For sometime now Social Media has swept the world over the past decade. Social media is an interaction thru Internet based applications, which allows users to create and transfer content.

Some popular types of platforms that are widely used today are blogging, chatrooms, youtube (video site) networking such as facebook twitter and instagram, which allows communicating and the sharing of information.
Social media has now become a way were people and organizations share opinions, ideas and information.

Social Media allows one to interact with a large amount of people, from the same city, country, continent and ever world wide. Being able to express and share your beliefs with people who are into the same things you are which results in more opinions and more feedback then just speaking with friends and family.

Education Institutes cannot only reach out to current students that attend the school right now, but they can reach out to potential students who have applied and alumni students too.

The most popular used social media platforms today among education are Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.
Institutes can use facebook to send out messages via message boards to inform students of information that they may find useful, like for example popularizing an event, encouraging participation and provides interaction with other students. Another useful aspect of Facebook is cost free promotion, virtual groups with students and feedback from teachers. Also an alumni group to keep graduates in contact with other classmates after leaving the institute.

Twitter is another very popular way to communicate within a school. Academic institutes have been using twitter to micro blog to update students and teachers with the latest announcements, sharing of important discussions to keep up to date, and also a hub to important resources/ articles/information posted on the platform.

One of the most useful and helpful function of a social media platform is the fact that these platforms can not just be accessed from on campus but, you can access them from your home and even your mobile devices or tablet making it very convenient. Social media makes researching a very easy task, which is good but can also be bad as well. The good thing about being able to research a topic fast is that you can save a lot of time doing this but when it is time to do an actual research report or an assignments it may put one into the bad habits of skimming and scamming, meaning you are not reading through the information thoroughly.

Social Media revolves around our daily lives some can’t even go a day without logging on. Social networking has become a normal thing; the real reason or idea behind social media is being in better contact with family and friends artist, actors, actresses or product even to connect with new friends. Social Media has contributed as a positive role on today’s society but it has contributed to negative aspects as well.
When we relate Social media and negative together the most common result is excessive use, one that is addicted to using social media sites to the point where their normal daily activities no longer become important to them.

Being addicted to social networking sites are like being addicted to cigarettes or alcohol, self-control was harder in social media to stay off of.
Research have also found that excessive use can cause anxiety, sleep deprivation and depression have been linked to people who spend too much time online.

Most of us cant even go one hour without checking status updates or photos which can distract us from what’s really important, instead of putting that attention into family and school work we’re online, Social media is here for us to learn and grow but we have took the context out of it.

Quite often in social settings you have people who are there but not there mentally because they’re too busy into their phone, which is bad manner. Putting down our phones and having a real social conversation is a real task these days, Social media without a doubt has changed the way we communicate.

Another negative thing about social media sites are that predators can pose as whomever they want and talk to whomever they wish to. If ones profile is not private or protected they can read through your profile and find out personal stuff that you may have posted for your friends and family, and save pictures of you from your photo albums. These predators can potentially build a connection with you which can be very dangerous especially if you’re the type to post your where about or your future plans, young people need to be made aware of these actions and to be very careful and smart about it is they’re putting out for the world to read.

We often communicate by using abbreviations or slang when using Social platforms which is not always appropriate for every setting for example professional emails at work or writing papers for Uni sometimes you may become self conscious of what you’re typing because so much time is spent on social media sites typing this way it becomes apart of your daily routine. Because we use Social media sites so often we then become unaware of when we are not using the proper grammar at the right time and place.

Although Social Media sites have their negative aspects, they also come with positive outcomes as well. As long, as you do not misuse them or abuse them.
Social media today has played a large role in teaching children literacy. Children that start using social media sites have been known to develop communication skills and become more literate from the wide amount of information available online. Children can learn on their own whether it’s simple or complex just as long as their parents are monitoring them as they go along.

Social media platforms have made interaction with others broad that even if you’re not in the same city or continent you can still remain close, intimate on a regular basis then before because of the space and time restrictions, now people can keep connected effortlessly at any time or day.

Another important source to getting updated with the news is through Social media, news channels tweet or give live updates on what is happening around the world which makes news easily accessible, you’re being informed quickly and able to pass the message along the network to inform friends and family who have not yet got the news updates.

Other organizations that one may use like travel, local transportation, airlines may keep you up to date with what is going on within their company like delays, strikes etc by updating live onto a platform that your may follow, this way a lot of time, money and hassle is saved.

Throughout my research I found that suicide is something that occurs worldwide every year involving social media and students when reading about it I found that this is sucha serious issue with in schools among young people I thought I would share some information on what really goes on in their world and databases they use to contact each other inform each other about their doings.
Prosuicide websites provide factual information on suicide with chatrooms informing host on how to commit suicide.
Cyber bulling and cyber harassment are some examples of why people choose to commit suicide from their online experiences.
Some examples of cyber bulling would be when one is being targeted by another person in the form of threats or being embarrassed thru a platform such as networking sites or instant messenger.

Cyber suicide pacts are developed among strangers through the use of chatrooms, these chatrooms are not mediated to share their feelings with other like-minded individuals, a place that makes it easier than talking in person. With the Internet providing a wide range for people to obtain knowledge on how to commit suicide in description even in the form of video.
These groups may even be influencing weak mined people to commit suicide. Pressuring and encouraging one to idolize people who have completed a suicide attempt, which may reduce the fear of people whom maybe adamant about going thru with the procedure of committing suicide.

Suicidal people also using social media platforms to leave their suicidal notes that are instantly shared publically may also have the effect of influencing weak mined people who come into contact with the notes.
Any social media platform may not be a good place for a weak mined person because a risk maybe presented publically which may result in them harming themselves.
Prosuicide sites may inform a new risk to someone who may not have had any idea of these potential hazards.

REF

Business2community.com(2010-2013) The Benefits Of Social Media In Higher Education. Available at: http://www.business2community.com/social-media/the-benefits-of-social-media-for-higher-education-0445218 (Accessed: 6 November 2013)

ajph.aphapublications.org Social Media and suicide: a public health perspective. Available at: http://ajph.aphapublications.org/doi/pdf/10.2105/AJPH.2011.300608 (Accessed: 7 November 2013)

Academicimpressions.com (2009) Managing the risk Of Social Media. Available at: http://www.academicimpressions.com/news/managing-risks-social-media (Accessed: 7 November 2013)

wise-qatar.org(2013) How effective is Learning Through Social Media Available at: http://www.wise-qatar.org/content/how-effective-learning-through-social-media (Accessed 13th November 2013)

themoose.no(2013) The negative impact of social media on our lives Available at: http://themoose.no/2013/05/08/the-negative-impact-of-social-media-on-our-lives/ (Accessed 7 November 2013)