The Effects of Social Media Marilyn Monroe COM/156 1/9/2015 Daniel Lindley

Over the years many have taken advantage of social media’s wonderful ability to connect them to friends and family, grow their businesses and entertain them. However, many people have been exposed to violence and heinous acts without warning. There have even been reports of child molestation streaming live on a popular social site. Social media has definitely had an effect on many. “This raises a question for all” has social media been a blessing or a curse? Social media is used by many people all around the world day in and day out. Its fascinating ability to put the world at ones finger tips can be addictive for some, but for others it can be a disaster. Social media can be accessed by adults and children alike. People of all ages, races and walks of life frequent popular site like Facebook, Youtube, Twitter and Instagram. Some political and religious leaders are also a part of the phenomenon. Although social media is not meant to cause pain in anyone’s life, it has had some negative effects on the public. Social media has had a negative effect on many children and teens. Social media exposes children and teen to violence and sexual content. Cyber-bullying is also a problem for many kids of all ages. Social media has put a lot of children in danger and ruined the lives of some. Social media has been used maliciously and even cause some young people to turn to suicide costing them their life. In many cases these malicious acts start out as jokes.
Information can be shared to social media with malicious intent and cost someone their job or even their family. In many cases some individuals have lost everything including their life. There are many downsides to social media one of the downsides is the user shares too much information which my pose a threat to them. Even with the tight security settings personal information can still be leaked. (techbead.com)
The downsides of social media are prevalent. Social medial has unwillingly played a part in exposing the world to terrorist activity and demands via video. Social media allows Terrorist access that enables them to upload beheadings and other brutal acts for the world to see. These horrible acts can be viewed by anyone including children. Viewing these images can be life changing for some. Unfortunately there are some individuals that find these horrific acts entertaining.
Because some viewers find the content in these videos to be amusing they share what they believe is something worth observing with others. Some of the most extreme footage is viewed so much it goes viral. This is unfortunate for the families that are involves, because their pain is magnified by the amount of views. Although the viewers are not trying to inflict harm they are without intention still a part of the problem.
Social media creators such as Mark Zuckerberg have invested some of their earnings into online security systems and filters to help block inappropriate content and protect personal information; unfortunately it has not been totally effective. There are many dilemmas that barricade the productivity of an effective security system. Hacking is a common threat to all software. As long as there are individuals that have the intent and the means to disrupt what is viewed every effort to ensure safety will be countered. Most of the inappropriate content that is uploaded is done by people without ill intent, but it still violates the security of others.
Although social media has its downsides it also has its perks. One of those perks is advertising businesses. Many businesses are using social media as a main platform for advertising. Shopping online has been a part of our culture for some time now, but now you can view the most liked item, see friends and shop at the same time. Online shopping consisted of an individual logging on to a particular site and view merchandise for purchase. Social media keeps you connected to your favor stores and vendors. With the ability to post comments and display information and products in real time continuously. The merchant and the consumer stay connected.
Many small and online businesses are thriving because of social media. If a business is based online it saves cost on overhead. Even if the business is not strictly online based, taking advantage of social media also allows them the ability to connect to consumers around the globe. Although social media is great in these aspects it can also be a distraction. Because of the constant streaming post by friends and merchants many individuals get distracted from their jobs and task causing decreased productivity. (smallbusinesses.chron.com)
While being productive is very important in our daily lives staying connected to friends and family can also be productive and fulfilling. Social media is probably the best tool for staying in touch with loved ones and friends. Having a distant relative can be hard, staying in touch with them can be more of a challenge. Cell phones and landlines are great for communicating with friends and family, but with social media you have the ability to share and see what’s going on with loved ones, view pictures, and videos without having a conversation, although having a good old fashion conversation is still the best line of communication.
Social media is said to be a great way to find distant family members and locate old friends. Social media is also a great way to meet new people. Social dating sites like “Black People Meet” and “Christians Meet” connect individuals that have similar interest. Many successful relationships have resulted from social dating sites such as these. Less restricted or controlled sites have also connected old and new flames. Many individuals take the initiative to inbox someone they are interested in on Facebook or direct message them on Instagram and some of the results have be good.
Meeting new people can be fun and exciting; however it can also be dangerous. Social sites are great in many ways, but they can also be a hiding ground for predators. Predators can use social media sites to hide behind a fabricated profile to lure in unsuspecting people to cause them harm. Children are more at risk because of their immaturity and gullibility. The risk can be greater for children than adults.
Adults and children should be careful when meeting people online because of the danger it can cause. Children with access to social media sites should be monitored by an adult. Most social media sites are for adults eighteen and older, but many sites have been imposed upon by children that put in counterfactual information to outwit the entity. Most social sites never caught this misinformation or put much effort into trying to minimize it.
Because social media has gained so much popularity its faults are not approached with much concern or critique. Political and religious leaders take advantage of social media even though it has become one of the main sources that cause much controversy in the world. Despite the fact that social media spreads mixed messages and ruins thousands of lives political and religious leaders still use it to spread their own message and gain supporters.
Entertainers utilize social media just as merchants, Politian’s and religious leaders do, to gain supporters and draw attention to their brand. Most of what is viewed on social media is either entertaining or informative in some way. What may be considered frivolous to one viewer may be considered relevant to another. This is why it is so hard to regulate the content that is being uploaded and viewed.
One of the most valuable assets of social media is the its ability to spread informative and entertaining news around the world. CNN is great for reporting global news, but social sites like Facebook can connect you to friends in different countries and allow you to view or read about what is taking place where they are. Social media is so influential many news stations report stories they obtained from popular sites.
Despite the negative and the positive effects of social media, it is defiantly here to stay. Discontinuing use of social media is the only way to minimize it effects. More and more users are signing up and becoming a part of popular sites eager to take advantage of all its fringe benefits. Some will abuse the privilege and some will utilize its true purpose; to connect individuals to what interest them. Regardless of your personal interest, social media should be used with caution and respect for others.

REFRENCE
Techbead.com, smallbusiness.com, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Youtube, Daniel Lindley, Plagiarism checker, American Psychological Association, Write Point, American Psychological Association Blog, Plagiarism Checker, Dictionary.com