At any time of day, you will be sure to find someone expressing their feelings on some type of social media, most likely Facebook. When someone writes a status on Facebook, it reaches so many people because there is such a variety of ages on this specific social media site.
Whether it be an annoyed driver, someone complaining about their significant other, an upset custumer or—the one we love the most—the person complaining about politics, we always read about how someone is feeling when we open Facebook. Is this a good thing or a bad thing?
One good thing about this site is that it is a networking site. It can help long distance families and friends stay in touch, and we may even find people that we haven’t spoken to in years, giving us a way to reconnect with them. It is also very useful for businesses. For example, my family owns a restaurant at home so we are able to use Facebook to promote our family business.
While these are all positives of Facebook, there are some negatives as well. Going along the same line of using Facebook to promote a business, people can also talk negatively about a business online.
Some pages on Facebook allow users to rate their companies and businesses. This can be helpful to consumers; however, it can become manipulative and harmful to the company when, for example, one single person does not like the owners of the company or has a negative opinion of the company. They can write untrue, harmful remarks, making other consumers believe their false claims.
Another negative side of social media, specifically Facebook, is when it comes to talking about politics. Everyone has their own opinion and is entitled to freedom of speech. However, many people see what others write online and automatically believe them, even if they are not educated themselves.
Not only can Facebook users have a negative impact on the election, but the media also uses Facebook to show the candidates in ways that may not be 100 percent accurate.
I feel as though it is an overall good thing when the public is engaging themselves in a political conversation, but the conversations are not always thought through, and posting a status with your opinion on a specific party or candidate is not always considered a conversation.
With the election being so close, anything that is posted on any type of media platform is taken into consideration by the public, especially voters who are still undecided.
Facebook can also be useful because news and just lifestyles we may be interested in can be shared. If we do not take the time and sit down to watch the news on TV or read newspapers, like this one, Facebook gives you the opportunity to have information right at your fingertips.
You also don’t have to go searching for the articles, as they just pop up right on your newsfeed. It is also a good platform to get any kind of information out like asking if anyone in the area is hiring, or if someone has a lost pet. It is so easy to relay information now.
Overall, social media, specifically Facebook, has its positives and its negatives. As long as we are cautious about what others are posting and what we are exposed to, we can have a very positive experience with social media.
Breanna Connell is a fourth-year student. She can be reached at BC810217@wcupa.edu.