Social Media: A Core Piece of Beneficial Society Do you use social media? If so have you ever thought that it was helpful or harmful to you or other people of the world? Due to social media the world has probably became a better place and people are much happier. Social media benefits us in many ways. It allows us to learn new skills,improve the relationships and make new ones, and find people of same interests and showcase talents to others. I definitely believe that social media is extremely helpful to today's youth. First of all, social media allows people to learn new skills which they could use in their daily lives. A study conducted by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation found that teenagers who use social media enjoy the benefits of enhanced communication skills (O’Keefe, “The Impact of Social Media on Children, Adolescents, and Families”) , Which will be important in many facets of life,whether it's a job interview or just talking to people around you.Being better with communication will allow to reap the benefits of life and make new relationships. Also in the same study it showed that the participants have better social connections and experience better technical skills. Which in turn allows you to make relationships easier and you will be able to keep up with all the new technology in today's society. Additionally many people use social media sites like YouTube and can find and use videos to learn new things whether it's learning to play a new instrument or a diy (do it yourself)project. Furthermore apps like Pinterest allow people to find new creative things to make and new things to learn how to do. To reinstate, social media gives people the ability to learn new skills. In addition, social media sites allow people to easily improve relationships with friends and family, and it allows people to make friends with new people easily. According to the article “Are Social Networking Sites Good For Our Society?” It states that “Social networking sites allow people to improve their relationships and make new ones in an easier way” (“Are Social Networking Sites Good For Our Society?” socialnetworking.procon.org) . In a study, 52% of teenage users report that using social sites helped them maintain a relationship with their friends. Additionally, 88% report that social media allows them to stay in touch with friends who they can’t see on the regular basis. Also 69% of users say that social media allows them to get to know other students at their school better and 57% report that they are able to make new friends. As an avid social media user I can say that social media brought me friends that I never would have met without it. I also have several friends who live far away and I can never actually see face to face and various social media keep us connected. Even if you don't use social media a lot you can still connect with friends and family and make new ones. Lastly, social media can help those who are different and those who have unusual hobbies and interests can find people with similarities online. According to the article, “Teens with unusual interest or hobbies find kindred spirits online,giving them a place to share information and enthusiasm” (Stanberry, “The Pros and Cons of Social Networking For Teenagers”). For example apps such as Facebook and Instagram will usually have suggested pages and such based on who you follow or friend and what pages you like, which will usually lead people in the right direction for interests. Another statement from the article “The Pros and Cons of Social Networking For Teenagers” is that “Kids that have disabilities or other challenges can communicate with other teens that have the same problem. This lessens their sense of isolation and allows for mutual support” (Stanberry, “The Pros and Cons of Social Networking”). This is a very great thing, see if someone has a certain disability people can't really sympathize what they feel since they don't know what they are going through. However things like this from social media,disabled teens can find a sense of community and connect with others who actually know what they are going through and can support them. Even if there are issues, you can usually find someone with similar interests online. Although, many people think that social media can lower grade in school. Some studies show that people who do uses social media have an average gpa(grade point average) of around 3.05 while non­social media users have an average of around 3.82(“Are Social Networking Sites Good For Our Society?” socialnetworking.procon.org). While, there maybe a large difference between the two averages,it does not actually matter since many people do not feel the repercussion of things like this.As evidence, many of my friends and I are avid users of various apps.However, we don’t exeprience lower grades and we actually have straight A’s . Also if you use social media in moderation and put homework and things as a higher priority rather than social media, you will have better grades and not have the low grades that came from the study. Clearly, social media is truly beneficial to the youth in modern day society. It allows us to be able to learn new skills to use in life. It also allows us to improve relationships and make new ones, and finally social media allows people of different interests or disabilities to find people to connect with. Overall, you should encourage the use of social media in order to improve the life of yours and others. Works Cited ProCon.org. “Social Networking procon.org” ​
ProCon.org. ​
24 Mar. 2015. Web. 9 Mar. 2016 Schurgin O'Keeffe, Gwenn. “The Impact of Social Media on Children,Adolescents and Families.” ​
AAP Gateway.​
American Academy Of Pediatrics. Mar. 2011. Web. 9 Mar. 2016. Stanberry,Kristin. “The Pros and Cons of Social Networking for Teenagers:A Parent’s Guide” Education.Com​
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