Many people believe that social networking sites (such as Facebook) have had a huge negative impact on both individuals and society. To what extent do you agree?
With social
media
becoming a ubiquitous element of our daily lives, many believe that some of these sites
have an adverse effect on us. In my opinion, I totally agree that they have exerted significant negative influences on both individuals and society.
To begin
with, it is undeniable that social media
often projects an unrealistic and unattainable standard on teenagers. Young people
tend to be attention seekers, and they do seek positive feedback on social networking sites
. For example
, young people
only post the most appealing pictures and the most positive parts of their lives on social media
. Hence
, it is easy for social networking sites
to convey false standards of beauty and success to them, undermining the fact that imperfection is not a problem. Consequently
, this
can lead to low self-esteem and even depression problems in teenagers.
Secondly
, equally worth mentioning is that social media
has played an essential role in polarising our society. In an effort to boost revenue, some social networking sites
are infamous for using artificial intelligence algorithms to manipulate netizens’ behaviour online. As a result
, this
leads people
to engage more in hate speeches or aggressive discussions, as people
are inherently more focused on negativity. Furthermore
, this
can be exacerbated by political events. The recent US presidential election is a good example. In that election, Facebook and Twitter were notorious for spreading biases and causing conflicts across the country.
In conclusion, my view is that the algorithms of social networking platforms are massively misused for commercial and political purposes, and that has imposed harm on our youth’s mental health and social harmony.Submitted by Peter Chan on
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task response
Ensure that the essay addresses all parts of the question and provides a clear opinion. Include a balanced discussion of both positive and negative impacts of social media.
coherence and cohesion
The introduction and conclusion are well-presented. Ensure that each paragraph focuses on a single main idea and uses cohesive devices to link ideas together.