Lia Clark

Ms. Pettay
ENG 112 2B
23 March 2016
Social Networking: Is It A Bad Thing?
There are about 500 million tweets ("Twitter Usage Statistics."), 55 million FaceBook
posts ("Top 20 Facebook Statistics), 387 million Instagram uploads, and 700 million pictures
sent through Snapchat every day (Morrison 2015). There are 30 million active small business
members on FaceBook and Twitter. 52% of US girls and 31% of US boys use Snapchat on a
regular basis. These statistics clearly prove that social networking has become an important part
of most American lives. The question is has society let it go too far? Is social media actually a
disadvantage for its users? With networking and connections becoming increasingly essential,
these questions are more important to answer today than theyve ever been before.
People who support the extensive use of social network sites believe it to be a medium to
stay connected with friends and family. The medium helps family members who live far apart or
friends who do not see each other regularly to keep in touch and stay connected (ProCon.org).
Teenagers who support social media also say that it helps improve their friendships and create
new ones. The site allows for people to meet others, or even start dating. A large portion of
marriages start online through dating website and even FaceBook(ProCon.org). When distance
causes problems, social media fills the gap. Along with improving relationships, social
networking has increased not only the amount of information available, but the speed at which it
is accessed. Proponents of networking argue that information is more widely spread than ever
before, keeping the public informed and engaged (ProCon.org). Social sites, like Twitter and

FaceBook, promote political information as well as breaking news. Sites like YouTube and
Pinterest teach users how to do certain activities, introduce new hobbies, and inform users on
certain topics. Personally, it has helped me stay connected with family members and friends that
live across the globe. I have also learned multiple skills from YouTube and Pinterest, such as
how to change my brake pads and how to crochet. With a large scope of benefits from social
networking, it can be hard to see any disadvantages it may present.
People who see more harm than good in social media say that sites have caused more
disconnect in users lives. Users have become more concerned with how many likes their photo
has, or retweets theyve received, than their true personal connections. This, I have to agree with.
Society is more often online than they are anything else. This overuse causes stress and strain in
certain areas of life. Teenagers, being the main age group to use social media, have shown
increases in ADHD, social anxiety or awkwardness, and depression compared to past generations
(ProCon.org). Fast wide spread media and information has reduced attention spans and
increased impatience. Opponents of social networking also believe that this spread of media can
be false information(ProCon.org). A growing portion of information passed along from web
browser to social media user is exaggerated, completely untrue, or biased. Often times businesses
and politicians will stretch the truth in order to sell a product or deter the favoring of another
candidate. However, the bad may not always outweigh the good. For example, social networking
is used to create better communication between host church and church plants, making the
missions field more widespread. While social mediums have helped me stay connected with
family, and help my church spread the word of God, I have to stand firmly as I see a lack of
communication, more introvertedness in teenagers, more social awkwardness in the community,
and skewed information all over social media. The faster technology advances the faster this

information spreads, and the faster disconnection becomes more popular. Social networking,
specifically network sites purely used recreationally, has caused more disconnection and
disadvantages for societies and users.
Even though there are differences that separate the two groups, they share certain values
that can be used for good from both sides. Both groups value family, relationships, and education
by spread of information. Proponents and opponents of social networking, valuing family and
relationships, could work together to promote more family-time in homes and deeper
connections between friends. There have been a handful of programs which have already started
to achieve such goals, but it is an opportunity for these different groups to come together. This is
not promoting or demoting the use of social media, but simply promoting the improvement of
relationships. A more broad and more complex issue than the spread of information over social
media is the lack of education in underdeveloped nations. These two groups could gather on the
foundation of the shared value of education through the spread of information, and find ways to
make education more accessible for underdeveloped nations. This would benefit more than just
our society by also improving the lives of others in the process. Even with dividing differences
these groups of people share values and beliefs that could help each other achieve other goals in
different areas.
Social networking has both advantages and disadvantages, as do most aspects of life. The
important part of cooperation is realizing these differences, overcoming them, finding
similarities, and working together for the greater good. That is not to say either side should
compromise on what they believe, but it means sometimes there are bigger issues than whos
liking my photo or if teenagers really have ADHD caused by their social media usage. Looking

at concepts face value isnt always enough; sometimes its the bigger picture that allows us to see
the missing details, allowing us to overcome and then achieve.
Works Cited
Social Networking ProCon.org ProCon.org. ProCon.org, 24 March 2015. Web. March 18,
2016.
Morrison, Kimberlee. "How Many Photos Are Uploaded to Snapchat Every Second?"
SocialTimes. Social Times, 9 June 2015. Web. 18 Mar. 2016.
"Top 20 Facebook Statistics - Updated October 2015." Zephoria Inc. Zephoria, 18 Oct. 2015.
Web. 18 Mar. 2016.
"Twitter Usage Statistics." Internet Live Stats. Internet Live Stats, Mar. 2015. Web. 18 Mar.
2016.