Is it true that social media
has done more harm than good. Prior to enumerating the positive and negative
effects of social media ? It will be rather more appropriate to define and
understand the meanings of social media.
According to Babylon dictionary, social media is the social interaction among
people in which they create, share or exchange information and ideas in virtual
communities and networks by using electronic media devices such as computer,
tablets cellular phone etc..
Andreas Kaplan and Michael Haenlein define [in their article "Users of the
world, unite! The challenges and opportunities of social media". Business
Horizons Volume 53 (1). p. 61 ] social media as "a group of Internet-based
applications that build on the ideological and technological foundations of Web
and that allow the creation and exchange of user-generated content."
Furthermore, social media depend on mobile and web-based technologies to create
highly interactive platforms through which individuals and communities share,
co-create, discuss, and modify user-generated contents. They introduce
substantial and pervasive changes to communication between organizations,
communities, and individuals. These changes are the focus of the emerging field
of techno self studies. Social media differ from traditional or industrial media
in many ways, including quality, reach, frequency, usability, immediacy and
permanence. Social media operates in a dialogic transmission system, (many
sources to many receivers).This is in contrast to traditional media that
operates under a monologue transmission model (one source to many receivers).
According to Wikipedia, the free online encyclopedia, social media is a new way
to communicate and share information among friends, family, colleagues and even
public at large online, as well as meeting people with similar interests. Social
media sites such as Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn are being used regularly by
millions of people worldwide.
Broadly social media can be defined and refer to all inexpensive and widely
accessible electronic tools that enable anyone to publish and access
information, collaborate on a common effort, or build relationships
In order to determine that up to what extent social media has played its vital
role for the betterment of our society and inflicted harm to the social values
of society, I will examine and analyze both the aspects.
Social media has caused good for the betterment of our society Upholders who
argue and plead that social media has caused good for uplifting the
society enumerate following points of merit in favor of their version;
a) Social media has turned the entire world into a global village.
b) Due to social media people at large can share and exchange their views and
even can discuss their problems more easily, which the result they can not only
solve their problems but also gain more knowledge
c) Social media has saved our time in interacting with the persons who are very
far from us.
d) People are updated and well acquainted with the current affairs of the world.
e) We can judge liking and disliking of people about a particular matter and
even authentic voting for determining any public issue has become very easy.
f) Social media is very helpful in acquiring education, learning skills and
latest knowledge.
g) Social media is also useful to facilitate, organize and demonstrate political
movements.
h) Social media has caused awareness in people about their social and legal
rights.
i) Due to social media people are more social and are not isolated as before.
Social media has inflicted harm and caused adverse effects on our society.
On the other hand many social reformers and scholars are of the view that social
media enormously caused harm to our society and its social values. They have
narrated following points of demerit in favor of their version;
a) There has been a dramatic decrease in face-to-face interactions, with the
result, people have become more isolated and introverted.
b) Due to social media people spend lot of time in front of monitors and use
tablets and cellular phones; resultantly they are becoming more lethargic and
inactive in real life.
c) Due to constant sitting, they are being victim of many diseases such as
obesity, osteoarthritis, high blood pressure (hypertension), raise in
cholesterol level (hyperlipidemia), cardiac arrhythmia, edema, flatulency and
dyspepsia.
d) Due to constant visionary pressure eye sight of many persons is becoming
weaker. Similarly retention power to memorize the things is also becoming weaker
day-by-day.
e) Due to overwhelming occupation in social media activities at night, timings
of sleeping have been changed. Many people are used to awake up at late timings
instead of early in the morning,. In other words social media has adversely
changed our life style.
f) Due to more social media platforms many people especially adolescents are
used to view obscene and lascivious literature, video clips which subsequently
is causing considerable decline in moral values of the society especially our
young generation is being
affected adversely. Owing to this reason affected people especially youngsters
have developed psychopathic and sociopathic attitude resulting in sexual crimes
like rape and sodomy.
g) Due to frequent chatting through SMS or, direct messages of Facebook or any
other social media, not only youngsters but also elders have enormously spoiled
their skill of writing proper language. People are used to write without taking
into consideration proper usage of grammar, punctuation, spellings, structure of
sentence and give more emphasis to the use of phonetic and vocal expression.
Similarly use of Roman Urdu has been enhanced to greater extent Even they don’t
write Roman Urdu in a proper sequence. Resultantly, writing skill including
grammar, punctuation, spellings, structure of sentence has been distorted.
h) Due to overwhelming involvement and occupation in social media activities
youngsters are becoming aloof and isolated from elders and are becoming victim
of introversion rather than being extroverted for leading normal social life.
Conclusion
We must also take into consideration this inevitable fact that we are Muslims
and are living in an Islamic society having our own traditional values and
religious obligations. Moreover, we are also living in a society wherein concept
family system is prevailing. If youngsters will be isolated from elders or their
family, the whole family system shall be collapsed.
It is our welfare to lead our lives in accordance with the verses of Holy Qur’an
and injunctions of Ah’dees-e-Nabvi of our holy prophet (PBUH), according to
which moral, ethical and social values have been laid down for enlightenment and
guidance.
Therefore, if we compare merits and demerits of social media and its impact on
our society, we undoubtedly are bound to say that social media has done more
harm than good.