With
the rapid advancement in technology in today’s era, the world of journalism is
also revolutionized. Earlier only print media was available but nowadays
various forms of media have been launched. One such latest form of electronic
media is “Social Media”.
Social
media is a computer-based technology meant to increase the interaction of
people within seconds. It is getting a lot of attention nowadays and is all
because of its ease of use. The various popular sites include Facebook,
Twitter, Snapchat, Instagram, etc. While one has to wait for a newspaper or a
magazine to be published after, a stipulated time, social media allows people
to interact with others in just seconds.
However,
for the first time when a social media site came into recognition was in the
year 1997. The name of the first such site was “Six Degrees” that
enabled users to upload a profile and make friends. In the year 1999, the
culture of blogging sites came into existence, which is a popular one today.
After the introduction of the concept of blogging sites in the market, social
media got a tremendous boon. Sites like MySpace and LinkedIn came into
view and gained a lot of popularity; YouTube came out in the year 2005
and it completely redefined the manner in which people interact with one
another. Some popular social sites such as Facebook, Twitter, Pintrest,
Tumblr, etc. were launched after
2006 and since then these sites are ruling the market.
The
concept of social media is that it enables the people to interact with others
in just seconds ,share their thoughts and views with a large number of people
without any physical interaction with them , share photos ,videos ,etc. with
others , communicate with their favorite celebrities , follow their lifestyle
and get latest updates about what’s going on in the world. It can be attributed
as the fastest form of communication in which a large amount of information can
be passed on from one place to another, which can be miles apart in just few
seconds. It helps people to make friends online and chat with them, follow
others and interact with them. The Government Offices are also available online
which enable common masses to directly communicate with the authorities and
there are numerous instances where the ministries have got themselves involved
in the problem solving of the common people. Live chat sessions are organized
by the government officials to enable people to interact with them and get
solutions to their problems. The various policies of the government are drives
organized in the welfare of public are also launched online to maximize the
audience. The celebrities also nowadays conduct live sessions to increase
interaction with their followers, which acts as a treat for them. Various
teachers are also providing online interaction through social media sites to
their students to aid them in solving their problems. The various colleges and
universities are also available for interaction with the students, numerous
exam updates are also released on social sites. A large number of companies
allow their customers to interact with them and share their problems online,
the discount coupons and numerous other offers are also published by them
online for customers’ benefit.
“Every rose has its thorn
Just like every night has its dawn”
Above
lines perfectly fit the scenario, which is created by these social sites.
Despite having numerous benefits social sites also have some cons. These cons
are not limited to only a particular sphere but it is diverse. Due to the
various facilities and features provided by the social sites, people and
especially teenagers are drifting towards using these sites in a way that is
much harmful. Continuously using these sites requires one to remain in front of
the computer or mobile screen which is causing a widespread increase in the
problems and diseases which can even lead to partial or permanent vision
damage. Many cases have been reported so far highlighting the problem of blindness
caused due to continuous use of social media. It is a platform, which provides
the facility to communicate with others without any physical interaction, which
is causing problems because people tend to say those things while typing which
is not possible while having some facial interaction. Continuous use of these
sites and posting or updating personal information to a large audience also
causes widespread conflicts in the personal life. Children who are underage are
also using these sites and the some prohibited content is viewed by them, which
inculcates lac of senility and increases stubbornness in their behavior. It
also causes a drift from the studies of students. Addiction of social media is
a growing concern for today’s society and its victim is generally the
teenagers. Cyber bullying and Cyber crime cases are increasing rapidly day by
day and the victims are generally the teenagers and especially girls. According
to a report, there are over 15000 cases of cyber crime registered in India in
the year 2016 alone. Due to these, many people are also committing suicide. A
recent study suggests that continuous use of social media is increasing the
suicidal tendency among the people.
Although,
there are many benefits and uses of social media but its cons cannot be
overlooked. These sites are gaining popularity but at the cost of our valuable
time which is meant for our family, friends, relatives and also studies.
Virtual world although increases our interaction with others but real world is
much more beautiful. One should no doubt use the technology but in a limited
way otherwise the consequences could be very hazardous.
