I need help in MLA style ESSAY
8
Dangersof Social Media
The world has been evolving in a very swift rate. In just a matter of years modernization has reached countries with leading economies to even those that have limited means of communication or travelling. The last years of the 20th century and the start of the 21st century can be considered to be one of the most evolving eras of human kind. Technology and urbanization have just rocketed to the top, capitalism and profitability have become a priority over other thing and communication or travelling have become faster and easier. One of the main components responsible for all these changes is the computer and the internet, which has slowly paved ways of new online platforms like the Social Media. This innovation has replaced many different things has completely changed the lifestyle of people around the world. Businessman use social media to communicate with other personals, instead of travelling or one to one interacting with them. Online university programs have been created with the help of online video or audio calls, so students don’t need to be present in the class rooms during lectures for attending classes. This essay will talk about the negative and positive effects of social media on kids and adults, especially in the United Arab Emirates. The essay is opinioned, however to prevent bias, I have used sources from scholarly article to support my arguments about social media. The thesis statement for this essay is, Social media is very harmful for kids in UAE because kids get addicted to it easily and it can possess serious safety risks.
The computers were introduced initially in the 20th century for multiple reason, like the Enigma was used to encrypt the messages being sent by the German naval force during the World War 2. Moreover, the computer was also designed to help scientists with quick calculations and results. It is with time that new companies like the Apple and Microsoft, introduced new ways of using the computer. It was never used to be a tool of communication, however things changed further when the interned was established. Like, the computer, it was also very different to what it is today. The internet was used an alternate to phones, as the scientists tended to transfer their results to other places quickly by using it. The next stage was when smartphones were introduced and revolutionized the internet. Everything became portable, from getting information, to communication. Social Media was one of the main innovations during this time and it today, it can be considered to be one of the most influential and important inventions in human history. People of today, from kids to adults always have a phone with themselves, especially in developed and modernized countries like the United States of America, England and United Arab Emirates. Social Media is used by people in these countries in many different forms. YouTube is one of the most profitable and used component of social media today as it allows people, or companies to create and share their content online freely in forms of videos or audios. Instagram and Snapchat are used to allow people to share their memories in forms of photos and videos with other people. However, when it comes to socialism in the 21st century, Facebook can be considered to be the giant that started it all. It can be used for all the above-mentioned functions. So, in an aerial perspective, it can be said that all these applications have made communication very easy.
Other than fast communication, there are many other advantages of social media too. If one is running a company or wants to spread a message, social media is the perfect platform as it helps in reaching a larger audience for content creators. According to “
Pew Research Center
”, these are the percentages of U.S. adults that use social media sites online or on mobile:
· YouTube: 73%, Facebook: 68%, Instagram: 35%, Pinterest: 29%, Snapchat: 27%, LinkedIn: 25%, Twitter: 24% (Anderson)
These numbers are huge. Moreover, there are approximately more than seven billion people in the world, and more than half of them are somehow wired to the internet and have access to the online world. This means social media platforms are used by one-in-three people in the world, and more than two-thirds of all internet users. Facebook, itself has more than two billion users around the world.
Because of a larger audience, there are better business opportunities for the people. Another positive aspect of the targeted media is that there is a direct connection with the people or the audience. Unlike, on television and radio, companies and content creators are not given instant feedback, which can prove to be counterproductive as the delayed response of the audience towards the content can mislead the creators. (Boyd and the other name) Social media applications have options like liking, disliking, commenting or reporting which makes the content creator aware of how and what the audience wants to see. Another advantage of social media from a business stand point is that, there are no limitations or barriers. Anyone can use it to earn money, record memories and inform people, irrespective of the wealth, budget or age. In social media, one has an option to create his own brand, free of cost and if that brand reaches a certain amount of audience, advertising companies proved profits too.
Moreover, Social Media has also promoted reliability and validity of information in a way. Television or radio channels, barely mention the sources of information that they are showing or telling the audience. Furthermore, there is also a level of bias that can be considered in news channels due to the policies related to politics. Many key informative news stories are also not shown due to censorship or the above-mentioned reason, social media however is clear of all these limitations. It clearly shows the things that are happening behind the scenes, and allows the audience to create their own perception on something instead forcing them to make their decisions. One of the main advantages, that I have analyzed myself that specially for the children, social media can be considered to be a platform to enter practical life in an early age. Before social media, there was no way that the society allowed or the children themselves were capable of becoming a helping or earning hand in the family. However, now, there are many content creators on YouTube that have gathered a large audience and they are still at a very young age. (O’Keeffe and Schurgin) The highest-earning YouTube star in the world is an 8-year-old kid who makes millions reviewing toys online. Ryan Kaji, of YouTube’s Ryan Toys Review, generated $22 million in revenue in a single year from his YouTube fame, according to Forbes in its latest report on YouTuber earnings.
It would be irresponsible and disinforming of me, if I don’t talk about the disadvantages of the social media on the children and adult. One of the main disadvantages of social media is that it is a big distractor from focusing on everyday task like, studying or doing office work. People, especially children are attracted to something that they find entertaining, it can range from a photo of their friend to an entire online movie on YouTube. (Conley and Dalton) Moreover, initially it was a long process of turning on the television and browse to decide what people really want to see. Turning on the television or radio while studying can be avoided, however smart phones have made this unavoidable, as people are just a few click away from trying to find what they want. Moreover, the internet suggests other interesting and similar recommendations, and the person is than constantly trapped inside a loop. Social media also allows people to get information in the form or spamming and stalking, which in many countries can be considered to be a legal offense. It has allowed people to invade other people’s privacy by using their photos, location, content or videos without permission. Hence, it wouldn’t be an over statement to say that social media can be considered to be a risk at personal security.
If we talk specifically about children, there are some other disadvantages too. Social Media can be considered to be a web of information and it is hard to filter the information that is appropriate for children. Social Media has no barriers or limitations when it comes to the use of language, and nor is it regulated by any single body specially in countries like the United Arab Emirates. However, there are some limitations set like the topics of religion and LGBTQ are considered to be very sensitive, hence they are regulated thoroughly on the internet. Inappropriate content like porn is easily assessable for children due to social media. The latter is also responsible for the new wave of cybercrime. Cybercrimes can be defined as: “Offences that are committed against individuals or groups of individuals with a criminal motive to intentionally harm the reputation of the victim or cause physical or mental harm, or loss, to the victim directly or indirectly, using modern telecommunication networks such as Internet (networks including chat rooms, emails, notice boards and groups) and mobile phones (Bluetooth/SMS/MMS)”. (Halder & Jaishankar, 2011) Cybercrime has many other branches like cyberbullying which has become a reason for the death of many people through suicide, as social media has given people a free platform to be abusive, judgmental, hurtful and rude towards others with little empathy. Approximately 34% of students report experiencing cyberbullying during their lifetime (Hinduja & Patchin, 2015). Over 60% of students who experience cyberbullying reported that it immensely impacted their ability to learn and feel safe while at school (Hinduja, 2018). 59% of U.S. teens have been bullied or harassed online, and over 90% believe it’s a major problem for people their age (Andersen, 2018)
There are also many other disadvantages like the increase of communication on social media that has led to the decrease in one on one communication. This can prove to be counterproductive for the children as they stop going out with their friends, to enjoy outings and play outdoor games. Not only does this make them inactive, but it is also bad for their confidence, as isolation prevents them from interacting and making friends with new people. This also proves to be counterproductive for them, as one’s identity and self-image is usually based on the perception of other, however, in this case, social media doesn’t usually give an authentic expression or reaction of people, as everything from videos to comments are planned. This can also lead to further laziness as children stop wanting to go out and face the practical world. Another disadvantage that is related to both the adults and children. Social Media has affected the closeness of family members as people tend to communicate with them through social media means, instead of visiting each other. Dining table talks, and productive discussions with parents have also become very rare, as not only the children, but the adults of the family are busy using their smart phones and browsing through the internet. If I give an example out of my own life, when I am watching a movie with my family, my attention is usually on my phone instead of the movie.
After analyzing, both the advantages and disadvantages of social media, it wouldn’t be an overstatement to say that the cons of the essay are much more highlighted than the pros. The advantages of social media are mainly for the people who want to create a career in it like advertisers or YouTube creators, for the rest of the users of the targeted media, easy way of communication is one of the only main reasons and purpose for the expansion of social media. For children, it gives them a platform for getting quick information from around the world, however, after looking at the stats mentioned about cyberbullying, I would consider the evolutionary changes of social media to be more counterproductive than being productive. Hence, I would consider my thesis to be proven right after evaluating the content of my research.
Work Cited
Anderson, Monica. “A majority of teens have experienced some form of cyberbullying.” 2018.
Boyd, Danah. It’s Complicated: The Social Lives of Networked Teens. New Haven: Yale University Press, 2015.
Conley, Dalton. “Wired for Distraction: Kids and Social Media.” Time19 March 2011. time.com. 2 March 2020
Dossey, Larry. “FOMO, Digital Dementia, and Our Dangerous Experiment.” Explorations (2014): 69-73.
Halder, D. and Jaishankar, K. Cybercrime and the Victimization of Women: Laws, Rights, and Regulations. (2011)
Hinduja, Sameer, and Justin W. Patchin. “Cyberbullying fact sheet: Identification, prevention, and response.” Cyberbullying Research Center. Retrieved January 30 (2010): 2011.
Hinduja, Sameer. “Theory and policy in online privacy.” Knowledge, Technology & Policy 17.1 (2004): 38-58.
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