Social media such as Facebook, Twitter or Instagram has replaced face-to-face communication in our everyday life. Do the advantages of this development outweigh its disadvantages?

Social media

such

as Facebook, Twitter or Instagram has replaced face-to-face communication in our everyday life. The advantages of

this

development

outweighs

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outweigh

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its disadvantages, by far. These are accomplishments of modern technology

,

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and are needed, as we move towards our habitation on Moon, Mars and beyond. Humans have always attempted to travel beyond their realms, be it for commerce, adventure or scientific pursuits. Travelling far from home, and residing in distant communities required suitable means of communication, and for

this

, humans took the help of technology. Postal mail services were complemented with the telegraph, and later by the telephone. These are now supplemented by social media, thanks to the reach of the internet and cheap smartphones.

For instance

, today, we can maintain our distant relationships via Facebook and Twitter. We can develop new business contacts via these channels. We can crowd-fund our ventures by appealing to good samaritans around the world, in an instant.

Such

uninhibited and democratic access was unthinkable a few decades back. Having said that, these tools have created several concerning psychological and social issues.

For example

, the phenomenon of 'cyber

bullying'

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bullying

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.

Also

, there are issues of the breaking of familial bonds, and lack of attention in youngsters. Earlier, there was a healthy practice of communal meetings, visiting family and friends, picnics, folk dances and festivals. Nowadays, there is a reduction of these face-to-face interactions, and

this

breakage of personal bonds is creating selfish individuals. People are increasingly forgetting the values of altruism and fraternity. These trends are disturbing, but not unmanageable. Increasingly, civil society and governments have introduced protocols and legislation to control

such

unruly behaviour. In conclusion, the use of social media is an overall advantageous phenomenon and a logical conclusion of the technological developments in our society. It has its warts and moles, which need to be addressed and managed. As humans, we have always adapted to changing environments and used it to our benefit, and so too we shall achieve success with Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp and others