The internet has come to stay and has become an integral part of college life. Social networks can impact you both positively and negatively by either turning you into an academic wizard or an angry, materialistic addict.
These problems do not mean that the internet or social media have no benefits; the issue is not realizing what you are doing or analyzing the impact it can have on you, your loved ones and your country. That is why many people see social media as a tool for personal development when used in the right way and a tool for self-destruction if misused.
Rules Are No Longer Important
Going into detail on the influence of social networks will make you understand their impact on students and how you can stay safe on the internet.
In many instances, you will find that teenagers play online games but do not care to follow the rules put in place by the creators. Parents do not always keep track of what the kids do or try to keep an open communication link with their children.
Naturally, children cannot do without interacting with others, and the only outlet they can find is online. Reading and studying can be annoying sometimes, and social media is one of the things teenagers use to get away from a stressful and dreary day. Posting pictures and commenting on their friends’ posts can be more exciting than books.
Pleasures Over Learning
Many activities take place on Facebook and Twitter because most teens see it as the fastest and easiest way to connect with friends. They use these platforms to chat for fun and pleasure and have no time to engage in online activities that can develop their skills or increase their knowledge. Some kids find the time to watch other people’s profiles, send friend requests to strangers and anonymously send love messages to kids of the opposite sex.
Teenagers and students get lost in the virtual world and can engage in negative activities while online, which they don’t usually do in real life. The pleasures they derive online make them lose all sense of responsibility and reason. Fake profiles, impersonation, and hidden intentions are some of the crimes committed online by students who have become obsessed with social media.
It is no wonder that some anti-government political figures and violent groups use videos and radical ideologies to influence the minds of teenagers. Some religious and deadly sects recruit unsuspecting and ignorant teenagers through social media to join their sinister cause. These groups aim to incite violence and destroy the peaceful coexistence of races, ethnic groups, and religions.
The result is to create an unstable and problem-ridden society where fear and insecurity reign supreme.
Young Minds Are Easily Corrupted
People with bad intentions believe that it is easy to get young people through social media channels. To achieve their aim, they create tweets and Facebook posts in such a way that some young people who have been dreaming of going for wild adventures are easily influenced and enticed to sign up for the contract. These are wrong ways to use the internet, and, sadly, they go on in our society.
There is nothing wrong with the use of technology and the internet. Technology has brought about artificial intelligence and the awesome power of the internet of things. The problem comes when there is a lack of discipline and adherence to the rules and regulations guiding content usage.
The solution to these problems is to find ways to check cyber crimes and other internet abuses. With this, the internet will be an educative and informative tool that will aid in promoting peace, and a platform for the acquisition of knowledge and development of relevant skills.
Embracing Positivity
Students should learn to embrace the positive aspects of social media. When used positively, social media can make life better for everyone, especially students. Students can make use of social media to fast track the learning process by writing complex assignments with professional essay services and using the internet as a reliable source of research materials. Students can share ideas remotely from any location without having to meet in person using social media platforms.
They can hold online classes and share videos, voice notes, and pictures on the move without meeting or having to gather at a location.
Tutors can share lecture materials, take assignments; give out instructions to their students using social media, and without meeting with their students. Tutors can fix online revision classes and hold a series of discussions with their students remotely.
With the help of social media platforms, students from different countries, cultural background, and geographical locations can meet up and hold classes remotely. All these are possible because of the invention of social media.
If students can ignore the vices associated with the social media and focus on the productive returns of using this invention, there will be lesser worries about social media and more productive results of the design.
Students can use the platform to meet up and connect with friends and acquaintances. The purpose of the invention is to help students develop their socializing skills. The platform has more to offer and will be beneficiary If put to good use.
Therefore, students should be encouraged to embrace the positive aspects of social media rather than face severe restrictions from using the platform. This piece will go a long way to help see this assertion.
Written By: Mark Holland
I love tech and gaming, and am always looking for the 'next big thing'...