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Social Media

Social media can be used in such a powerful and helpful way, if appropriate.  However, the cruel people that like to use social media as a way to mess with peoples lives for their own entertainment, give it a bad image.  Cyber bullying is such a serious issue with social media.  It can ruin someone's life and potentially end it.  There are people out there that their only joy in life is to start drama with other people's lives.  And then there are people who use social media to stay in communication with friends and family, watch videos/memes, share opinions with their friends, etc.


I've always tried to stay out of drama as much as possible and that includes on the internet as well.  I stick to the same crowd that I trust and I don't but into anyone else's business that isn't about me.  With that said, social media has been pretty good to me.  I use it everyday and I enjoy it very much.  I may be on it a little too much.  I can get very distracted by it when I should either be focusing on my job, my homework or getting errands done.  I try to cut back as much as possible when I have more important things to do.  I also cut back by not putting too much of my information out on the internet.  There are some people who post their every move on Facebook.  This can be very dangerous.


Social media enhances the relationships I have in my life.  I could probably speak for a lot of people my age when I say that I don't pick up the phone to call my grandparents or long distant family members, as much as I should.  However, when I'm on social media and I see something they have posted, it's so quick and easy to send them a short message that says that I'm thinking about them.  Otherwise, they probably wouldn't hear from me very much.  There are people that I communicate with on social media everyday!  I know what they have been doing with their day and I know what's been going on with their lives.  We don't even have to be together to be in a close relationship which is helpful when we all have very busy lives. 


How can we ensure that social media will serve as a force that improves interpersonal human communications as opposed to something that is shallow or used to harm people?
When I read this question, it reminded me of the gun control controversy.  How can we be sure that people with guns will use them for good opposed to using them to harm people?  My answer is that it's the person behind the gun.  Same as, it's the person behind the computer.  I'm not sure if we're ever going to be able to eliminate harmful usage of social media.  We can band people, block people, use restrictions but it won't fully do away with the people that take advantage of social media.  There's always another way around it. 

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