“Social networks represent the digital reflection of what humans do: We connect and share.”
In today’s fast paced world nearly, everyone has become familiar with the term ‘Social Networking’ wherein people across the globe can now connect and share.
Social networking is quite a common word, but it is commonly mistaken to be same as social media. While some social media platforms like Facebook are indeed social networking sites, there is quite a fascinating difference between the two!
In order to understand and analyse the impact of social networking on the development of society. It is imperative to first understand its meaning while clearing a common misconception about it.
Aptly, it is networking or connecting with one another via technology. It is streamlining access to what content you wish to or don’t wish to see. Social media on the other hand focuses strictly on the content. Which is published and consumed by the user on any social networking site. In clearer words, social networking sites are the technology that supports social media.
Taking the ongoing situation of pandemic wherein even physical interaction poses a risk to one’s well-being. Social networking has helped keep the learning process of the future generation unstopped despite all impediments. For example, many teachers have embraced the situation with a positive mind. They started uploading informative videos on sites like Facebook to help people in remote areas who could not go to school.
“Time does not wait for anyone” is extremely true and with the help of social networking no time has been wasted to ensure that the leaders making the world do not stop. Such is the power of social networking!
Another aspect of the same accounts for how the youth have used such platforms to accumulate fan base. And, are now using their voice to highlight important issues such as climate change for the world’s betterment. These people have risen to the occasion and endeavoured to bring positive change in our social fabric. By trying to make an impact on this world the youth have shown that social networking can help bring issues to light and hence draw the attention of the authorities.
Every coin has two sides and so does social networking! Given that social networking allows for cross community connect, it also brings along with it varying levels of insecurity especially amongst teenagers who fall into the trap of cyber bullying, phishing and hacking which pose a threat to the privacy of people. This threatens to hamper all the good prospects that social networking flags for.
Lastly, the internet highway is full of attractive choices custom tailored as per users. This makes it very tempting especially when it comes to “just one more reel”, “just one more video” etc. There never comes a time when one stops without wasting too much time. For students who are in high school or college,
social networking is just like what a lollipop is to a baby. It is so tempting that we fall prey to it. This is time consuming, putting us off our path towards our goals.
Despite all the demerits, the benefits of social networking for the development of our society are unsurpassed. With the change in society, we must change as well. In the New York bestseller book “Who Moved my Cheese” we can understand how the only thing which is certain in life is change and we must accept it in order to let it pull us to the top!
Manya Gupta (XA)
