bad people hide to insult, criticize, belittle and humiliate. These toxic people express and spread their envy and frustrations. They don't empathize, ignoring the damage they can do.. It is true that social networks can facilitate this type of behavior because they feel protected, something they would not do face to face.

4. Facilitates unhealthy self-esteem

As we well know in psychology on the subject of self-esteem the most vulnerable are adolescents, social networks can facilitate this type of behavior. can foster the misconception that depending on the number of followers and "likes" I should feel more or less valued. I should feel more or less valued.

5. Impulsivity

They encourage too much impulsivity and therefore too little patience in the face of uncertainty.

6. Lack of prudence

You can say more easily what you would not do in person. In addition, there is the disadvantage of a lack of prudence, there is the disadvantage of a lack of nuance in non-verbal language..

7. They are addictive

Due to their attractiveness and speed, they can become addictive.

8. They facilitate intimidation and harassment

Toxic, aggressive, envious people, bad people in short thanks to the anonymity can harass and harm more easily..

Conclusion

As we have seen throughout this article, not everything is bad. The positive side of new technologies would be how they can help us solve problems and find people, for example.for example.

I therefore recommend that you do not avoid social media, as you may not benefit from the feedback and support that comes from sharing posts online. On the other hand, remember, if you are a parent, that according to the American Psychological Association, when parents behave as if they fear the Internet and social media, they may convey the message to children that the world is a place to be afraid of.